It is all a matter of perspective...

[sarisataka]

I will repeat my previous statements that I oppose using firearms as a part of a protest. What I am pointing out is everyone puts a spin on the facts.

[HERVEPA]

1. Bullshit. If you look at any of the details you can see they weren't.

But thanks for defending the assholes.

[sarisataka]

3. I thought I was clear

that I disagreed with their carrying firearms in such fashion.

[JaneyVee]

21. But why were they there in the first place? How about some context.

[sarisataka]

22. I tracked down their facebook page

the up front story is they regularly open carry in various places in that area with the stated purpose of raising awareness.

Now since I called BS on the image perspective I will apply the same standard and call BS on the explanation...
It took little reading of their posts to see that while they do regularly OC, they were clearly aware of the MDA meeting and in their words planned to "crash the party". They wanted to show they had more members and clearly intimidation was an unstated purpose.

Further reading shows the OCT is what I would call a radical group who uses very in-your-face tactics to oppose any and all 2A limitations. IMO they do not represent even close to a majority of gun owners and cause far more harm than good. I reject the no-comprise attitude from pro-2A groups as much as I do pro-GC groups. I cannot say they are misguided because they are clearly aware of their actions and I find their tactics reprehensible.

[JaneyVee]

36. It is a matter of perspective, and from my perspective they are nut jobs.

[spanone]

2. i trust whatever i care to from anti-gun pages. i don't want a group of gunners in a parking lot....

any parking lot, anywhere. with guns in their hands.

[sarisataka]

5. I would find this unusual

and likely ask them what was going on. I would have no problem telling them they are being douche bags.

[leeroysphitz]

4. Looks like a bunch of gun nut assholes either way. n/t

[sarisataka]

6. I do not necessarily disagree n/t

[Blue_Tires]

16. +1

[The Wielding Truth]

30. Yep. Amassing on a public street with their guns to intimidate.

[rrneck]

7. I went to their site and looked for that image and couldn't find it.

Who took the image that got all the play in the first place? How did OCT even know that MDA would be in the restaurant without some sort of press release? Why did Think Progress resort to such pathetic breathless tabloid journalism? Who was waiting for them to show up to photograph the worst possible angle of a group photo? And most importantly, why did all those people who assumed it was some sort of an armed ambush allow themselves to be so easily taken in?

Every time I see shit like this I want to throw my computer away and read more books.

[sarisataka]

8. It is hard to find the original sources

outside of Think Progress. Strangely the best place to look is Moms demand action themselves.
https://www.facebook.com/MomsDemandActionTX
Photos are there that prove the veracity of both perspectives and a few others of the open carry people milling around. It appears the two groups may have directly spoken to each other, rather than the huddled in fear of ambush presented in the article.

Still- don't bring guns to a protest; it makes mall gun owners look like asses.

[aikoaiko]

9. That is interesting. Still asshats but there you go.

[Ohio Joe]

10. Spin? Perspective? Are you shitting me? Did they show up with guns?

Yes, they did... That makes them dangerous loons that should not be allowed to own guns. Trying in any way to justify their actions is very seriously fucked up.

[kcr]

24. I guess the OP believes and would have us believe

that they all stood in that same exact pose for two hours, too. That's how long they stood trying to smoke out those four women. Because that's what the stupid facebook meme picture says!

[dsc]

11. that is not the same picture

[Agschmid]

14. It's not...

Check the guy in the lower left with the tan hat.

That being said they could have posed for multiple shots obviously...

Either way, I've never need an assault rifle in a parking lot. Come to think of it I've never needed a gun, ever.

Disgusting.

[sarisataka]

19. According to MDA it is

Left column, Nov. 9 https://www.facebook.com/MomsDemandActionTX

[kcr]

23. Uh, no they don't.

Not seeing where they say it's the same picture.

[sarisataka]

25. November 9

These were taken outside of our meeting today. And yes, those are children with them. We can't let our fellow Texans be subjected to this kind of intimidation.

https://www.facebook.com/MomsDemandActionTX


other photos from MDA-
&cfs=1

[kcr]

35. Yes, Nov 9th

Where they don't say it's the same picture as you claim. What, are you saying they posed for that picture for two hours? You're aware that's how long they were there.

[sarisataka]

37. My eyes tell me

it is the same picture, pretty easy to see. I do doubt that they posed for two hours.
I know how long they were there- it adds to the douchiness of this group.

[kcr]

38. Do your eyes tell you because a group defending them put two pics of the group together

and suggested it was the same picture taken from different angles? I see two pictures of the group and the only thing that's pretty easy to see is it was likely at the same event because they're all wearing the same clothes.

[surrealAmerican]

12. If anything, the second photo is more disturbing ...

... not less. It shows more people "brandishing" their weapons, and it shows them doing so with small children present. Whoever posted this is missing the point entirely.

[Agschmid]

15. +1

Making future gun nuts since 1979.

[sarisataka]

20. As I stated at the beginning...

I do not approve of the action.

My point is the one photo was posted to imply they were waiting in some pseudo-tactical ambush as many comments in the original thread pointed out. That was a PR move done to imply something that did not occur.The lineup was for a photo.

Now were I to oppose MDA, I have not really read much about them so I will neither support nor criticize, I would have asked to join their group and discussed the issue if they were willing.

I do not believe in using children to make your political point in most circumstances and I do not support using weapons to make it in any circumstances.
I also have antipathy for taking something out of context to make it appear what it is not. Post the actual picture(s), as MDA did and let the comments flow from there...

[etherealtruth]

13. who the hell does this?

I know folk "pose' with things they love all the time .... but, who the hell does THIS in a public parking lot?

I am not sure one photo casts that group in a better light than the other

[Skittles]

32. I love their use of the American flag

absolute cowards

[Shankapotomus]

17. Sorry

Brandishing an assault weapon in public, from any angle, is threatening.

[kcr]

18. Nice try.

But no.

[Oakenshield]

26. Quibbling is what this is.

So they weren't crouching like they were waiting for a deer to cross their path. So what? They still decided to gang up, and brandish their weapons in an effort to confront or otherwise intimidate a group of people. They are assholes. And there's absolutely no reason to defend these assholes.

[sarisataka]

27. A bit...

to be honest, I have trouble with lying by omission.

That said, the research I have done on the group this evening means I will not contest your evaluation of the people in the photo. They are the embodiment of many negative stereotypes.

[Arugula Latte]

29. And, what, we're supposed to trust the gun humpers?

[Skittles]

31. both pics look like gun humpers

[Le Taz Hot]

33. There were 40 ARMED assholes

trying to intimidate 4 unarmed WOMEN. There's no misunderstanding here.

[rucky]

34. So we see a group of armed guys in a parking lot...

and we're supposed to soak in the perspective before we decide whether we should feel threatened or not?

Would-be mass shooters everywhere are rejoicing at this trend.