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My excellent adventure in downtown Seattle

44Brent

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Joined
May 21, 2006
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772
Location
Olympia, WA
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Another person and I went through various parts of downtown to blanket the area with flyers for Ron Paul's visiton September 14th. The areas that we were in included Westlake Center, Pike Place Market, bus stops along 4th and 5th Avenues, and Pioneer Square. Basically, we walked down the streets and taped flyers all over the place. I was OCing a 1911 .45.

Everywhere I went people wanted to talk about the pistol I was carrying. First encounter was when a sophisticated 20ish "morally superior" artistic fellow did a U-Turn on the street and asked my partner "is that really necessary"? Then it was over to Pike Place Market where we talked to a security guard (ex military) for awhile about Ron Paul, the war in Iraq (was against it), and war in general. Then he remarked that the Seattle PD might harass me for OC even though it is legal. We would have talked longer, except the security guard had to scoot when someone came up and reported that a man was 'foaming at the mouth' a block away.

Down in Pioneer Square there were quite a few panhandlers which got all excited about my pistol and blitzed me with a million questions. I gave my stock answer about why I carry ("so I can shoot some bad guys"). They liked that answer.:D My partner also told them that I always carry to ____ with the police. They liked that answer even better.:idea:

Okay guys, it's your turn to take a trip into Seattle for an educational tour.
 

just_a_car

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May 28, 2007
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Auburn, Washington, USA
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Nice report Brent. Can't say I'd necessarily give those kinds of answers when asked about my reasons to carry, but The First Amendment comes before The Second. ;)
 

HankT

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Feb 20, 2007
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Invisible Mode
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just_a_car wrote:
Nice report Brent. Can't say I'd necessarily give those kinds of answers when asked about my reasons to carry...

Yeah. Pretty much schoolyard...
 

j2l3

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Aug 18, 2007
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871
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Seattle, Washington, USA
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The Seattle PD, particularly the West Precinct where you were, have been trained on the legallity of OC in Washington. Their dispatchers have also received instruction to ask more pertinent questions when they get a "Man with a gun" call. Will they still come talk to you? Sure, will they hassle you? Some probably will, but you can be sure, they DO KNOW you are within your rights.
 

44Brent

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Joined
May 21, 2006
Messages
772
Location
Olympia, WA
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With respect to my parner's statement about "He carries to____ with the police", I couldn't believe he said that. But I noticed that all of the panhandlers gave a big laugh, and then piped down. My partner knew something that I didn't, and that was that they thought I was an undercover cop sent out to bust them! I wasn't aware of it at the time, but apparently while I was separated from my partner the panhandlers were trying to sell grass and crack to him.
 
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