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Any instances of open carry events having a negative political impact

Cougfan2

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Hi all. I am getting ready to sponsor my first open carry event this weekend in Hillsboro, OR. I'm really not sure what reaction if any will get from local LEO, but general question is has anyone experienced any negative political impact prompted by an open carry event and if so how did you react/respond to it?
 

Michigander

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I've been to 3 or 4 in Michigan, and I've never heard of such a thing. People sitting around peacefully eating and talking never draws much attention, aside from news sometimes, but that's only when someone who organized the event wanted them to be there. And when that happens people will respond to the article on the website it's hosted on, and you will see negative comments there sometimes, but for the most part, everything I have seen is overwhelmingly good.

I suppose some anti gun people might read about OC get togethers and get mad, but they are probably out numbered 20 to 1 by people who approve, and others who get educated and don't disprove.
 

Cougfan2

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Michigander, That's kind of what I expected, but I am fairly new at this and was just curious. Thanks for responding.
 

Takezo

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Make sure you have your ducks lined up in a row.

And if you're gonn'a do it, you might as well make some hay.

Are you a leader, or a follower?

Choose which.

We need point men for this movement right now.

So beforehand....

Send the Chief of the LEO's the facts and laws regarding OC in your state. Make sure to tell them that you have an attorney who will be present to monitor the conduct of his LEO's. Alude to the fact that any violations of civil rights will be met with action in a federal court (these little sh_it-bird towns hate buring up their money in court actions, and may tell the LEO's to back off).

Make sure you notify all the local media beforehand, TV news, radio talk show/news, papers, etc. Download the format of the OC.org press release, copy it for style. ThenFAX your press releaseto them--this gives them something tangible in their hands which cannot be ignored.

If you can get on a local radio talk show--do it! This is done by calling into the station, and asking for the host's producer (usually thier board operator on small stations). Tell him who you are and make sure you get his FAX number. FAX the donkey the press release immediately. This will put the meat to him--and force him to deal with you. Remember that radio and TV is a hungry animal that needs to be fed.

They will most likely book you. Try to show up personally at the station to do the interview--this way they cannot cut you off, or blow you off out of hand. Force them to deal with you (good tactic). Have something to say, is short sentences, that say somthing everyone will understand... "the 2nd amendment is not to protect the rights of duck hunters" "I don't want to be a chalk line." "OC is a protected 2nd Amendment right." "Police don't know the laws--they only follow orders from the politicans, who control them through the chiefs/elected sherrifs." "Then let them arrest me for a lawful conduct--we have attorneys standing by to pursue any civil rights violations in federal court." Get the drift?!

Also if you get on, announce a meeting place where you will start from. Invite any "real American men and women" to join you and your friends. You will be surprised how many show up--some OC-ing, some not (because they don't have weapons). If you are in a position to supply weapons for OC, announce that also (non-loaded of course and no firing pin, but they don't have to know that). Loaners will get a laugh and break tension.

Usually when you are booked onto a show, you can send out talking points (relevant questions that commonly come up) to the producer, who then gives them to the donkey host. Remember these guys are not there because they are rocket scientists. If a local host was half way good--they'd be syndicated and located in a major market. You have to do the work for them. They are mostly stupid.

Make sure you have a couple of guys with video camera (hi-def preferably), who are covering the whole event on the QT. If you are the point-man of the operation, you will be the one the LEO's confront... so have your person wired for sound, and hooked into two recorders (one just sound), the other into one of the videos (see radio shack). In case one is turned off--the other continues to record.

Better to have two videos hooked into the sound also. Have the microphone in open-plain sight--but do not say anything other that "this is an openpublic event (meaning not a protest march with needs a permit), and that you areon a public street/venue or private property."

This is 101 level info.

Anymore questions email me at: fiveringstakezo@yahoo.com mention OC.org in the header so I don't erase it.

ST
 

Bill Starks

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Here in Washington we schedule a OC event on a monthly basis, sometimes two. On August 2nd we had an event at a downtown park in Puyallup (pew-al-up). We were no more than 25 feet from the kids swings and play area, there was also a Farmer's Market going on as well as a wedding reception. You couldn't have asked for a better day for an OC event. Washington Gun Rights pamphlets were passed out and plenty of pics taken.

We alerted no law enforcement or news media. It was just a gathering of folks to have a good time exercising their rights.

You can find the thread and pics located here:
http://opencarry.mywowbb.com/forum55/14480.html
 

skidmark

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Takezo wrote:
Make sure you have your ducks lined up in a row.

And if you're gonn'a do it, you might as well make some hay.

Are you a leader, or a follower?

Choose which.

We need point men for this movement right now.

So beforehand....

Send the Chief of the LEO's the facts and laws regarding OC in your state. Make sure to tell them that you have an attorney who will be present to monitor the conduct of his LEO's. Alude to the fact that any violations of civil rights will be met with action in a federal court (these little sh_it-bird towns hate buring up their money in court actions, and may tell the LEO's to back off).

Make sure you notify all the local media beforehand, TV news, radio talk show/news, papers, etc. Download the format of the OC.org press release, copy it for style. ThenFAX your press releaseto them--this gives them something tangible in their hands which cannot be ignored.

If you can get on a local radio talk show--do it! This is done by calling into the station, and asking for the host's producer (usually thier board operator on small stations). Tell him who you are and make sure you get his FAX number. FAX the donkey the press release immediately. This will put the meat to him--and force him to deal with you. Remember that radio and TV is a hungry animal that needs to be fed.

They will most likely book you. Try to show up personally at the station to do the interview--this way they cannot cut you off, or blow you off out of hand. Force them to deal with you (good tactic). Have something to say, is short sentences, that say somthing everyone will understand... "the 2nd amendment is not to protect the rights of duck hunters" "I don't want to be a chalk line." "OC is a protected 2nd Amendment right." "Police don't know the laws--they only follow orders from the politicans, who control them through the chiefs/elected sherrifs." "Then let them arrest me for a lawful conduct--we have attorneys standing by to pursue any civil rights violations in federal court." Get the drift?!

Also if you get on, announce a meeting place where you will start from. Invite any "real American men and women" to join you and your friends. You will be surprised how many show up--some OC-ing, some not (because they don't have weapons). If you are in a position to supply weapons for OC, announce that also (non-loaded of course and no firing pin, but they don't have to know that). Loaners will get a laugh and break tension.

Usually when you are booked onto a show, you can send out talking points (relevant questions that commonly come up) to the producer, who then gives them to the donkey host. Remember these guys are not there because they are rocket scientists. If a local host was half way good--they'd be syndicated and located in a major market. You have to do the work for them. They are mostly stupid.

Make sure you have a couple of guys with video camera (hi-def preferably), who are covering the whole event on the QT. If you are the point-man of the operation, you will be the one the LEO's confront... so have your person wired for sound, and hooked into two recorders (one just sound), the other into one of the videos (see radio shack). In case one is turned off--the other continues to record.

Better to have two videos hooked into the sound also. Have the microphone in open-plain sight--but do not say anything other that "this is an openpublic event (meaning not a protest march with needs a permit), and that you areon a public street/venue or private property."

This is 101 level info.

Anymore questions email me at: fiveringstakezo@yahoo.com mention OC.org in the header so I don't erase it.

ST

Are you suggesting that the OP is looking for an "In Your Face" confrontation, and that you want to assist him in guaranteeing he gets just that - cops in his face?

Your suggestions are guerillia theater at its finest. Absolute confrontation from the beginning, and challenges that"dare" the local authoritiesto do anything about your behavior that most LEO are not going to disregard, nor are they going to be intimidated by.

Your suggestion to notify the press in advance pretty much disqualifies your claim of tbeing an "open public event" except in terms of not restricting onlookers and gwakers from joining your ranks. With the level of advertising you are suggesting it seems you very well may need a permit of some type, and if you are going to stage your event on property that you do not personally own you will need permission from the owner to use that property.

From Cougfan2's response to Michigander, it sounds more like the OP is setting up an OC Dinner instead of a protest parade.

Setting up an OC dinner is easy. First you "scout" the location to find out if they are OC-friendly. Then you follow the directions at http://opencarry.mywowbb.com/forum54/13648.html.

One thing to add - bring a camera. Take a few group pics outside the place, and lots of pics of your group enjoying themselves while eating. (Hint: except for idiot teens, most folks do not make photographic records of themselves breaking the law or acting like jerks.) Not only does taking pics tend to calm the antsy folks, it gives you something to send to theowner/manager when you write and thank them for the good time you all had there.

Also - if you can, print up some business-card-sized material on the laws regardingOCto hand out as educational material to folks who ask about OC-ing. See http://opencarry.mywowbb.com/forum54/11009.html for an idea. (Make sure you scroll down so you see the revised, 2-sided card.)

Cougfan - best of luck on your event. Hope to see pictures posted.

stay safe.

skidmark

* edited to add info card link & fix a typo.
 

Cougfan2

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Skidmark, I appreciate your response. As you surmised, I am not looking for an in your face confrontation with law enforcement. This is just a chance for me to meet some like minded folks to get to know each other and possibly provide some education about opencarry rights and responsibilites.

If the LEO's do show up I'll offer to cook them a burger or brat if they haven't had lunch yet. :)
 

marshaul

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The only instance I know of is the Black Panther's armed "march" on Sacramento in 1967.

The ban of loaded OC in California was an attempt to prevent Black Panther patrols from monitoring Oakland Police.

What's funny is that the very "liberals" who support this racist legislation, the history of which they don't understand, are the Californians most complacent in their self-assured belief that California is the most "progressive," anti-racist state in the Union. In fact California is quite the opposite.
 

Mike

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Open carry has been advancing not retreating as it has become more popular - e.g., Geirgia (HB 89), Ohio (Hb 347).

And failures of anti-OC bills in CA & IN.
 

IanB

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I have one snarky response and one serious response. First the snarky:

"Any instances of open carry events having a negative political impact?"

Yes.Google "Black Panthers"; May 2nd, 1967; open carry;andCalifornia General Assembly. This is one of the reasons CA does not allow loaded open carry currently.

And now the serious: the best advice I can give you is 1) have the appropriate laws, opinions, and cases printed out and with you, 2) have at least one audio recording device, 3) one member of the group should be "armed" with a video camera, this person should NOT have a firearm if you're expecting trouble from LEO's.

Lastly, common sense and cool thinking are imperative.

Edit: Didn't read the whole thread before I replied. Looks like several beat me to the "cameras" suggestion as well as Marshual mentioning the BP.
 

Cougfan2

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BTW, not snarky at all! Good advice. There will be a person with a video camera and I hadn't thought about asking them to be unarmed, but I think it's sound advice. There will also be a recording device. If anyone escalates an LEO contact it won't be me.

I have already printed out the appropriate laws and will have them on me.
 
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