First Post: Hello from Ann Arbor

imported post

Hello all,

I just read the lead article in today's Ann Arbor News. I literally jumped for joy when picked up the paper and read the headline and captions. I saw a reference to this website and knew that I had to register at once. :celebrate

This bastion of liberalism - Ann Arbor, has been my home since I was three years old. I've been involved in firearms as a hobby since I was about five or six, thanks to my enlightened dad. However, when I was growing up everyone I came in contact with from teachers, to friends and friends' parents have looked down on my passion for firearms and have always tried to lecture me on their supposed evils. All of the extreme liberals who permeate this city have always attempted to make me feel guilty, misguided, ignorant or troubled for being involved in shooting sports.

I've been a holder of a concealed pistol permit for three years now. Any time someone finds out about this they seem to think that I'm trying to be a tough guy or that I'm a paranoid nut-case.

I just want to thank each and every one of you who was brave enough to get together at Wheeler Park (a scant few miles from my house) and stand together in camaraderie in the name of our Second Amendment right and in the name of picnicking and grilling

I will admit, I am not a practicioner of open carry. I always carry my pistols concealed, because of the social stigma and persecution that we face in this liberal minded area. Although I never carry openly, I would have been glad to make an exception yestarday and wear my sidearm proudly on my hip at Wheeler Park with you all. I wish I knew about this event beforehand. Oh well, there's always next time.


Even tho I have a CPL, I still cannot venture on to University of Michigan property while I am armed. I find this abhorrent, because each and every year the university absorbs more of our town into its campus. Eventually the whole city will be university property. The other reason it offends me, is because it is a public institution. I take a few classes at Eastern Michigan University. Although I cannot carry inside classrooms, as they are pistol free zones, EMU is wise enough not to have regulations against firearms possession on the campus at large. I am no lawyer, but in my uninformed opinion, UMich has no legal justification for this stance.

In any case, I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who attended this function. Thank you very much for making a statement on the behalf of all Ann Arborites who are responsible gun owners. The article in the Ann Arbor News was the highlight of my day.

Much respect due,

Para Nine.

imported post

Welcome to the site Para! Unless I'm mistaken, I recognize your name from XDTalk? Anyway, I wish you could have joined us, it was a great time! There is another picnic in Belle Isle on the 26th, but come Spring time I think we'll see a lot more!

Now that you found the site, I'd recommend that you read some of the stickies... I know when I first found this site, I learned a bunch! Thanks for stopping by, thanks for the support, and hope to see you out at the next event.

imported post

Welcome to the forums. I hope you will join us on our next get together which is October 26th.

imported post

thanks for the welcome, Matt

I used to be on XD Talk quite a while back, but I don't think I've been there for about four years. you have an outstanding memory.

I transferred my XD to my brother earlier this year. The weapon served me well, never let me down, we had some fun together, but I wasn't carrying or shooting her anymore, so it was time for both of us to move on.

Out of all my pistols the XD was the one my brother seemed to like the most. and He just moved in to a new house in Battle Creek and I wanted him to have some protection as well as something he could use at the range for fun, so he got a puchase permit and I sold it to him the XD super cheap. It was an arangement that suited everyone.

Once again, thanks for the warm greetings. i hope i can make the next event in the area. I'm glad there's people out there who are respectfully standing up and making a statement on behalf of responsible firearms enthusiats in our area. Kudos!

EDIT: THway, thanks! I'll try to be there. Sounds like fun

imported post

Welcome aboard!

A few thoughts about your post:

Isn't it absurd that some people who own no guns and haveno experience with gunsseem to think they are an authority on gun ownership and experience? Is it just me, or is this absurdity patently obvious?

It may seem that those who open carry are brave, but you will learn that actually people who open carry merely are knowledgeable of their rights and know how to handle LEO and non-LEO ("regular" citizen) encounters. You can find all the information for this here.

You feel the need tocarryconcealed"because of the social stigma and persecution that we face in this liberal minded area," but you will learn that we who open carry do so, in part,to CONFRONT and REHABILITATE such erroneous anti-gun hysteria.

We look forward to your participation, contribution, and fellowship.

imported post

DanM wrote:

Welcome aboard!

A few thoughts about your post:

Isn't it absurd that some people who own no guns and haveno experience with gunsseem to think they are an authority on gun ownership and experience? Is it just me, or is this absurdity patently obvious?

Click to expand...

i couldn't agree more. those who are most vociferous in regards to the suppression of Second Amendment rights are those who are the most ignorant about firearms in every respect. They know nothing when it comes to firearm safety, design, operation and the "gun-culture" itself.

Carolyn McCarthy is a case in point. She is so ignorant that she doesn't even understand the proposed legislation that she herself authored. For instance, when Tucker Carlson asked her what a barrel shroud was in an interview, she had no idea what it was.

She has no clue what it is, but yet she wants it banned.

I feel for her, because her husband was murdered. However, her husband was murdered in New York state: one of the most oppressively anti-gun states in the union, none of the anti-gun laws on the books in New York was able to save her husband. Her knee-jerk response? More laws unenforceable feel-good laws which take firearms out of the hands of responsible, well trained citizens.

However, we are more pragmatic and are cogniscient of the fact that the only thing that would have saved lives on the Long Island Railway that day would have been legally armed citizens, trained in the means of lethal force and prepared to exercise it.

It may seem that those who open carry are brave, but you will learn that actually people who open carry merely are knowledgeable of their rights and know how to handle LEO and non-LEO ("regular" citizen) encounters. You can find all the information for this here.

You feel the need tocarryconcealed"because of the social stigma and persecution that we face in this liberal minded area," but you will learn that we who open carry do so, in part,to CONFRONT and REHABILITATE such erroneous anti-gun hysteria

Click to expand...

I certainly agree with your cause and your methods. My personal choice is to follow the path of least resistance. I am totally in favor of open carry. However, I try to not attract attention and to not show my hand. My everyday carry mode is always concealed IWB

Perhaps its because I shrink away from confrontation in general. Perhaps its because I don't want people to interact with me in a diffferent way. Perhaps its because I worry about LEOs who are ignorant of the law....I've never really considered the reasons why I don't carry openly...but for whatever reason I exclusively carry my weapons concealed, unless I am at the range.

I hope I can make it out to Belle Isle for the next event and try carrying openly in a social setting for a change

We look forward to your participation, contribution, and fellowship.

Click to expand...

Thank you. This seems like a great community, everyone here seems most friendly, knowledgeable and united in a comon cause. What's not to love?

imported post

Well said. I also live, and have lived in Ann Arbor for many years. I was bummed when I learned that I'd missed this Open Carry Pic Nic right here in town. I certainly would've attended. Like you, I've visited this site for news many times, but had not, until today, registered. Looking forward to the next event....

Ann Arbor local.

imported post

Hi and welcome !

imported post

In my trades work there, I've met at least a DOZEN blue collar gun nuts from ann arbor, and those are just the guys I was lucky enough to meet. There are several ann arbor gun nuts on this site. It's just taboo, but you guys are there.

Think about it. You need not regret missing the meeting. Theres enough of you guys there. Just have weekly meet ups in ths city if you want. The more you do it, the less hidden ann arbor gun cranks will become. OCing has TREMENDOUS impact on people finding out about it, and that goes double in places like Ann Arbor. As has been pointed out before, our first meeting had only 4 people. If there are even just 2 of you available, that's a group meet up!

imported post

Good evening to all,



For those of you articulate in nature please keep up to date with the letter to the editors. And go out into the world my acolytes and hit back at the people who are knocking down this good cause.