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Open Carry at "Join the Impact" Rally and March on 11/15/08

Gray Peterson

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As everyone well knows, I generally open carry at GLBT related events, such as Pride.

The recent passage of Proposition 8 in California by a 4 percent margin sparked nationwide protest rallies and marches last saturday. I was one of 6000 marchers against Proposition 8 here in Seattle area, and I attended both the beginning and end rallies at Volunteer and Westlake Parks respectively.

Not surprising, though, I was open carrying the entire time. The last time I went to Volunteer Park in Pride 2007, I was hassled and harassed by ignorant Seattle PD who threatened to arrest me, stranding my partner who had to go to work later that day (he doesn't have a drivers license) if I didn't leave due to their preempted park ordinance. I left because I couldn't afford to strand him.

Not so this time around....

I arrived at Volunteer Park around 12:20. I was mostly hanging out near the back because there was around 5000 people at Volunteer Park. It also had lots of speakers. I was speaking with a few people at a table (who finally noticed I had my pistol on my right hip after a few minutes of talking to them). Very interesting to say the least.

That being said, while talking with them, I happened to notice Mayor Greg Nickels walking by me! :what:

What's surprising is the way he walked by me, he didn't notice my pistol at all (walking by my left side). I will say this: For a bunch of general people on the "left side" of the political equations, when I pointed out that Nickels walked by, they were not too happy. They think he's a opportunist, and I will quote "He's a giant douchebag who will say anything to get elected, whether it be saying that he's for gay marriage or anything else". Too true.

There was a significant police presence there both at the rallies and during the march between Volunteer Park and Westlake Park. I marched in the parade as an individual, I was open carrying with my brothers and sisters in the battle, educated a CRAP load of people on open carry and gun carry in general, and got the "Pink Panthers" label from a few people (variant of the Black Panthers). I stated "Nah, more like the Deacons of Defense and Justice". Funnily enough, most of the people got the reference (they were pretty historically educated people on that subject).

Not ONE police contact. I had the training bulletins ready to hit them with, but they didn't stop me.
 

Izzle

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kparker wrote:
Good story, though I confess I'm not sure of the point of a Seattle rally against a CA state matter...
People did the same thing during the civil rights movement. I feel like the general public is going to look back at all these bans and feel the same way they do today about how they treated African Americans years ago.
 

joeroket

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Funny you should mention Join The Impact as the web hosting company I help run, hostdango.com, has work done for us by Amy so we offered to host jointheimpact.com for her.
 

Cougar125

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sv_libertarian wrote:
Could it be people are getting less and less weirded out over OC?
That could be part of it. The other part of it could still be people's own complacency or their own ignorance. I think we shall never know either way for sure.
 

grishnav

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Jeeze man, you gotta start lettin' me know when you're up to this stuff... I'm more then happy to come stand by ya, or at least shoot some video, if I've got the time! I'll even OC too. :)
 

Nitrox314

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So was the mayor speaking out against Prop-8? Also, people may not have cared that you were OC'ing because they thought you were undercover cops. After the rioting in San Fran, oyu can imagine there were probably a few in the crowd...
 

gsx1138

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I would really hope that activist groups would stop jumping on bandwagons and support the 2A. I never understood wanting to stand up for your rights while at the same time denying others theirs. As far as gay marriage, have at it. Why should I give a sh!t. I will tell you, more homosexuals get armed and less will get beaten. Kill a few ignorant assholes and watch the assault rate drop.

Anyway, good to see you are standing up for everyone's rights. Not just those that are convenient.
 

Gray Peterson

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gsx1138 wrote:
I would really hope that activist groups would stop jumping on bandwagons and support the 2A. I never understood wanting to stand up for your rights while at the same time denying others theirs. As far as gay marriage, have at it. Why should I give a sh!t. I will tell you, more homosexuals get armed and less will get beaten. Kill a few ignorant @#$%s and watch the assault rate drop.

Anyway, good to see you are standing up for everyone's rights. Not just those that are convenient.
Well, I'm actually standing up for my own rights. I was actually planning on getting hitched in California until this whole Prop 8 bother occured.
 

44Brent

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Why would people who favor gay rights, protest in WASHINGTON about a proposition that was passed in the State of CALIFORNIA by voters?
 

gsx1138

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44Brent wrote:
Why would people who favor gay rights, protest in WASHINGTON about a proposition that was passed in the State of CALIFORNIA by voters?

For the same reason we should've been protesting the handgun ban in D.C. When rights are limited or taken away in one area it's only a matter of time before they work their way to where you live.
 

heresolong

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gsx1138 wrote:
When rights are limited or taken away in one area it's only a matter of time before they work their way to where you live.
Of course you are assuming that this is a matter of rights. At the risk of taking this thread off OC topic, the argument here is not about equal rights but rather about a redefinition of the word marriage. Gays currently have the same rights (which I fully support) as everyone else in every area. The fact that there are neanderthals who choose to beat up or kill someone based on their choice of partners is both outrageous and illegal. When it comes to marriage, however, gays have the same right as heterosexuals, to marry someone of the opposite sex. Everyone is equally restricted under the definition of a marriage. What the GLTB lobby wants to do here is change the definition.

Whereas the Second Amendment is a right guaranteed by the Constitution.
 

bigazn13

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vote_no wrote:
44Brent wrote:
Why would people who favor gay rights, protest in WASHINGTON about a proposition that was passed in the State of CALIFORNIA by voters?
People like protesting.
I think there is more to it than that,gay marriagein California was a big thing for alot of people and to have prop 8 pass and turn that around has made alot of people angry.
 
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