imported post
yale wrote:
Turbo, How did the meetup go? How many people showed? Did you guys get out between showers for some trash time or was it just table talk weather?
I went to the Gonzales Gun Show after I got off work and dropped off a bunch of LOCAL brochures. The rain was pouring when they finially opened the doors at 9am and let us in.
The rain put a halt to the pickup plans so we just had a bull session at the local Shoney's. In any case, it was always good to meet others who carry and hear what they have to say about their experiences. Mother nature didn't cooperate this time but there will be other chances. Seven of us met in the rain and I have no doubt that the weather put off others who might have come out. I don't really blame them. The new folks that Jerry and I met are now interested in attending the LOCAL meeting so that's another plus. There actually were a couple of guys out in the rain doing pick up when I got there. Thought they may have gotten started early but it wasn't any of ours. I figured maybe they were trustees or something, which might explain why they were out in the rain anyway. No rain gear either. :?
It's a pity about those who miss the point of OCer's doing litter pick ups. I've seen other groups doing pick ups, everybody has. I don't know what their reasons for doing so are, but for us I believe the intent is to show that OCer's are not just a bunch of "Dirty Harry" vigilantes. A litter pick up (like the Christmas toy drive idea someone offered) is a means of showing some responsibility. I was willing to pick up other peoples trash in a town I don't live in, for no other reason than to meet others who all have a goal to show the public, that we, Open Carryers, are citizens like themselves. Civic minded, responsible citizens just trying to demonstrate that we are normal, regular people just like they are. It is the unfortunate fact that carrying a sidearm is not considered "mainstream" behavior by the rest of society, that makes such demonstrations necessary. It is a means of showing that, despite our willingness to make our convictions plain, we are in all other respects, no different than any other "Joe Plumber" out there. Our behavior while OCing must always show this.
Well, some people in the OC community just ain't gonna get it. They either prefer to play the oddball to prove to themselves they ain't a sheeple (which proves nothing except that they are, indeed, an oddball) or they just hate the idea that patient persistence might win in the end and that their antagonistic attitude and jargon was in fact more harm than help.
Don't take that to mean I advocate taking any discrimination or rights violations laying down! Those need to be fought yes, but I feel it's our duty, our responsibility toward the OC cause and community as a whole, to make a point of always showing the public that OCer's are, first and foremost, normal, responsible minded citizens like themselves and gun carriers second.
Most of us do this everyday as individuals, but as a single entity you can be considered an oddball. When the same behavior is seen in groups, it's harder to ignore the point. Litter pick ups are just a means of doing this
as a group.
I saw your post about Spanky letting you place OC pamphlets at the Bayou Shooter table at the gunshow. Good job with that. Very cool he let you do that considering the attitude of some folks at that site. Hats off Spanky! Thanks!
