imported post
This is sad, wrong, and illegal.
I could see this happening in CA or some places, that don't have any Right or even permit to carry, but this was Nevada--where open carry's legality is supposed to be recognized, and CC is legislatively permitted.
To 'detain' (handcuff) a person for conducting a legal activity, and be open about it no less, is unjustified. This 'detention' borders on 'arrest', also.
There are many factors that contribute to what happened, and continues to happen (anyone remember New Mexico at the end of last year?):
-Large Urban city PD's(LA, LV, etc) have an 'us vs. them' mentality that is ingrained from the academy on. This focus on 'safety at the expense of everyone else's rights', leads to such illegal detentions and illegal siezures.
-Most large urban cities have a strong anti-individual, anti-personal responsibility, anti-firearm (which is the core of individuality and responsibility) streak. Urban areas tend to be more 'statist'than rural areas (just look at 'red state vs. blue stat' charts, based on counties).
-Las Vegas, in particular, thinks it is 'above' the Nevada constitution and law. Clark County gets special gun registration "rights", and there have been numerous reports on this site of LVMPD detaining people for excercising their rights to carry firearms in public.
It is a systemic problem in this country. I do believe, however, that perceptions of firearm ownership and bearing arms have been changing for the better over the last two decades. From CCW permits being issued to almost no one in the mid 80's, to now most states have such programs. The Open Carry movement, while always strong in some states (AZ being one), has grown across the country, gaining national attention and strength.
I have hopes that as bearing arms once again becomes mainstream, that LE and gov't will have to adapt.
