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Arlington Open Carry April Meetup

Burlyman78

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Come out for a Tex-Mex lunch and good conversation with like-minded people at Uncle Julio's Rio Grande Cafe in the heart of Ballston. We will: eat tons of chips and salsa, order burritos, enchiladas, and possibly guacamole, and talk about politics, hunting, VA gun laws, political philosophy, or anything else anyone wants to talk about:) Just tell the host you are with "Arlington Open Carry." Details and RSVP here:

http://www.meetup.com/Arlington-Open-Carry/

Ben
Arlington, VA
 

Tess

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Well, I hate creating accounts, but would like to attend -- with spouse and adult child.
 

Regular_Joe

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Wife and I will try to make it - we have been OC'ing several times in Arlington lately as we are helping to take care of a family member going through a health issue. No issues, just some odd looks. Thanks for coordinating this!
 

Burlyman78

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Hey all,

I put together a firearms safety policy to cover all our meetings (see below). It's just two major rules: One, firearms must not be handled, and must remain in holsters at all times during our meetings, and; Two, all openly carried firearms must be carried in a holster with at least one level of retention (i.e. thumb break, or mechanical locking device such as on Blackhawk Serpa and Safariland ALS holsters). Both rules are to ensure we don't have any safety mishaps during our meetings. If you don't have a holster with at least one level of retention and won't be able to get one by our first meeting on Sat., April 24 at Uncle Julio's Rio Grand Cafe in Ballston, don't OC, but come anyway. Don't CC either since it's illegal (for now) at Virginia restaurants that serve alcohol. If you have any questions about holsters or anything else, don't hesitate to ask.

Ben


--
Arlington OC Firearms Safety Policy

Safety mishaps, particularly with firearms, expose Arlington OC to liability issues and could significantly damage our credibility as a gun rights and educational organization. At all non-range Arlington OC events and meetings, the following rules and requirements shall be strictly observed:

A. Firearms

At all Arlington OC meetings, events, or gatherings, firearms shall NOT be handled; they will remain holstered at all times.

B. Retention Holsters

A retention holster with at least one level of retention, such as a thumb break or other mechanical action to prevent the firearm from being removed from the holster by an unauthorized third-party, is REQUIRED for open carry at all Arlington OC events. Examples of acceptable retention holsters include: Galco Fletch High Ride Belt Holster (or any other leather holster with a thumb break), Safariland ALS concealment holster, and Blackhawk SERPA holster.

C. Responsibilities

All Arlington OC members/attendees share the responsibility to support, adhere to, enforce, and assist with the implementation of these procedures and standards.
 

Tess

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Count me out.

I'm looking for a group of people with common interests who get together and, as adults, discuss items of common interest ... not another "group" with "rules".
 

NightmareSHANIQUA

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Tess wrote:
Count me out.

I'm looking for a group of people with common interests who get together and, as adults, discuss items of common interest ... not another "group" with "rules".
Well, to be fair, I thought I was the only one who thought it was a little extreme to post "rules" that we all LEGALLY follow anyway. I am hesitant to go if this meetup is going to be uptight and we all need to ogle each other to make sure we arent fooling around with our sidearms.

Ben, I say this with all respect:
Just about all of us have been to meetups, whether they are planned out way in the future or only a few days in advance. We all know how to carry and what the legal bounds are. You dont need to worry about posting rules. Just post up a time and a place, and the good people of this board that can, will show up. The thing you have to realize, we arent the people that carry guns you need to worry about ;)
 

Burlyman78

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It's basically just the VCDL firearms safety policy that they have in place for all their meetings and get togethers. I just added the part about retention holsters.
 

NightmareSHANIQUA

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Burlyman78 wrote:
It's basically just the VCDL firearms safety policy that they have in place for all their meetings and get togethers. I just added the part about retention holsters.
Which is fine, but what I am saying is that we just about all have them memorized, and not everyone on the board carries a firearm that has a retention holster made for that particular firearm. We are all conscious of our decision to carry and we make we do that safely.

I want to go, and I want hang out with other OC'ers. I love going to meetups because it is a great way to put names to faces. Like I said before, just set the time and place. Dont worry about setting rules.
 

Tess

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I have to admit to having had some qualms about this meetup from the get-go.

I don't like to make judgements from only what I read on the board, though; there's too much potential for misinterpretation.

However, my FIRST reason for getting together with others is NOT to test how the law is enforced by the police. I don't expect to be asked irrelevant questions about where I'm going and why I'm in a place. And, I don't want to belong to another organization. So, though Arlington Open Carry was sponsoring this, the idea of getting together with others is something I enjoy, and I've yet to attend a get-together that wasn't pleasant. Why are they pleasant? Because they're adults, acting like adults.

I'm getting vibes that this isn't intended to be like other get-togethers, and I'll (very likely) not attend.

This is me. I'm so libertarian that I make the Libertarian party look like Nanny-staters, and "policies" rub me the wrong way. I think I understand what AOC is trying to do, but you aren't VCDL, which is incorporated and could be devastated by lawsuits. I'm an adult, and prefer to be treated as such.

I expect others will disagree, and I hope you have a great luncheon.
 

NightmareSHANIQUA

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Tess wrote:
I have to admit to having had some qualms about this meetup from the get-go.

I don't like to make judgements from only what I read on the board, though; there's too much potential for misinterpretation.

However, my FIRST reason for getting together with others is NOT to test how the law is enforced by the police. I don't expect to be asked irrelevant questions about where I'm going and why I'm in a place. And, I don't want to belong to another organization. So, though Arlington Open Carry was sponsoring this, the idea of getting together with others is something I enjoy, and I've yet to attend a get-together that wasn't pleasant. Why are they pleasant? Because they're adults, acting like adults.

I'm getting vibes that this isn't intended to be like other get-togethers, and I'll (very likely) not attend.

This is me. I'm so libertarian that I make the Libertarian party look like Nanny-staters, and "policies" rub me the wrong way. I think I understand what AOC is trying to do, but you aren't VCDL, which is incorporated and could be devastated by lawsuits. I'm an adult, and prefer to be treated as such.

I expect others will disagree, and I hope you have a great luncheon.
Nail on the head, Tess. Couldnt have said it better myself.
 

ed

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Burlyman78 wrote:
all openly carried firearms must be carried in a holster with at least one level of retention (i.e. thumb break, or mechanical locking device such as on Blackhawk Serpa and Safariland ALS holsters).

--

All Arlington OC members...

1. My holster does not have a thumb break or mechanical locking device.

2. What is an Arlington OC "member"? How do you join? Do you have a website? What are the bylaws, Who is in charge?
 

Regular_Joe

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Dang - we are such AMERICANS! Tess/Nightmare - I agree. My wife and I really enjoy getting together with other OC'ers to simply share a passion for our Constitution and to simply have fun. I'd rather not have to adopt yet another set of policies to have dinner with some great folks.

I joined the NRA to have a big dog somewhere in the fight, VCDL for the great boots on the ground work...I'd rather not have to join AOC just to OC in Arlington with other like-minded Americans.

Burly - I really think your intentions are good - you just may be trying to hard to create a community within a community... I think also, that when we gather, as Tess said, "as adults", we reflect a more natural environment in which everyone can engage the 2A. I believe that if you wrap too many regulations around this, that you give the general public even more to worry about ("Oh my GOSH - that lady doesn't even have a strappy thing around the handle of her dangerous gun - what if my little Johnny runs up and GRABS IT?!??! OH, think of the children!!!")

As a favorite pastor of mine often says, 'Not a sermon, just a thought...'.
 

Burlyman78

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@Regular Joe -- I actually do think guns are dangerous and personally would not open carry a firearm in a holster *without* a retention device. But, to each his (or her) own.

AOC is not an ad-hoc OCDO "Open Carry Lunch." It's an open carry advocacy group. The mission of the group is to:

*Test how the law is enforced by the Arlington County police -- to ensure that the rights of Arlington gun owners are not being infringed.

*Provide a venue for members to practice exercising their rights -- to the fullest extent of the law.

*Educate the police about the rights of citizens during OC stops; and,

*Normalize the open carry of firearms by private citizens -- with aim of changing the view that only criminals and police carry guns

@Tess: One of the reasons for the basic firearm safety policy for AOC gatherings is to protect me from liability. AOC is a Meetup group, not an incorporated entity (as you point out). This exposes me to *more* liability as the organizer of the group, since incorporation *limits* liability.

I think all the consternation about "rules" and "groups" and "joining" are because AOC is obviously not what most people do on OCDO. It's more intentional and more assertive than the usual "we just get together as gun owners open carrying in the normal course of our lives whenever somebody feels like organizing a gathering" approach. I don't have a problem with that approach. I just don't want to take it. Hence, Arlington Open Carry.

So, if AOC isn't what you're looking for, no problem. You can keep doing what you've been doing, and more power to you. If you want to try something different, you can join AOC here (and it's a Meetup group, so yes, you have to "join" to get on the email list):

http://www.meetup.com/Arlington-Open-Carry/
 

NightmareSHANIQUA

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Burlyman78 wrote:
@Regular Joe -- I actually do think guns are dangerous and personally would not open carry a firearm in a holster *without* a retention device. But, to each his (or her) own.

AOC is not an ad-hoc OCDO "Open Carry Lunch." It's an open carry advocacy group. The mission of the group is to:

*Test how the law is enforced by the Arlington County police -- to ensure that the rights of Arlington gun owners are not being infringed.

*Provide a venue for members to practice exercising their rights -- to the fullest extent of the law.

*Educate the police about the rights of citizens during OC stops; and,

*Normalize the open carry of firearms by private citizens -- with aim of changing the view that only criminals and police carry guns
These topics have been covered before by some of the folks on the board...

Why are you looking so hard for interaction, mostly a negative interaction with LEO?

I agree with the normalizing, but youll find more people that interact with you will be very positive towards your carrying. And if you have a gaggle of people moving down the street, armed, and stopping people to talk to them, it does not look good. I would honestly avoid those people at all costs.

Like Ive said before, we know the legal extents of the law. Thats why we are here, to ask and answer questions and have intellectual debates that would benefit the community.

Count me out. Im not looking to disrespect LEOs and look for trouble in Arlington. Ive never had an issue before in the area and dont anticipate one either.

Ben, I really wanted to have an Arlington get together, but I think youre trying WAAAAY TOO HARD at the OC thing. One of the primary things the VCDL preaches is DO NOT call attention to your carry. Your 'rules' that you pulled from the VCDL seem to go against that in the opposite direction.
 

SIGguy229

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I was considering driving up until I, too, saw the "rules" regarding a retention device...normally, I would agree, but it's based on personal preference...i.e. signs that say "stay off the grass" make me want to walk barefoot through the grass.

Unnecessary rules how I should conduct myself automatically make me want to do the opposite...like using a custom, leather OWB holster without a thumbreak...

Good idea...poor execution.

Also...testing/taunting LEOs is not a good idea. Just conduct yourself in a normal manner...
 

Regular_Joe

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"*Test how the law is enforced by the Arlington County police"

Not interested. Sorry - my LEO friends are overworked and way underpaid - why annoy them on purpose?

Maybe less with the tactics and more with the normal routine...

Cheers.
 
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