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Thundar,
And I think that a rally whose keynote speaker is espousing criminal acts against elected representatives offices can ONLY be described as anti-government!!!
I am not discouraging political debate and disagreement. Such are the foundations of a free society. But open talk of criminal behavior crosses the line! And coming together armed to support and honor someone who makes such calls is ... well ... insane if you truly care about gun rights!
No one can say that Oathkeepers is a timid organization. Their decision to bail on this rally should send a clear signal that the train is off the tracks. If Vandeboegh was not speaking (and bringing his like-minded supporters), we would not be having this discussion.
We have all worked hard to convince John and Jane citizen not to be afraid of those who choose to carry because we are law-abiding, responsible and sane ... in other words, we are just like them. And that is true. But then along comes a small group of people whose sole goal appears to be to get in the government's face and they just happen to be carrying while doing so. The purpose of the rally is not to promote gun rights and IT WILL F&&&ING HURT US!
I am not obliged to support something that is detrimental to the cause just because someone slaps the label 'Open Carry' on it! If there were an 'Open Carry stab yourself in the leg' rally would you go to it? Because that is effectively what I think this has become!
Think long and hard before adding your voice to a message that WILL come back to bite us!
John
Thundar wrote:
I really think that the characterization of a rally that espouses limited, constitutional government as an anti-government rally is hyperbolic at best. Many in this country are sickened by the bloated and putrid federal government behemoth.
The fed needs a to understand the parent child relationship that it has with states and with citizens. Freedom rules when we all understand that the States are the parents and the federal government is the child. When those in Washington think that they are the parent that dictates to states as if they are the children, then tyranny grows. The rally is about telling Washington that their role is limited by the constitution and the citizens that will support the constitution.
The Virginia rally is a shining beacon of American freedoms. A rally where freedom of speech, freedom of assembly and RKBA are all on display.
If we are a community that advocates nationwide open carry rights, then why is there a call to skip the freedom rally where we can freely open carry, and instead attend the federally controlled and limited rally where exercising our open carry rights will lead to arrest, seizure and felony charges?
Go to the rally or not, based on your political beliefs, but do not skip it because the media bogey man will conflate gun lovers with freedom lovers and those that espouse constitutional government.
Live Free or Die,
Thundar