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The 1st Great Maine OC Picnic 4/25/10

Dutch Uncle

Dutch Uncle

Campaign Veteran
Joined
May 11, 2006
Messages
1,715
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Virginia, USA
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I really sense you good folks in Maine sampled that great feeling of fellowship and good times with like-minded people during your recent event. I hope this is just the first of many. Summer's coming soon, and the possibilities are almost limitless now that you have marginalized the pathetic antis. I'm glad they didn't seriously disrupt your good time. I do wish that the person carrying the Confederate NAVAL ENSIGN (!)would have recognized the total irrelevance of its presence, but its a free country after all. Ironically, we never see that kind of silly posturing at the various OC picnics we have here in Virginia.

Anyway, the rest of you keep up the good work and enjoy yourselves in the process. As others have certainly said, open carry becomes much more comfortable with time and practice, and the public eventually becomes desensitized enough to just move on to other concerns altogether (except for the occasional pitiful antis like you had in full force out there!) We are all following the debate going on up there, and feel that you will prevail. I spent time in Maine as a teenager and fondly recall it as a traditional and sensible place.
 
S

shanebelanger

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Joined
Aug 25, 2009
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667
Location
Freeport, Maine, United States
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Dutch Uncle wrote:
I really sense you good folks in Maine sampled that great feeling of fellowship and good times with like-minded people during your recent event. I hope this is just the first of many. Summer's coming soon, and the possibilities are almost limitless now that you have marginalized the pathetic antis. I'm glad they didn't seriously disrupt your good time. I do wish that the person carrying the Confederate NAVAL ENSIGN (!)would have recognized the total irrelevance of its presence, but its a free country after all. Ironically, we never see that kind of silly posturing at the various OC picnics we have here in Virginia.

Anyway, the rest of you keep up the good work and enjoy yourselves in the process. As others have certainly said, open carry becomes much more comfortable with time and practice, and the public eventually becomes desensitized enough to just move on to other concerns altogether (except for the occasional pitiful antis like you had in full force out there!) We are all following the debate going on up there, and feel that you will prevail. I spent time in Maine as a teenager and fondly recall it as a traditional and sensible place.
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Thank you for your kind words. And a few people brought various flags to my attention, but thats their freedom of speech. I think that we did a pretty good job separating ourselves from politics overall. I tried my best! There are a lot of good people up here! I also thought that it was wonderful that the people could protest, it was great to be in a country where people can do that. One thing that I wish is that they would have talked to me, I can typically get my point across in a non confrontational manner, unlike some other people that the media obviously keyed on haha... If you make a good point or not it's all about presentation! There were a few protesters that tried to incite arguments over at our peaceful little barbecue. Dan Skolnik being the primary antagonist. Overall we accomplished a LOT in one day. From here on out we will do more, do better... We will show Maine that we are the law-abiding and that we are just as normal everyday citizens as they are. We will also prove the misconceptions wrong by holding ourselves to a higher standard every time we walk out our front door!

P.S. Can anyone help me make a website?!
 
Grapeshot

Grapeshot

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May 21, 2006
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Valhalla
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Are you looking to run another site? Can be labor intensive.

Give some thought to forming a Maine Citizens Defense League and spread the work load out by dividing responsibilities. Perhaps what you need is a committee - pool your strengths. I'd say by the recent response to the picnic that there will be no shortage of volunteers.

Maybe some one at school would help with the web design.

Other suggestion would be to PM VCDL President with request for direction/guidance.

Yata hey
 
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smokeshow515

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Feb 23, 2010
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Portland, , USA
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Hendu024 wrote:
shanebelanger wrote:
I love how the media keyed on the guy in the patriots jacket...  He should've kept his calm and talked much more civilly.  Just my opinion but look at this: http://www.wmtw.com/video/23263456/index.html  It really made us look like the bad guys.  Hopefully the rest of the story counteracted it a little.
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I agree. I saw that as well and cringed a little bit. There's always 'that guy' though, you just have to deal with it. Sorry I couldn't be in my home state for the event, I'll be back this summer for a little while, OC'ing as usual :)
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Shane, considering what you and everyone pulled off in a historically anti-gun town, you should be proud! Apologies I didn't make it either, I lost track of the timing.

Is "that guy" the same one that was flying the confederate flag? eeeek...
 
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shanebelanger

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Aug 25, 2009
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Location
Freeport, Maine, United States
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smokeshow515 wrote:
Hendu024 wrote:
shanebelanger wrote:
I love how the media keyed on the guy in the patriots jacket... He should've kept his calm and talked much more civilly. Just my opinion but look at this: http://www.wmtw.com/video/23263456/index.html It really made us look like the bad guys. Hopefully the rest of the story counteracted it a little.
Click to expand...
I agree. I saw that as well and cringed a little bit. There's always 'that guy' though, you just have to deal with it. Sorry I couldn't be in my home state for the event, I'll be back this summer for a little while, OC'ing as usual :)
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Shane, considering what you and everyone pulled off in a historically anti-gun town, you should be proud! Apologies I didn't make it either, I lost track of the timing.

Is "that guy" the same one that was flying the confederate flag? eeeek...
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no haha, they are two different people.
 
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shanebelanger

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Joined
Aug 25, 2009
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Location
Freeport, Maine, United States
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Pretty sure that the University is reading all of my incoming mail. I received a letter from some random person, there was no address on it. It told me to go to Virginia where the rest of the "gun nuts" are and that I am a black eye on the eye of Caribou etc. I'll post the whole letter if you'd like me to? I think that the University is reading everything because the letter was opened with a letter opener and re-taped by the typical clear tape that you find on any typical teachers desk.

Opinions?
 
G

GoldCoaster

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 24, 2008
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646
Location
Stratford, Connecticut, USA
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I'm not that surprised, I remember the majority of my professors at USM were fairly liberal. Actually I was more liberal in those days too (but I got better).

As a founding member of the Connecticut Citizens Defense League I'd encourage you to at least informally get a mailing list together, a facebook page (we started with that) and as you find like minded folks coming to join you will most likely find someone with some good HTML talent like we did.

If you look at www.ccdl.us that's how far we have come in one year. We used vcdl as an example and leaned on them for advice which they readily gave us.

Good luck, you're off to a great start Shane!

Robert
 
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shanebelanger

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Aug 25, 2009
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667
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Freeport, Maine, United States
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GoldCoaster wrote:
I'm not that surprised, I remember the majority of my professors at USM were fairly liberal. Actually I was more liberal in those days too (but I got better).

As a founding member of the Connecticut Citizens Defense League I'd encourage you to at least informally get a mailing list together, a facebook page (we started with that) and as you find like minded folks coming to join you will most likely find someone with some good HTML talent like we did.

If you look at http://www.ccdl.us that's how far we have come in one year. We used vcdl as an example and leaned on them for advice which they readily gave us.

Good luck, you're off to a great start Shane!

Robert
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Facebook page is already formed, now i'm just trying to find someone that knows HTML to make a website for us. With the website will come the mailing list :)
 
T

The Deacon

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, ,
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shanebelanger wrote:
Facebook page is already formed, now i'm just trying to find someone that knows HTML to make a website for us. With the website will come the mailing list :)
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Shane - I am in the Augusta area and can build a website similar to that of the CT one or something different. Drop me a PM and I will send you some web addresses of other gun related sites I have built.
 
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shanebelanger

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Joined
Aug 25, 2009
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Freeport, Maine, United States
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RTOFLUXY wrote:
i wish i would have known i would have been there !!
please let me know when there is another !!
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haha, how'd you not know? we were on every major news network! even texas heard about us!! :p haha, it's all good. We're looking at doing a trash pickup very very soon, just working out a good day to do it. Perhaps grab lunch at a local business after? Of course this wouldn't be publicized it would just be us going out and doing it, we're looking to do more smaller diversified events from here on out to get people familiar with everyday citizens carrying.
 
T

thumper

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Mar 29, 2010
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So Portland, Maine, USA
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Skolnik the Nutless was on hand for no other reason than to disrupt the otherwise glorious spring afternoon. His mission was to get punched in the chicklets on TV, and nobody would oblige him. He did not hang around long, and the anti American anti Constitution anti Bill of Rights people scurried away in short order. There were a few who sort of gravitated towards the real party, but apparently felt there was nothing to be gained there, and they wandered away as well. I really appreciated the retired lady with the 'constitution' sign and a cute lil K frame. She was inspirational to me and everybody who observed her stare down the 'guns kill' signguy. 'Guns kill' guy didn't hang around long.

I had pleasant conversation with a number of folks, and Imust mentionthe presence of quite a few Vietnam guys, some Korea guys, and some WWII guys. I did acknowledge their contribution to the cause of freedom and liberty. My dad and uncle were both WWII vets, and Sundays guys were their bros.

It was a great day forAmericans.:exclaim:
 
D

deserteagle4ever

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Apr 19, 2010
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Just wanted to say that Sunday was a great day and I thank everyone who attended. I was posting updates on Facebook throughout the event and got interesting responses from various friends both pro- and anti-guns. The peacefulness of our group along with my discussions with my anti-gun friends is slowly beginning to change their perceptions. We definitely need to hold more events while possibly doing some kind of community service (rather than just marching and protesting like the "other" side so often does).
 
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