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Mike Bell wrote:
hello my name is Mike Bell and I am an independent filmmaker. I'm looking for help on June 13 in Eau Claire, working on a video segment that will help spread the message of open carry. All work for this segment will be strictly voluntary, however I feel it is important to do because the public needs be informed of what their rights are. I am looking for a spokesperson, and a script and/or a general outline of the segment at this point in time.
Mike, thank-you for your interest, open-carry events are a great way to get a sense of the volume of participation in open-carry in Wisconsin. Open-carry events are a great way to raise awareness of the legality of open-carry as well.
Even more important is to focus on the real face of open-carry in Wisconsin which is average citizens, men, women, old, young, doctors, nurses, school teachers, blue-collar, white collar and EVERY demographic in between. They all open-carry in Wisconsin. They aren't making a point, they aren't "testing the law" they aren't political, they just want to be secure in their person. They carry for self-defense. PERIOD. That is the true story of open-carry in Wisconsin.
We at Wisconsin Carry have been putting together short videos (amateur quality as you can see)
of the REAL story of open-carry.
Local media (mostly here in Milwaukee/SE Wisconsin) have been proclaiming that open-carry disturbs/causes panic/is sure to attract a police response. NOTHING could be further from the truth.
If you are doing a documentary on Open-Carry I would suggest that along with open-carry events like the great event coming up in Eau Claire, you take the time to spend some time with a more day-to-day open-carry event (which isn't an event at all) of just open-carriers out going about their business while armed for self-protection.
If shoot that kind of video. (discreetly so the camera doesn't draw attention) you'll find that open-carry never creates a disturbance, never causes panic and ONLY VERY RARELY leads to a police contact. (which usually amounts to a 5 minute conversation and the OC'er goes on his way)
I would gather video of "average" people open-carrying and follow that video up with a short interview. The questions that I would ask are:
How long have you been open-carrying?
Why do you open-carry?
Where do you open-carry?
And in ALL those times that person has open-carried, has it EVER caused a disturbance? Anyone ever panic? EVER had the police show up?
J. Gleason posted one of the video's I have put together of my girlfriend open-carrying in a store here in Milwaukee.
Here are some stories a few other international news media outlets have put together as well.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8563512.stm
http://www.torontosun.com/news/columnists/thane_burnett/2010/04/22/13683826.html
It would be great to see a fair and accurate professionally produced documentary of Open-carry in Wisconsin.
Carry On,
Nik Clark
Chairman/President Wisconsin Carry, Inc.