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Open carry in Colonial Williamsburg during the Grand Illumination

peter nap

peter nap

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I filmed the fireworks show at Colonial Williamsburg today. To do that, we always get there 6 hours early and set up on the front line.

So...six hours with many thousands of people everywhere and the only comment was someone in the back sea of people, shouting "Is that a gun, call the cops".

I was running 3 cameras and an H4n and didn't have time to fool with some idiot having hissy fits, so I ignored him. Apparently the Cops did too since I never saw one.

Other than that, I met some great people, had some old friends from several states come over to say hello and ask when the video would air, near froze to death and had a great time.:lol:
 
Dreamer

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The police didn't show up because:

1) the police, staff, and most of the regular visitors at Williamsburg all are pretty familiar with VA law, and know that OC is legal, thanks to the previous work by our fine brothers and sisters from VCDL and OCDO who live in VA, and

2) You had a boatload of cameras rolling, and everyone knows that cameras in the presence of LE badges cause an acute alergic reaction (sort of like throwing holy water on a vampire). That's the REAL reason why LEOs don't like cameras so much... :lol:
 
SouthernBoy

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Peter Nap;

Any chance the guy who yelled, "Is that a gun, call the cops" was just kidding around or was he really serious? Do you think he was from out of state by chance?

Just curious. In some other venue, it's quite possible that someone doing that could cause a disturbance and even a rush from others to leave the area.. which could result in possible injuries.

Anyway, good showing in a highly visited part of our state.
 
peter nap

peter nap

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ODA 226 said:
It was most likely some Yankee that is clueless about Virginia law. :p
Click to expand...

Southernboy, he sounded dead serious and yes ODA, he had that Northern twang....but we were sitting with a couple from Massachusetts and having a great time.
They had seen it and were fascinated that Virginians were allowed to protect themselves.

Another couple on the other side had the Husband from Massachusetts. Both had been shot and had moved to the mountains of Va partly because of it's gun laws. The wife was from West Virginia and a Great Believer in OC.
She had also gotten a 6 pointer last week.:D

You make friends during these things. A couple from NC that we had spent the day with last year, was actually able to find us and came over to visit....and yeah, they carry too.
 
wylde007

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SouthernBoy said:
In some other venue, it's quite possible that someone doing that could cause a disturbance and even a rush from others to leave the area... which could result in possible injuries.
Click to expand...
Like yelling "Fire!" in a crowded movie theater?

Such activity should be pursued and prosecuted similarly.
 
S

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ODA 226 said:
It was most likely some Yankee that is clueless about Virginia law. :p
Click to expand...
Of all the places in this world that I would expect the citizenry to get it right, Virginia is the last place that I would expect someone to post just half of a word. For the record, this far south, it is damYankee (from the first Capitol of the Confederacy - Montgomery, Alabama).:lol:

On a serious note, it is not just those who are geographically challenged (born up North) who pull stupid stunts like this. And it is not just liberals/progressives/socialists who are anti-gun.

Glad you had a good time at the Grand Illumination and were able to ignore the idiot who was out looking for his village.
 
wylde007

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SFCRetired said:
Of all the places in this world that I would expect the citizenry to get it right, Virginia is the last place that I would expect someone to post just half of a word. For the record, this far south, it is damYankee (from the first Capitol of the Confederacy - Montgomery, Alabama).:lol:

On a serious note, it is not just those who are geographically challenged (born up North) who pull stupid stunts like this. And it is not just liberals/progressives/socialists who are anti-gun.
Click to expand...
I just spent the weekend behind "enemy lines" as it were. I traveled with my with to Boston, Salisbury (MA) and Lincoln, RI and stayed with some friends who live in Farmington, NH.

NH laws are pretty close to Virginia's, but they said they're probably not exercised as vociferously as in Virginia, where they know I am an active advocate.

I did not carry on this trip because of the numerous statutes and ordinances I may have to know for the duration - I did not really want to risk being incarcerated somewhere for violating some "rule" that I didn't know about.

But even I must argue that geography is not a reliable determinant for ascertaining ones stance on, comfort with or appreciation of the 2nd Amendment and its exercise.
 
peter nap

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wylde007 said:
I just spent the weekend behind "enemy lines" as it were. I traveled with my with to Boston, Salisbury (MA) and Lincoln, RI and stayed with some friends who live in Farmington, NH.


But even I must argue that geography is not a reliable determinant for ascertaining ones stance on, comfort with or appreciation of the 2nd Amendment and its exercise.
Click to expand...

Yep...ain't the real estate, it's the people!
Every place has good and bad. Did you know Leo 229 was from NC?:mad:
 
SouthernBoy

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SFCRetired said:
Of all the places in this world that I would expect the citizenry to get it right, Virginia is the last place that I would expect someone to post just half of a word. For the record, this far south, it is damYankee (from the first Capitol of the Confederacy - Montgomery, Alabama).:lol:

On a serious note, it is not just those who are geographically challenged (born up North) who pull stupid stunts like this. And it is not just liberals/progressives/socialists who are anti-gun.

Glad you had a good time at the Grand Illumination and were able to ignore the idiot who was out looking for his village.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I wasn't implying those folks were from up north necessarily, but rather not from Virginia in that they are not at all aware of our laws and customs. That's all... no ill will intended.
 
SouthernBoy

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peter nap said:
Southernboy, he sounded dead serious and yes ODA, he had that Northern twang....but we were sitting with a couple from Massachusetts and having a great time.
They had seen it and were fascinated that Virginians were allowed to protect themselves.

Another couple on the other side had the Husband from Massachusetts. Both had been shot and had moved to the mountains of Va partly because of it's gun laws. The wife was from West Virginia and a Great Believer in OC.
She had also gotten a 6 pointer last week.:D

You make friends during these things. A couple from NC that we had spent the day with last year, was actually able to find us and came over to visit....and yeah, they carry too.
Click to expand...

The fact that the gentleman sounded so serious and was most likely from out of state might lead one to believe that once seeing you armed and going about your business that if he wasn't sure of things, he would have asked someone before shouting what he did. Sometimes people don't think. There you are, setting up all of your equipment and looking for all the world to be working. And here is someone who sees your little friend and suddenly believes you to be a threat. Pavlov would be proud. Good to see nothing came of it. And does make one wonder if the guy wound up feeling a bit silly.
 
Last edited:
2a4all

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peter nap said:
Southernboy, he sounded dead serious and yes ODA, he had that Northern twang....but we were sitting with a couple from Massachusetts and having a great time.
They had seen it and were fascinated that Virginians were allowed to protect themselves.

Another couple on the other side had the Husband from Massachusetts. Both had been shot and had moved to the mountains of Va partly because of it's gun laws. The wife was from West Virginia and a Great Believer in OC.
She had also gotten a 6 pointer last week.:D

You make friends during these things. A couple from NC that we had spent the day with last year, was actually able to find us and came over to visit....and yeah, they carry too.
Click to expand...

We have a "twang"?:eek: Until I met someone from somewhere else (there was a kid in my freshman high school class who was from Alabama, I think, and he had a "twang", which made all his words have at least two syllables). Until then, I didn't even know we had an accent.:D
 
peter nap

peter nap

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If anyone is wondering about the fireworks displays (3 of them at once).
I finished the video:

[video=vimeo;17531137]http://vimeo.com/17531137[/video]
 
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