Here's the story on Tom Robinson BTW:
[h=1]Peninsula Patriots tell gun owners to cover up[/h]
Last week I wrote a story about apparently, anti gun actions by the Richmond Tea Party and associated groups. I offered to publish their side unedited. They chose to ignore my offer. As a result, I will not photograph any more of the Tea party events.
Yesterday, the Peninsula Patriots held their soiree. While inviting gun owners and Pro Second groups, they later asked people legally carrying weapons to put them away or cover up. I did not attend because of the reasons stated above.
One eyewitness said “while the land owners had previously said it was OK to open carry, after we’d been there about a half hour, the land owner came up to us and said that the Peninsula Patriots “Leadership” were not happy with us open carrying and wanted us to either conceal or remove our handguns. We were told the “Leadership” didn’t want us giving the media (one guy) reason to say we were “gun toten’ rednecks”.
Old Virginia is a Rural Affairs Group and while we are solidly behind gunowners and offer any support we can, leave the gun lobby to the experts at VCDL and GOA. As a group, we don’t have a dog in this fight.
As an individual, I Do! The following response by Tom Robinson is well written, well reasoned and with one glaring exception about classifying people who carry a gun….reasonable. It also smacks of deal making and political wrangling. Because of that I will still refuse to photograph any more rallies and I expect others will follow suit. You can’t pick and choose which parts of the Constitution a PRO CONSTITUTION group will support. It’s a package deal.
Tom Robinson’s response:
Good Morning Don,
I will be happy to answer your question. As an organizer for the Peninsula Patriots, I have been to many meetings, rallies, Tea Parties, Etc, both listening to, and presenting, 2nd Amendment speeches to those attending the events. In virtually EVERY case, a member of the media is present, with photographers, to “catch”
those choosing to openly carry at the events. The story is then changed to make the story about the “GUN” and not our RIGHT to carry one. I carry a gun every day, and have had occasions to use it to protect myself, and others, from certain death. Never, however, have I felt the necessity to display it openly as a “badge of courage”, although I will fight to the death to defend my right, and yours, to do so.
The Peninsula Patriots is a young, and still fragile, conservative movement.. We have already lost a few members who are afraid that we are becoming too vocal about the need to be prepared to use firearms, if necessary, to protect our freedoms. An open display of “gun totin’ Patriots, not Rednecks”, is very unsettling to many Americans, and we can’t afford to alienate current, and potential, members at this crucial time in our movement.
Please allow me to ask you a few questions…
1. Knowing that you have the right to own and carry a weapon virtually anywhere throughout Virginia, WHY do you feel the need to brandish your weapons openly in a friendly, non-threatening, environment? Were you concerned that you were going to be attacked by some unknown alien forces while attending a Patriotic rally?
2. Several of those attending were actually making comical statements about one of your members who felt the need to not only openly carry a fully-loaded, semi-automatic weapon to a conservative rally, but also felt it necessary to carry multiple extra clips and other paraphernalia, just in case we came under a massive attack. Do you not realize that the legal, but inappropriate, “in your face” display of weaponry probably did your, and my, movement more harm than good?
3. To put this in a more logical perspective…Virtually every Virginian, with the exception of felons and nut cases, has the right to openly carry a weapon, so that part is no big deal. It is your license to carry a CONCEALED weapon that sets you apart from those who don’t possess a similar permit. That being said…You may have a fishing license, but do you feel compelled to carry your rod and reel to the movies? You have a license to drive a car, but do you feel it is necessary to park it next to you at church? I could go on and on.
Although I have spent many years in law enforcement internationally, both in counter-terrorism and counter-drug activities, I am also actively involved in marketing and public relations. Knowing the correct time and place to “show your wares”
is a key component in successfully “selling” your products, services and ideas. Presenting your members as “casual commandos”
in yesterday’s friendly, non-threatening setting was clearly “overkill”, and turned many potential members away from your worthy cause.
As a professional in the field of law enforcement I would like to give a little sage advice. Law enforcement agencies train their officers to pay close attention to anyone who feels compelled to openly brandish a loaded weapon in public. Those openly carrying are put in various categories and observed accordingly. 1st. Power trip – The need to present the appearance of power to overcome feelings of inadequacy. 2nd. Need for authority - All too often, those individuals openly carrying weapons wanted to be a police officer with the power, but not the responsibility, that goes with the job. They were rejected for various reasons, usually psychological, followed by obesity, at which point many of them applied for positions as deputy sheriffs, then private security officers…anything that would give them a feeling of power over others. Although I am not accusing any members of your group of fitting into that category, it is a profile observed by most agencies and officers.
Don, I am 100% behind you, and I applaud your continuing efforts to protect our 2nd Amendment rights. I am just trying to use years’
of experience to assist you in waging a just and Holy war against those who would quickly deprive us of our freedoms if given half a chance. HooRah. Keep up the great work you are doing for ALL Americans.
All the best,
Tom
