Maryland Shall Issue - Open Holster Rally January 16, 2012

How to Participate: Join us at Lawyers’ Mall, located at College Ave. & Bladen St. (Rowe Blvd. extended), Annapolis. We will be gathering in the General Assembly’s backyard so we can be heard. MSI is arranging to have leaders and friends of the 2A community speak at the Rally. Afterwards we will disperse around Annapolis to enjoy the fine restaurants and shopping. Bring your family and friends to enjoy the day. Wear MSI Blue so everyone knows you are part of the Rally. Get MSI merchandise at the MSI web site, http://www.marylandshallissue.org.

Purpose: To have a large, completely peaceful and unarmed gathering of supporters of Maryland “Shall Issue” and 2nd Amendment rights. We will be wearing empty holsters in protest of the current “Discretionary Issue” system that sees Handgun Carry Permits issued only to those politically connected or dealing in extraordinarily large amounts of physical cash, or the occasional person who can meet the high burden of proof needed to receive one for self defense.

Basic Safety Rules: All holsters must remain empty at all times. Do not put toy guns, training guns or the like in your holster. We want to emphasize the emptiness of the holsters and our lack of protection. The holster will simply be a fashion accessory, symbolizing our vulnerability to criminals.

I might be in Anne Arundel County during that date.
If so, I will attend.

Brilliant plan, guys, scheduling this "protest" on Martin Luther King Day...

For the second (or is it the THIRD) year in a row. After NUMEROUS people pointed out LAST year what a stupid, insensitive, and incendiary idea this was.

Yeah, THAT will send the right message to the fine people of Maryland--a bunch of paunchy old white guys with empty holsters marching around the capital on a day when the government isn't even in session, and the holiday is to remember the cold-blooded slaying of one of America's greatest black Civil Rights leaders!

Who is your PR committee, David Duke, Robert Byrd, Hal Turner, and George Wallace?

You had that GREAT victory in AACo, and now this? It's like you guys can't help yourselves, and are actually TRYING to sabotage the gun rights movement in Maryland. I mean, it seems like you wouldn't want anything like local political victories to get in the way of your state-wide success. Who's side are you folks REALLY on, anyway?

Great idea, MSI--this should DEFINITELY help you snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

I think for anyone with "eyes to see", it is becoming apparent what the REAL agenda of MSI is.

Oh, an don't bother deleting my post, because I'll just re-post it--I have it copied on my local HD...

Dreamer said:

Brilliant plan, guys, scheduling this "protest" on Martin Luther King Day...

Click to expand...

No kidding, I didnt even notice what holiday it was scheduled on.
It would be nice if a vast amount of MD gun owners did actually get out and make all of their voices heard.
But I realize that MD gun owners seem to be their own worst enemy.

I will just point out that VCDL has had their Lobby Day on MLK day at the stye capitol for the last several years with outstanding results. It is silly to think that people exercising their rights on a day dedicated to a man who fought for the rights of others is somehow a negative.

thebigsd said:

I will just point out that VCDL has had their Lobby Day on MLK day at the stye capitol for the last several years with outstanding results. It is silly to think that people exercising their rights on a day dedicated to a man who fought for the rights of others is somehow a negative.

Click to expand...

True, but I think the point of protesting at Annapolis is to get the gun rights voices heard by our elected officials.
It would be kinda hard to do if it were a federal holiday and the place is vacant.

Sig229 said:

True, but I think the point of protesting at Annapolis is to get the gun rights voices heard by our elected officials.
It would be kinda hard to do if it were a federal holiday and the place is vacant.

Click to expand...

Ah, our legislature is in session at the time. I do agree it would make more sense when the legislature is in house because then you can an impression with a large presence. Even still, I hope folks turn out.

thebigsd said:

Ah, our legislature is in session at the time. I do agree it would make more sense when the legislature is in house because then you can an impression with a large presence. Even still, I hope folks turn out.

Click to expand...

If the MD General Assembly is actually in session on MLK, Jr Day, they are going to have to do EVERYTHING for themselves, because ALL the other MD State Employees have the day off.

http://mdarchives.us/msa/mdmanual/01glance/html/holidaye.html#2012

Gee, I wonder who is going to answer the phones, make their coffee, and staff the metal detectors?...

thebigsd said:

I will just point out that VCDL has had their Lobby Day on MLK day at the stye capitol for the last several years with outstanding results. It is silly to think that people exercising their rights on a day dedicated to a man who fought for the rights of others is somehow a negative.

Click to expand...

The difference is that Lobby Day is an actually SCHEDULED, official event where representatives make themselves available to the public and to lobbyists, whereas this thing in Annapolis is a day when the State Government of MD is out on holiday...

Dreamer said:

The difference is that Lobby Day is an actually SCHEDULED, official event where representatives make themselves available to the public and to lobbyists, whereas this thing in Annapolis is a day when the State Government of MD is out on holiday...

Click to expand...

Monday, January 16 is a regular evening session for the Maryland General Assembly just like any other Monday during the 90 day session. .

thebigsd said:

Ah, our legislature is in session at the time. I do agree it would make more sense when the legislature is in house because then you can an impression with a large presence. Even still, I hope folks turn out.

Click to expand...

The General Assembly does not observe the holiday, nor do they observe weather related closings. The business of the General Assembly goes on for 90 straight days, for better or for worse (usually for the worse unfortunately).

So how did this event pan out?

Photos or it didn't happen...

Dreamer said:

So how did this event pan out?

Photos or it didn't happen...

Click to expand...

There were 80-100 in attendance... reports vary.

I was unable to make it as I had to work last-minute.

By all accounts, the group was enthusuastic and well-received by the people in general, but pretty much ignored by the media, and MSP was very much down-the-nose (my 3d party assessment) at the group.

I will leave it for someone who COULD make it to provide photos.