Anybody want to do an OC get together?

[shanebelanger]

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Ok guys, the date is getting closer everyday! I would just like you to post what you are bringing to the event if anything. Also, remember that children, wives, friends, dogs... EVERYONE is invited, we really want to give off a family atmosphere! We don't want to be confrontational at all, we want to be warm and fuzzy fellas! ;-) **REMEMBER** you don't have to carry to support the cause! Everyone can contribute in their own way! The best way is just by showing up!!!

P.S. *******Please only holstered handguns, we really don't want to push our luck the first time out! And please don't argue that it's your right to say carry a shotgun in a sling over your back, I know that it is. And that will come in due time, but it's not appropriate for this first event, we really want to have this run EXTREMELY smoothly! If you have ANY questions feel free to call me 207-619-3631 <--- thats my cell and I will either answer or call you back asap. or feel free to email me, it seems like i'm constantly checking it, shanebelanger@gmail.com Thanks for all the support!*******

Thanks,
Shane Belanger

This is sort of what we want to portray fellas! http://www.cbs42.com/content/localn...-Owners-Speak-Out/1wkaqU4Zj0yb7Zsqr3lafQ.cspx

 

[Hightower207]

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And Ladies... i know of one that is attending with firearm. we need BIG Gleaming Smiles like the cheshire cat..

shanebelanger wrote:

Ok guys, the date is getting closer everyday! I would just like you to post what you are bringing to the event if anything. Also, remember that children, wives, friends, dogs... EVERYONE is invited, we really want to give off a family atmosphere! We don't want to be confrontational at all, we want to be warm and fuzzy fellas! ;-) **REMEMBER** you don't have to carry to support the cause! Everyone can contribute in their own way! The best way is just by showing up!!!

P.S. *******Please only holstered handguns, we really don't want to push our luck the first time out! And please don't argue that it's your right to say carry a shotgun in a sling over your back, I know that it is. And that will come in due time, but it's not appropriate for this first event, we really want to have this run EXTREMELY smoothly! If you have ANY questions feel free to call me 207-619-3631 <--- thats my cell and I will either answer or call you back asap. or feel free to email me, it seems like i'm constantly checking it, shanebelanger@gmail.com Thanks for all the support!*******

Thanks,
Shane Belanger

This is sort of what we want to portray fellas! http://www.cbs42.com/content/localnews/story/Open-Carry-Gun-Owners-Speak-Out/1wkaqU4Zj0yb7Zsqr3lafQ.cspx

 

[shanebelanger]

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I called Ted Musgrave at City Hall he seems to be behind us 100%? He thinks it's great that we are going to educate the public! One thing he asks is that we have a garbage can for our trash, and that we only use gas grills because well, that's the law for that portion of BB Cove. I also left a voicemail for Chief Craig, apparently he's the head of the Portland PD? Idk... I tried to go to the very top. He still hasn't called me back and it's been a few hours so we'll see. I'll call him back tomorrow if he doesn't call me today. Peter Googins also called the Portland PD and talked to the shift supervisor, they told him that we needed a permit of assembly but that is completely false. We need to have more than 25 people to need a permit of assembly and Ted told me to not worry about it, we figure we'll have 20 people at best... he said that there really isn't much to worry about. He is also sending the Portland PD an email telling them where we will be and to act appropriately to any MWAG calls. He was surprisingly EXTREMELY helpful! Any questions contact me directly!

shanebelanger@gmail.com
207-619-3631

 

[shanebelanger]

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from

Ted Musgrave <TVM@portlandmaine.gov>to

shanebelanger@gmail.com
cc

Ethan Owens <EOWENS@portlandmaine.gov>,

Sally Deluca <SLD@portlandmaine.gov>,

Troy Bowden <TBowden@portlandmaine.gov>

date

Mon, Apr 12, 2010 at 4:19 PMsubject

use of Preble Street Grass Area (for open carry gun event) April 25mailed-by

portlandmaine.gov
hide details 4:19 PM (5 minutes ago)

hi shane - this email is a followup to our phone conversation earlier today. you stated that friends of yours were going to be gathering together for a picnic/barbecue.. and that it was an open carry event (i.e. you folks would be carrying guns).. you would also be handing out flyers to passersby to remind them of their 2nd amendment right to carry firearms. this is not being sponsored by any organization, like NRA, etc. as reiterated on the phone, a permit is not needed unless you expect more than 25 people to show up at your event... and it sounds like you'll probably have 15 or 20 people in attendance.. and we only allow gas grills on site.. (no charcoal).. and pls take care of your trash (carry in / carry out).

i did speak to the field manager about use of the fields on sunday, april 25.. there WILL be soccer games taking place down on the large soccer field there... so the area that is open for you folks to have your picnic at is the small grass area just to the right of the Preble Street Parking Lot.. this grass area is right adjacent to the porta-restroom, which is at the edge of the parking lot (across from hannaford). this area will hold about 200 people... we do NOT want folks using the practice field.. which is the grass area about 100 feet out from the parking lot.. (the back cove pathway divides these 2 grass areas) i do NOT have anything booked at the preble street grass area as of right now... so pls plan on using that area...

HOWEVER... pls call (or email me) with the time frame you wish to be there.. as WALKS + RACES have their registration area in that same grass area... so i'd like to be able to tell those organizers that they could use the area at a given time (should they need that area on april 25).. should you get lots of people responding to your invitation to participate at the open carry picnic... pls give me a shout back.. as a permit would be required at that point.. it sounds like this would be a 1st amendment use... so there would be no fees required, or insurance required.. unless you were doing something more substantially than a picnic and informational handout.

PLS print off a copy of this email... and present it to anyone who asks if you can be at this section of grass area.. this is NOT a permit... but it is confirmation that you and i have corresponded and that i have given the ok for you folks to be on site, as long as common sense is being used, and the guidelines above (gas grills, etc) are being followed pls also know that you and your attendees are responsible for understanding and complying with state laws related to firearms. and pertaining to gun rights.. you are probably already aware that state law prohibits a person from having a loaded firearm in a motor vehicle unless the person has a concealed weapons permit for that firearm. that same permit is needed if the person is outside the vehicle and has a concealed weapon on them. pls also know that the city ordinance preventsa gun'sdischarge except at an approved range, shooting galleryor in self defense.. so i'm trusting that there will be no shots fired....!!!

and you, as organizer, may want to consult with your lawyer about your liability and that of any participants if someone is injured as a result of this event. best wishes on good weather... i will notify you if i get requests to use that grass area on sunday, april 25 i have cc'ed my contact at the police dept... as well as the fieldsmanager and pls follow back up with me on your expected time frame for use

thanks ted m. Recreation 756-8275 vm211

 

[shanebelanger]

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My Reply:

Hello Ted, We would like to use the area that you are speaking of at 2pm. There will obviously not be any shots fired because the firearms will never leave their holsters as that would be "brandishing". We have looked at the laws extensively for the State of Maine, as well as the City of Portland. Of course, the City of Portland's statutes are preempted by the state laws that are in place.

Like I said to you on the phone, we do not expect to have more than 25 people, the running number is actually at 9 right now, and of course that is the best case scenario. We don't plan on doing anything substantial, we would actually love to simply have our get-together and not have anyone pay us any mind. We aren't demonstrating, we are simply exercising our right in the state of Maine to openly carry a firearm. The informational fliers will only be for people that come up to us on their own and ask for more information. We will not be going up to anyone and pushing our views or opinions on them. This is going to be just like any other barbecue or outing that say the boy scouts or someone would have.

Like opencarry.org says, "A right unexercised is a right lost". We are simply here to exercise our right to open carry, just as simply as people exercise their freedom of speech daily. Of course, we have taken extra precautions for obvious reasons, precautions being contacting you, as well at the Portland PD. I am still waiting for a call back from the Chief, I called and left a voice mail with Chief Craig. Hopefully he will be contacting me soon. I'm unsure if you are aware that there was an incident of an open carrier being arrested on May 21 a few years ago, I can't find the exact news article that it was published in as they have been removed from the archives. Although i'm sure that I can find more information on this if you would like me to. I would just like to make sure that this does NOT happen. What we are going to be doing is completely legal and we are well within our rights. How the case ended was the ADA dismissed it.

So again, like I said previously there shouldn't be anything to worry about, my biggest concern is the PD simply overreacting to something that is as legal as eating a loaf of bread! The people that open carry typically do not take this right lightly and know the laws extremely well.

If you have any questions please don't hesitate to contact me directly: 207-540-3631 is my cell phone which I will typically answer 24/7 and shanebelanger@gmail.com is my e-mail. Thank you for your time and cooperation!

Sincerely,
Shane Belanger

 

[boyscout399]

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I'm glad the city seems to be backing us up. And I don't know if you're aware, but I am the guy that was arrested on May 21st a few years ago, and I will be there. I've open carried three times walking around Portland so far this spring and I've had no police encounters. I don't know if it has to do with the new chief, better training, or if they just haven't found me, but I did have a couple of officers pass me in their cars and I walked by a parked officer with no trouble. Perhaps our efforts are finally coming to fruit.

 

[Grapeshot]

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boyscout399 wrote:

I'm glad the city seems to be backing us up.

And I don't know if you're aware, but I am the guy that was arrested on May 21st a few years ago, and I will be there. I've open carried three times walking around Portland so far this spring and I've had no police encounters. I don't know if it has to do with the new chief, better training, or if they just haven't found me, but I did have a couple of officers pass me in their cars and I walked by a parked officer with no trouble.

Perhaps our efforts are finally coming to fruit.

It is unfortunate that you had the problem that you did, but it likely helped to put OCers in the proper perspective - just normal people taking life responsibly.

Apparently the city has shown that they too can learn, mature and grow. A little weeding, watering and tender care and even the most stubborn vine will bear fruit.

You're seeing the results already.

Yata hey

 

[shanebelanger]

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Well, I didn't like the "contact your lawyer" portion of the email... but besides that it was a very pleasant encounter/experience. There are also portions of the email where he shows that he doesn't fully understand what we are doing, but that is of course expected. Thank you all for your support! This should be great!