imported post
When trying to make a positive influence on public opinion, there is always a fine line. Up to that line, you are still pulling people in the direction of the right to keep and bear arms. Past that line, you are pushing more people away from the RKBA. The trick is not finding that neutral line. We don't want to be near that line that distinguishes between helping and hurting the RKBA. We want to be operating at the point of
maximizing public support for the RKBA, which is well away from the neutral line.
In hindsight, the AR was probably too much for the stated purpose of positively influencing local public opinion, but it did also serve to encourage others around the country to push for more firearms freedom, and that's a good thing. It was a bit outrageous and I think it served to encourage local RKBA activism as well... sort of a morale building exercise. It also served as the extreme example. If we're hassled for future open carry of handguns, we can point to a rifle being openly carried legally in Jacobson Park as an example of how a handgun openly carried should not be a problem.
While the AR probably wasn't maximizing public support for the RKBA, Kentucky is a very firearms friendly state and I do not believe we reached that neutral line, beyond which we would have been doing more harm than good. I know there were a few people who had irrational concerns about the guy with a rifle, although none of them approached us with any comments or questions despite our friendly and inviting signs and demeanor. However, four people thanked me for what we were doing or otherwise expressed positive sentiments for that open carry picnic. We may not have maximized local support of gun rights that day, but I believe it was a net win for our side.
We will continue to have open carry events in Lexington, including more open carry picnics at Jacobson. I hope many of the folks on OCDO will join us. I'd discourage evil black rifles in the future, but hey, it's a free country and carrying an AR-15 in the park is legal.
In my opinion, there is absolutely no comparison to the situation with the AK-47 pistol in Tennessee. That guy painted the tip of the muzzle bright orange to fool people, including law enforcement agents, into believing it was an airsoft toy and not a real firearm. He had previously stated that his intent in doing so was to slow the reaction time, presumably to gain a tactical advantage. He went on about 15 gun boards telling his delusional tale of how he was illegally detained, conveniently omitting the very relevant facts that A) he disguised a lethal weapon as a toy, and B) he's a total whack job psycho (IMO). I was initially sympathetic to his story when he posted to a gun forum that I moderate, but something didn't smell right. I researched his story in the Tennessee forum at OCDO (just a little south of this forum
) and learned the rest of the story, including the link to the Tennessee gun forum where there were about 50 pages in the thread about their favorite nutjob being at it again. The guy clearly has issues, and a contentious history with the Tennessee RKBA community.
Disclaimer: I made and posted the Lexington OC picnic video being discussed.