imported post
Again, I admire your verve and spunk. Identifying who I am isn't going to change your opinion or the weighted value of my responses as you percieve them.
I am a citizen of VA, and have no affiliation with the ocdo website other than being a mere user who exchanges ideas with others. I attend the General Assembly meeting once a year in Richmond, our state capitol, armed, and talk to my representatives. I vote for the people who will help advance gun rights and legislation. I attend cook outs and go dining with others to raise awareness of citizens rights by open carrying and I do it alone. I have attended anti-gun meetings of organizations such as the Brady/Million Mom March to provide counter points to their statements, and have videotaped and posted them.
I have seen through others examples the reprocussions (good and bad) of what happens at demonstrations/rally's and other events in this state how the media - main stream or otherwise - portrays those events. I have been misquoted in a newspaper because of an editor wanting to spin a story a certain way.
I have met a good deal of the people you are receiving advice from on how to proceed. They are not cowards who balk at conflict, but season veterns who understand the system within the state and are very effective at organizing, staging, and executing things to achieve optimal impact. That is the goal, to fire for effect and hit the target. An example of this is the recent election of three very pro gun republicans to the Governor, Lt. Gov, andAttorney General.
There are many here who believe it or not are trying to help you, and do you a favor by saving you time, money and frustration. You've asked for feedback, you are getting it. The real question you should be asking yourself, is what is the point of holding the demonstration at Gravelly Point? What do you hope to accomplish as the over all result of your demonstration? What do you WANT and how do you know when you have achieved that?
Holding a Restore the Constitution rally is all fine and dandy. The thing you are missing is that you are going to use your weapons to garner attention to you and whomever else decides to buy into the idea. What will be reported in the news is a group of extremists and fringe believers have guns in a park and are behaving like an extremist militia group. For that reason people on this site are pushing back. You will be sending the wrong message that we have been working so hard to dispell.
I have no doubt you will get attention, but based on my experience with the battle plan you have it will not be the kind that you want or desire, and will not be positive for gun owners in our state.
This area is a mixed bag. As other have pointed out, we've been directly impacted by 9/11. We've had the anthrax attacks. We've had the DC sniper. We've had the deadliest attack on a police station in the history of the state. We've had Virginia Tech. All in the last nine years. There are ALOT, a HELL OF ALOT of people who will not react the way you think they will. You need to understand why. You need to understand that you ought to reconsider your goals.
You don't need guns to hold a restore the constitution rally. You need numbers.
A mass of people will get the media's attention. Especially if a flash mob shows up on the capital steps of 5 million people. Though you won't get anywhere near 100,000 for what you are planning. If you want to be gun oriented your best bet is to join forces with other rallys and demonstrations for next year.
I don't think it can be stated any clearer than that.
