Wisconsin open carry meet up, August 29th at Starbucks in Delevan

[Jason in WI]

Next months date already? Wow that was fast! :monkey
I talked to a few people that were interested in having a Brookfield/Wauwatosa area meet up, but I see the value of getting out farther. West Bend isn't that far for me so I'll be there as usual .

It doesn't have to be a Starbucks but I do like the outside sitting areas, I think it's more friendly/less intimidating for new people.

Today was pretty cool, I met a BUNCH of people that stopped out because they read it in the paper or someone they knew mentioned it. Everyone I talked to were really nice an had a genuine interest in Open Carry and just didn't know it was legal.

It was great to see everyone again and I was able to meet a lot of new people. Really nice to meet people carrying for the first time. It was a fantastic location and some of our Illinois brothers came up :banana::banana:.

It's pretty neat to see how these monthly meetings have grown from just a few guys freezing our butts off joking around into the big event it was today.
Thank You McX for planting the seed!

Edited to add: I seen a whole lot of cameras and I hope to see pics!

 

[Wisconsin Carry Inc. - Chairman]

http://walworthcountytoday.com/media/videos/?v=462

 

[Passive101]

I had a great time today at the OC event. I was able to meet some people. Maybe some new friends as well! I'm also a new member of the WI Carry Inc. It was a great turnout. The only thing missing was some brats or burgers.

Any way we could do a picnic type event in a city next time?

My g/f made the news video. That's awesome. I didn't. I should of had a pink gun to make it on film haha.

The staff at Starbucks was great. They were quick and friendly. The manager was also curious of us and did not seem afraid of at all. Business I'm sure was great!

I'm looking forward to the next meetup now

 

[paul@paul-fisher.com]

We made the front page! You have to have a subscription to see the article but once again we were presented positively.

I am quoted to say that I didn't think it was appropriate to carry in church and the I retracted because of the shootings in church in Milwaukee. What I'm pretty sure I said was that so far I hadn't carried in church and that before I did I would approach my pastor to chat about it and then I mentioned the shootings in church in Milwaukee. Oh well. When it's available online I'll post the link.

 

[Doug Huffman]

Be careful of carry in church

There is the intersection of two very different 'jurisprudences'. Whether the pastor is approving or not, he may not have the authority of the state's law that is given to the church council, its proprietors.

Hypothetically, if the proprietor/council allowed arms but the pastor did not, what is the recourse?

The correct answer is that if a congregant is not trusted armed then somebody is 'sitting in the wrong pew', so to speak, and needs to move.

 

[McX]

it's incredible isn't it/ a few short months ago what? 7 of us huddled together outside a starbucks, and held our ground against cold blowing winds, to meet, greet, and discuss. now nearly 70 of us bask in the warm sun, and slurp cold coffee drinks. this shows the importance of our meetings, for us, as well as the community. We MUST keep this going! the idea of a dinner afterwards is great, i have seen very very successful dinner meet pictures in other state threads. we are indeed witnessing historic days. now, who's going to chip in for boat ferry fare to get doug off the island, and down to one of our events?

 

[paul@paul-fisher.com]

There is the intersection of two very different 'jurisprudences'. Whether the pastor is approving or not, he may not have the authority of the state's law that is given to the church council, its proprietors.

Hypothetically, if the proprietor/council allowed arms but the pastor did not, what is the recourse?

The correct answer is that if a congregant is not trusted armed then somebody is 'sitting in the wrong pew', so to speak, and needs to move.

I guess I haven't felt the 'need' to OC at church. Please do not think less of me. If I decide I want/need to carry at church, then I am still not sure how I'll approach it. Legally I could just show up one Sunday. I'm not sure if I would do that or if I would talk to the elders/pastor. I consider all of them personal friends and I am pretty sure all of them know of my OC activity.

Probably the biggest barrier is my wife. She still is uncomfortable with OC in general but supports my activities as long as she's not around. I'm not planning on trading her in anytime soon so I hope to win her over with my personality and charm!

 

[paul@paul-fisher.com]

i have seen very very successful dinner meet pictures in other state threads.

Don't forget last Saturday 8/21, some folks met up for dinner at Culvers in Beloit. I believe there were 13 or 17 people there.

I am very excited as well. This meet far outstripped my wildest estimates!

LEO's were positive, new local folks who heard about it through the grape vine were positive, Starbucks seemed to be thrilled for the business.

It seems the only 'could be done better next time' thing I got out of it was notifying the place before hand. The manager mentioned that she would of appreciated a heads up just for staffing. I apologized and explained that I didn't feel comfortable at 1st because it would seem like asking permission but told her next time if I was involved, I would. She said the City of Delavan police actually brought her the flyer and told her not to worry and that usually we were a bunch of polite, trouble free guys.

I did explain to her that even if I had told her that we were coming, there was no WAY I would of predicted 50-75 people since every GTG (get together) I had been to had topped at at no more than 20.

She said she understood and appreciated the business.

 

[Doug Huffman]

Legally I could just show up one Sunday.

Are you sure? Are you sure of what policies you subscribed when you became a member of your church and congregation? How many churches - the denomination's big organization - have policies encouraging armed citizen congregants? None that I have found.

 

[rcawdor57]

I Will Go If I Am In Town

"Perfect, anyone else up for West Bend? Steve? Phil? Paul? Frank? Is that within range for you guys? "


I may be out of town that weekend. Don't know yet but I hope not. I plan on attending Cowboys picnic in Baraboo on Saturday and then the coffee meet on Sunday. Looking forward to another great event.

Yesterdays event at Starbucks had the most people at any coffee meet I have attended so far!

Thanks Nik for posting the information about the Dam Road Gun Shop. I intend to buy my new firearm purchases from them. Any gun store that goes out of their way to attend an open carry event will get my business even if I have to drive a lot further than I normally do.

 

[McX]

She said the City of Delavan police actually brought her the flyer and told her not to worry and that usually we were a bunch of polite, trouble free guys.



wow, i am absolutelty floored; positive pre-press from the police? someone pinch me i gotta be dreaming. if i am dreaming where are the all the scantily clad chicks sporting guns? amazing guys how far we have come in such a short time! And Hubert got an invite to go to Church, carrying no less!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[paul@paul-fisher.com]

Are you sure? Are you sure of what policies you subscribed when you became a member of your church and congregation? How many churches - the denomination's big organization - have policies encouraging armed citizen congregants? None that I have found.

I would have to research to be sure but our church is a member of the Evangelical Free Church of America.

I do know that the local church owns the facilities and we can 'quit' being an EFCA member.

 

[Doug Huffman]

I expect deadly violence to be a mere sin and that we must "hate the sin but love the sinner." I searched EFCA both internally with their search engine and externally and got no hits on "gun" or "firearm". Knowing EFCA only through our EFCA Bethel Church, I suspect that the individual congregations are given much autonomy.

 

[paul@paul-fisher.com]

I expect deadly violence to be a mere sin and that we must "hate the sin but love the sinner." I searched EFCA both internally with their search engine and externally and got no hits on "gun" or "firearm". Knowing EFCA only through our EFCA Bethel Church, I suspect that the individual congregations are given much autonomy.

I would believe they are generally receptive. An EFCA sister church a few towns over has a riffle sight in at their facility just before deer season. http://www.calendarwiz.com/calendars/calendar.php?crd=slefc&op=cal&month=11&year=2010 look at November 6th.

 

[Doug Huffman]

I would not OC at a Bethel Evangelical Free Church www.bethelchurch1865.org, not least because I am not a member. The Church chapel/sanctuary was built in 1865, while the congregation was organized some years earlier. It joined EFCA in 1941.

 

[Jason in WI]

Article from Walworth County Today about the Delavan meet is online http://www.walworthcountytoday.com/news/2010/aug/30/wct_open-carry-advocates-gather-delavan/

DELAVAN -- Several dozen open-carry advocates from throughout Wisconsin and Illinois gathered at the Starbucks here Sunday to socialize while openly carrying holstered handguns. They agree that weapons be carried on most any occasion.

 

[Spartacus]

A very cool event.

Thanks to Paul for setting it up and Nik for the good words on the future actions that WCI will be taking soon.



"Kranish is the executive director of ICarry.org, with members in Illinois and southern Wisconsin. He and several members traveled to the Delavan gathering from Rockford, Ill.

Advocates argue that the Constitution and legal rulings from courts and top state officials allow them to carry openly, as long as guns are holstered and in plain site and not concealed by clothing or other objects.

Nik Clark, chairman of Wisconsin Carry Inc., also was at the rally"



lol Nik if you read this I couldn't help myself....

 

[Wisconsin Carry Inc. - Chairman]

"Kranish is the executive director of ICarry.org, with members in Illinois and southern Wisconsin. He and several members traveled to the Delavan gathering from Rockford, Ill.

Advocates argue that the Constitution and legal rulings from courts and top state officials allow them to carry openly, as long as guns are holstered and in plain site and not concealed by clothing or other objects.

Nik Clark, chairman of Wisconsin Carry Inc., also was at the rally"

Standard operating procedure for ICarry. They did the same thing in Sussex. Get to the rally early, seek out the news people and leech off the event we put together.

I worked with Paul to put this event together. I made a flyer, I sent it around to gun shops I know in the area. Created a facebook event. (so did Paul) I contacted the Delavan Enterprise, Spoke with Dan Plutchak at the Walworth County Week. Spoke to a friend who is a photographer for the Walworth County week. Really promoted the event hard.

Paul contacted TONS of locals including inviting all the candidates for local office.

Those things all made it such a well attended event.

ICarry shows up at the last minute, gets to the news media first. Its typical for Shaun.

Its a shame too. MOST of the people at the event were LOCAL people. Shaun making himself eagerly available for the media and promoting ICarry, not taking the opportunity to have some good talking points about the fact that MOST of the people were local has made this look like (in the eyes of local media) that this was a invasion of out-of-towners onto peaceful little Delavan (my hometown, my parents still live there) It was of course, nothing of the sort. Most of the people there were locals. I spoke with all of them.

Also what Shaun doesn't know is that the people of Delavan get invaded by Illinois residents every summer because of the beautiful lake there. Shaun coming and inserting himself in front of the press was bad for the movement in Wisconsin. In my opinion.

I've had the chance to talk with Shaun, specifically after this happened in Sussex and thought it wouldn't happen again. Oh well. I guess when your "business model" is based on making money, not advancing the cause, you put what is most profitable for you ahead of what is the best message to send. Thats why WCI will always be 100% volunteer. No one gets paid for their time.

 

[paul@paul-fisher.com]

Standard operating procedure for ICarry. They did the same thing in Sussex. Get to the rally early, seek out the news people and leech off the event we put together.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who thought it was inappropriate. Did they not need a sellers permit to sell t-shirts? Isn't sales tax due?

I had a couple personal friends there that were OC virgins and one of them bought an iCarry shirt and other stuff. I kept trying to point them to WCI because as you said Nik, WCI's sole purpose is expanding the recognition of our rights in WI, not paying for criminal defense for the 'executive director' of iCarry.

While I stand by my statement that anyone who is helping us move the ball towards the goal is our friend, I was a little upset at the poaching.

 

[Wisconsin Carry Inc. - Chairman]

While I stand by my statement that anyone who is helping us move the ball towards the goal is our friend, I was a little upset at the poaching.

Before the event, when Shaun posted in the thread that he was coming, because they were "ironically" planning an OC walk in Lake Geneva, I was worried that was what was going to happen. (of course they never did go to Lake Geneva... I think that was just a convenient excuse to come poach our event and act innocent about it) Notice they never posted anything about their Lake Geneva walk until Thursday of the same week.

I intentionally didn't say anything to you Paul about my concens, because I didn't want to bias you. So the fact that you picked up on it also makes me confident my worries were confirmed.

After Shaun showed up early at the Sussex rally, got in front of ALL the local news media and started talking "ICarry" passing out Icarry bumper stickers, etc, so much ICarry that many local media TV casts never even mentioned Wisconsin Carry (and I put the rally together) I had the chance to explain to Shaun (when he called me suggesting WCI and ICarry should work together) I explained to him how what happened in Sussex was very detrimental to what we were trying to do here. I thought he understood.

I even went to great length to discuss with him how I thought WCI and ICarry could work together in a way that would be most effective and deliver the clearest message and the most effective action plan for most.

In the end, ICarry's marketing strategy depends on Wisconsin so there wasn't an opportunity to work together because why would I share marketing ideas with someone who's going to go USE them to attract WCI's prospective members. I would be doing a dis-service to the cause in Wisconsin if I did that.

Anyway... I was really disappointed in ICarry's "crashing the party" in Delavan. I honestly thought after our discussions after the Sussex situation they would come to support WCI, not steal the media to promote ICarry. I was wrong. Lesson learned.

Now when people ask why Wisconsin Carry doesn't "work with" ICarry they'll know.