• We are now running on a new, and hopefully much-improved, server. In addition we are also on new forum software. Any move entails a lot of technical details and I suspect we will encounter a few issues as the new server goes live. Please be patient with us. It will be worth it! :) Please help by posting all issues here.
  • The forum will be down for about an hour this weekend for maintenance. I apologize for the inconvenience.
  • If you are having trouble seeing the forum then you may need to clear your browser's DNS cache. Click here for instructions on how to do that
  • Please review the Forum Rules frequently as we are constantly trying to improve the forum for our members and visitors.

GA Police Define Walmart as "Publilc Gathering"

John Pierce

Administrator
Staff member
Joined
May 5, 2006
Messages
1,777
imported post


Story From The Times Herald

[line]
A 56-year-old Newnan man carried a pistol into the Wal-Mart discount store on Bullsboro Drive on May 29, according to Newnan Police incident reports.

Officer Gregory Vansant and detectives Bobby Strozier and Brent Blankenship of the Newnan Police Department were dispatched to the scene. Kenneth S. Wieda was approached by the officers in the electronics department, Vansant said. Wieda complied with Blankenship's commands to stop what he was doing and submit to questioning.

Vansant and Strozier aided Blankenship in removing the pistol from Wieda's possession and escorted him out of the store, according to the report.

Wieda's firearms license was located in his wallet, but he was arrested for carrying a deadly weapon at a public gathering and transported to the Coweta County Jail, the officer said.

[line]WTF? This is why these poorly worded prohibitions in state laws are a real problem. Some out-of-control local authorities can use them to harrass law-abiding citizens.
 

DKSuddeth

Accomplished Advocate
Joined
May 8, 2006
Messages
833
Location
Bedford, Texas, USA
imported post

well, this ought to get very interesting considering that 'public gathering' could be defined as any setting with more than one person there.
 

VAopencarry

Regular Member
Joined
May 9, 2006
Messages
2,151
Location
Berryville-ish, VA
imported post

It kills me that law enforcement want to continually make criminals out of peole who are not. Lets say for the sake of arguement, WalMart IS a public gathering, why not just advise the guy to leave? Why arrest him when it's obvious he had no criminal intent. Some cops sure do like to make a big to do about nothing.

The laws are as clear as swamp water but 'they' will tell you ignorance of the law is not an excuse.

Sounds like he was dressed like a 'biker', could have played a part in the cops prejudice.
 

VAopencarry

Regular Member
Joined
May 9, 2006
Messages
2,151
Location
Berryville-ish, VA
imported post

Zero, He was CC'ing(legally). Someone saw him put the gun in his pocket when he exited his vehicle and called police.
 

ilbob

Campaign Veteran
Joined
May 9, 2006
Messages
778
Location
, Illinois, USA
imported post

All you know is what is in the news report. We all know how accurate and complete they tend to be, especially when guns are involved.

You should not be mad at the LEOs who are just doing what their political masters tell them to do. Take your wrath out on the politicians who are the truly responsible ones.

But I would suggest getting all the facts first.
 

AbsolutZer0

Regular Member
Joined
May 20, 2006
Messages
39
Location
Murray, Kentucky, USA
imported post

Ban me then. I still believe free speech. Sorry it offends you but it is hyprocritical to speak of defending freedom and then censor speech.

Negative encounter? A few but that's not what angers me. It is the mindset of my apathetic american family.
 

molonlabetn

Regular Member
Joined
May 23, 2006
Messages
450
Location
, Tennessee, USA
imported post

AbsolutZer0 wrote:
Ban me then. I still believe free speech. Sorry it offends you but it is hyprocritical to speak of defending freedom and then censor speech.

Negative encounter? A few but that's not what angers me. It is the mindset of my apathetic american family.

We all believe in free speech, AZ, and it would be hypocritical to defend the freedom to bear arms while at the same time banning certain viewpoints... But, it is just as hypocritical to consider yourself responsible enough to carry a firearm, and make thoserashstatements in such an infantile manner. The state of things in this country, politically, angers many of us; and in the future there may come a time for volatile resistance. But,spewing word-vomitlike that will only hurt our position in the eyes of the general public when they read it.

Take it easy on the profanity, and you can enlighten us on your views all day long!

molonlabetn

In pace, ut sapiens, aptarit idonea bello
 

John Pierce

Administrator
Staff member
Joined
May 5, 2006
Messages
1,777
imported post

It will take a lot more than a little profanity to get me to ban anyone. This is a forum for all who care to discuss firearms issues and I don't plan on starting down the road that other forums have went down by over-moderating people who might get a little over-excited about an issue.

These issues are dear to us all and I am as guilty as the next guy of sometimes letting the sheer stupidity of gun control force me to lose my cool.

Having said that, let's all try to remember that our words here will be read by those who are not our friends and may be twisted against us.
 

AbsolutZer0

Regular Member
Joined
May 20, 2006
Messages
39
Location
Murray, Kentucky, USA
imported post

I have always spoken in an itellegent and calm manner. It just doesn't seem to be changing anything. Meanwhile the regime marches on trampling freedom in it's wake all the while I must remain polite.

Infantile? Please don't insult me like that again as I have not insulted. Nothing I said was "infantile". It was the truth, given with harsh wrods yes but the truth nonetheless.
 

VApatriot

Regular Member
Joined
May 8, 2006
Messages
998
Location
Burke/Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
imported post

Zer0,

I think that you are rightfully angry about the state of things throughout the country. The way the government is trampling and destroying freedom is totally inexcusable, and we would be a better nation for it if more persons were as mad about it as you are.

However, I do not believe anyone is trying to censor your free speech. I feel (and maybe other feel the same way) that resorting to the useof an angrystring of four letter words seems to indicate an inability to adequately and rationallyexpress an idea. If we all were constantly writing curse words in or posts, it my appear to someone reading themthat we were doing soonly because we couldn't come up with anything more sensibleto say. For that reason I ask that YOU "censor" your own speech.

After all, the backbone of a truly free society comes from us being able to be responsible for ourselves. So much of the governmental control and interference that you and I dislike so much came about because the government felt we could not reallytake personal responsibility for our own speech and action.

If I remember correctly, the Opencarry.org rulesREQUEST that cursing be kept to a minimum. That means that it is our individual responsibility to watch what we say so that it reflects well on the entire group at Opencarry.org and other gun owners everywhere.

It should not be an infringement on your rightto free to ask that you abstain from using such language. After all, this is a privately run site, and it is well within Mr. Peirce's rights to require a certain level of respect from all themembers of Opencarry.orgso that it reflects well on the proprietor.

-Sincerely,

VApatriot
 

molonlabetn

Regular Member
Joined
May 23, 2006
Messages
450
Location
, Tennessee, USA
imported post

AbsolutZer0 wrote:
******* liberal pussies. they can get the **** out of MY country, yeah I said it. MY Country, our forefathers left this to people like me who actually give a shit and know what our gun rights are for.

Don't blame LEO's? They CHOSE to become pigs, they knew what they were getting into. Let me repeat myself.
Fucks LEO's. **** the Government, **** Republicans and **** Liberals.

There aren't too many people that you DIDN'T insult, you caught me on 2 of those...

And by infantile, I meant to convey that it sounded like you were throwing a tantrum, not that the root of your premise was flawed or immature. Just to be clear, I AGREE with you about the sad state of affairs! But, pointing fingers and lumping all LEOs, Reps, Dems, Gov't Employees/Entities, etc... into generalized groups and blaming them for all of the evils in this world, will never solve anything. We all knowwhich individualsare responsible for most of our legislative problems, so the best thing to do is get out and vote! And the more people to whomwe can respectfully and logically convey our viewpoints to, the more ballotswe can affect for liberty.

molonlabetn

In pace, ut sapiens, aptarit idonea bello
 

AbsolutZer0

Regular Member
Joined
May 20, 2006
Messages
39
Location
Murray, Kentucky, USA
imported post

Read the laws on Electoral College. The Popular Vote means nothing, nada zip.
THEY will continue to pass the same flawed laws (why always so many laws? Every day there is a new law!) Politician is the Job that keeps itself.

How bout this: No NEW laws! I think about 90% of them need to be repealed anyway. Bit by bit they are eroding freedoms. Go ahead let them pass another law: You'll lose another freedom. Why do these laws restrict freedom? Saftey? Security? They are SECOND to freedom, read the federalist papers!

Give me liberty or give me death! Wisest words ever spoken.

As for the government feeling that we can't watch what we say or do: The idea of CURSE words is a MORAL Dilemma, not a matter of law. Yet those words cannot be spoken on public television as a course of legislation.
Is that freedom? Someone elses morality made into law? THINK.

Certain things are certain right and wrong. Stealing, Murdering, Raping, Child Molestation etc. They directly involve a victim.

Many of our laws are a matter of morality and corparte favortism. Morality should NOT be law. Many of our forefathers spoke against that very thing because THATS what was going on in britain! (among other injustices)

Curse words in reality are just WORDS. Like Crap, Dang, Dern and Fart. All of those are acceptable, they could just as easily be considered cuss words. There is no difference between those words and any other word in the dictionary. Their is nothing offensive about them at all, they are only offensive because someone (prolly a moralist) decided that they were and everyone else played along.

Nudity is only bad because moralist say so. See? Open your eyes, you need to see with the eyes of liberty.

If a man has a gun, he has an object and is capable of killing. If all men have guns they have object are capable of killing. If a man does not have a gun he is still capabale of killing. Taking away the object will not stop a murder, it will only change the method. See?

A man with a gun is a FREE man, He is equal with his government, Empowered by force just as they are. If a man has no gun he is not equal and therefore a slave to superior force. (Paraphrased from the federalist papers)

The say this is "a different time". A time for conformity, lay down your arms and conform with the world, obey the law no matter how injust, There is no longer need for revolution, or to stand against Tyranny. Tyranny is only a word used by radicals who cannot conform. All laws are meant to better your life. The idea that the government would create laws for any other purpose is a myth. The very concept is un-patriotic. Your concern should be the strength of the economy and the acqusition of resources, not the meaning of true freedom. Write your congressman, beacsue he reads each and every letter he is sent.

"The system is flawed but it's the best we got", we have been saying it for fifty years and it only gets worse but thats okay because voting will change things. Wouldn't it be nice if we wrote a constitution that included inalienable rights? Rights the government could never take away?

Wait...that sounds familiar... oh wait! We traded it all away for a better economy and national security! Because we need our pension plans, social security and welfare! Because we are too afraid to defend ourselves! Because we beleive that we are a powerless people? Or are WE as a people cowards?

Does the blood of our forefathers still course within our veins?
 

overtaxed1

Regular Member
Joined
May 22, 2006
Messages
22
Location
Richfield, ,
imported post

Zero:

I personally understood you last post much better than our other posts (profanity vs more descriptive language) and now understand your points much better and have to say that I am on your side for the most part. The problem with having fewer laws, as stated earlier, is that too many people can't censor or control themselves. Maybe it is a product of too many laws, I don't know, but it seems that an increasing amount of adults are acting juvenile and always pushing the limits to see how far laws can be bent before breaking.

The American society is becoming over-governed, much like the old tryannical rule of the motherland (England). Hopefully, people will screw their heads back on and get changes made before it is too late. I like your enthusiasm and encourage you to use it in a constructive manner to "rally the troops" for our cause. Get involved in your area in educating politicians and citizens about the Founding Fathers and their views on the right to bear arms. You seem educated on American history quoting from the Federalist Papers; use our history to educate those who are too lazy to learn on their own about our past.

Good luck!

Overtaxed1
 

hirundo82

Regular Member
Joined
May 10, 2006
Messages
180
Location
Houston, Texas, USA
imported post

I think that this is the section that is applicablle"
Georgia Code 16-11-127.
(a) Except as provided in Code Section 16-11-127.1, a person is guilty of a misdemeanor when he or she carries to or while at a public gathering any explosive compound, firearm, or knife designed for the purpose of offense and defense.]
(b) For the purpose of this Code section, 'public gathering' shall include, but shall not be limited to, athletic or sporting events, churches or church functions, political rallies or functions, publicly owned or operated buildings, or establishments at which alcoholic beverages are sold for consumption on the premises. Nothing in this Code section shall otherwise prohibit the carrying of a firearm in any other public place by a person licensed or permitted to carry such firearm by this part
So it says that permit holders are allowed to carry in public places but not public gatherings, and leaves open what the difference is between public gatherings and places. Apparently public gatherings are the only off-limits locations according to Georgia law, and anything off limits is defined as a public gatherings. It just seems too open to interpretation to me.

I think it also defines some places as public gatherings that most people would define as public places--if you are the only patron of a restaurant that serves alcohol, how is that a gathering?
 
Top