Respectfully I would like to point out that a big problem with this type of thinking is that an OCing LAC SHOULD be stopped and checked for warrants with out any reasonable suspicion of criminal activity.
It seems like you are implying that OCing is, in itself, just-cause for this type of search and seizure activity. It may have been baiting (to me it is completely irrelevant) but a point SHOULD be made any time this happens that there is no just-cause for stopping an individual solely for OCing, any more than it would be just-cause to stop someone because they are wearing a red bandanna, or have gang tattoos, or any thing else that is not criminal.
I implied nothing - you drew an inference. Simple OC is
not just cause for contact in MO and most other states (NY and CA spring to mind as exceptions). From what I saw on the video, there was neither a search nor a seizure, simply an FI inquiry by the officers. The problem began when (
ostensibly) the officers were dispatched on "several" MWAG calls from other citizens. As I said in my original post on this issue "You are not responsible for others
allowing themselves to become upset at the sight of a
legally armed citizen...". OC'ing is not yet so common that most people automatically accept it as a legal activity, and they will knee-jerk a 911 call out of fear for the safety of the general public. Those same "most people" are probably somewhat
familiar with the
wording of 2A, but fail to fully grasp our founders intent, recent court rulings, and specifically the
SCOTUS ruling in Heller. It is
their communal ignorance of these things that
creates the problem, not the act of a LAC OC'ing.
I used the word "ostensibly" when describing the officers being "dispatched". I chose that word after having read the comments of several people who apparently have a deeper understanding of Bess's background and history. It is also
possible that one of the officers recognized Bess and fabricated the "MWAG" call(s) in order to harass him. That would really be stupid inasmuch as 911 calls are automatically recorded and date/time stamped in a town of any significant size, and would then be available for verification. I knew nothing about the size of Washington MO, but two internet sources say it's either 14,000 or 23,000. Obviously
somebody is
guessing! (Based upon size, I would
guess that the dispatch function is probably centralized at the county-level, which is what is done here in UT when there are a number of smaller towns involved. It would also explain why officers from 3 different LEAs responded.) Pax...