Aug
19
2009
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the entire program
As President Obama spoke before veterans at a convention center in Phoenix on Monday, a number of people were seen brandishing weapons outside in protest. As Arizona is an “open carry” state, police monitored the dozen or so demonstrators, including a man with an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle, without taking any action against them. Seen as a highly provocative gesture, the presence of gun-totting protestors in Phoenix earlier this week was just the latest in a string of such incidents at an event where the President was present. Last week, as Obama spoke at a health care town hall in New Hampshire, a man held a sign with a quote “It is time to water the tree of liberty,” with a pistol strapped to his leg. The quotation alluded to President Thomas Jefferson’s statement in full which refers to the bloodshed of patriots and tyrants. Although many brandish firearms in fear that the President will take away their guns, Obama has actually faced criticism from gun control advocates recently as the first family vacationed in national parks this weekend. As a result of legislation signed into law by the President that overturns a Reagan Administration policy, licensed gun owners will be able to bring firearms into such parks, barring state law, starting this February.
GUEST: Paul Helmke, President of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence.
For more information, visit www.bradycampaign.org.
Most states have concealed carry laws. Is it “safer” if citizens conceal carry weapons to these rallies but not open carry? That’s crazy reasoning that open carry is somehow going to incite violence. If anything, the sight of weapons in sane hands has a remarkable “chilling” effect on would-be wrong doers.
It boils down to this: do you trust your fellow citizens with the power to carry weapons or not? If you do, there is no reason why you should be against open-carry. IF you are uncomfortable with the right to keep and bear arms (the second amendment) and feel that the common person in a country cannot be entrusted to responsibly keep and bear arms, then you should seek another country that has more draconian control over its citizens.
Simple.
THe more citizens that openly bear arms, the more scared perps become of committing a crime. And you don’t seriously expect a perpetrator who is intent on harming someone of openly brandishing a weapon or following any “gun control” laws, do you? By disarming law abiding folks, all you are doing is creating more opportunities for bad guys to commit crimes.