Open carrying AR15 at Tulsa Gathering Place

[Ethan N]

I just realized I forgot that I need to post a disclaimer otherwise most everyone on here will take my failure to express outrage as an endorsement of this man and everything he stands for. Disclaimer: I don’t endorse the behavior of the man carrying an AR at the Gathering Place or his reasons for his behavior. I have no idea who he is or what his reasons were. Further, my comments are not intended to signify support for the behavior in question, but rather to provoke thoughtful discussion instead of the standard knee-jerk gun forum reaction of name-calling and arrogant assumptions that people know this man’s deepest thoughts and motives because they saw two photographs of him on the internet.

 

[dennishoddy]

Then why were you shaking your head in response to me pointing out he seems to be wearing a wrist brace like those worn for medical reasons? Seemed like you thought I was saying he was using a pistol brace for medical reasons or something. I’m just trying to understand what the problem with him wearing a wrist brace is.

My apologies. I was concentrating on the short barreled rifle he was touting as a pistol, and neglected to see the actual wrist brace he was rocking which is an actual medical wrist brace. Again my apologies.

 

[Ethan N]

My apologies. I was concentrating on the short barreled rifle he was touting as a pistol, and neglected to see the actual wrist brace he was rocking which is an actual medical wrist brace. Again my apologies.

No worries. No harm done.

 

[Ethan N]

As far as responsibilities, I don’t think it’s very helpful to say this guy is exercising a right but he’s not respecting the responsibilities that go along with that right if you can’t also express what you believe those responsibilities are other than not doing things you wouldn’t want him to do.

The first step in teaching people to fulfill the responsibilities entailed in the exercise of their right to bear arms ought to be clearly defining what those responsibilities are in a way that’s not vague or subjective. It seems to me that “don’t carry a gun in a park if it looks like a rifle,” while good advice, isn’t very practical or enlightening when it comes to teaching someone how to fulfill the responsibilities of bearing arms.

We can pretty much all agree on core firearm safety rules, even if we all like to word them a little differently. I wouldn’t expect a list of responsibilities to be as concise or universally accepted as safety rules, but I’m curious to hear what the good people of OSA would propose to put on such a list.

 

[Ethan N]

It looks like he’s wearing a camera harness. I expect the video will be on YouTube within a day. I haven’t found it yet.

 

[dennishoddy]

As far as responsibilities, I don’t think it’s very helpful to say this guy is exercising a right but he’s not respecting the responsibilities that go along with that right if you can’t also express what you believe those responsibilities are other than not doing things you wouldn’t want him to do.

The first step in teaching people to fulfill the responsibilities entailed in the exercise of their right to bear arms ought to be clearly defining what those responsibilities are in a way that’s not vague or subjective. It seems to me that “don’t carry a gun in a park if it looks like a rifle,” while good advice, isn’t very practical or enlightening when it comes to teaching someone how to fulfill the responsibilities of bearing arms.

We can pretty much all agree on core firearm safety rules, even if we all like to word them a little differently. I wouldn’t expect a list of responsibilities to be as concise or universally accepted as safety rules, but I’m curious to hear what the good people of OSA would propose to put on such a list.

I agree with what has been said in the past on this subject. If you want to make people aware and inform them, get a permit, set up a booth and use displays to teach and inform. Don't appear in camo or military gear, but do appear in casual business dress so as to not be intimidating and to meld into those that you are wanting to inform and teach.
I don't think being a shock jock is the way to educate people.
The only purpose of carrying a SBR in public is to elicit a response from LEO to make yourself look like some sort of hero and champion while actually making yourself look like an idiot and in reality causing more people on the fence about owning guns to sway to the no gun side.

 

[Ethan N]

I don't think being a shock jock is the way to educate people.

So maybe we could say one of the responsibilities that might be on the list is “Don’t draw attention to your weapon for any purpose other than defense.” Sounds good to me.

The only purpose of carrying a SBR in public is to elicit a response from LEO to make yourself look like some sort of hero and champion while actually making yourself look like an idiot and in reality causing more people on the fence about owning guns to sway to the no gun side.

I’m not saying this is why this guy was carrying an AR, but for the sake of discussion, what if someone has a medical condition or disability that makes using an actual pistol (not an AR or AK “pistol”) safely and effectively difficult/impossible, but they can handle a rifle adequately? Should they just not carry? Should they carry a pistol anyway, even though it’s potentially an ineffective or even dangerous option for them? Should they be encouraged to choose the weapon that suits their physical capabilities, even if it’s something we wouldn’t normally advise someone to carry? Questions posed to everyone, not just @dennishoddy.

I think much of the time the gun community doesn’t put much consideration into varying physical capabilities and forms when talking about weapon choices, and I’m curious to hear what people think about hypothetical outliers. It’s not hard to imagine that someone with carpal tunnel syndrome or arthritis may be able to handle a rifle but not a pistol and it seems to me they have all the more need for an equalizer in a fight.

 

[dennishoddy]

So maybe we could say one of the responsibilities that might be on the list is “Don’t draw attention to your weapon for any purpose other than defense.” Sounds good to me.

I’m not saying this is why this guy was carrying an AR, but for the sake of discussion, what if someone has a medical condition or disability that makes using an actual pistol (not an AR or AK “pistol”) safely and effectively difficult/impossible, but they can handle a rifle adequately? Should they just not carry? Should they carry a pistol anyway, even though it’s potentially an ineffective or even dangerous option for them? Should they be encouraged to choose the weapon that suits their physical capabilities, even if it’s something we wouldn’t normally advise someone to carry? Questions posed to everyone, not just @dennishoddy.

I think much of the time the gun community doesn’t put much consideration into varying physical capabilities and forms when talking about weapon choices, and I’m curious to hear what people think about hypothetical outliers. It’s not hard to imagine that someone with carpal tunnel syndrome or arthritis may be able to handle a rifle but not a pistol and it seems to me they have all the more need for an equalizer in a fight.

You get back to my earlier point. The AR "brace" is not a method to defend yourself, but a work around to be able to carry a SBR.
Yeah, there is some velcro on there for show, but how quickly can someone get into that harness in a moment when you need to if your actually physically disabled?

 

[Ethan N]

You get back to my earlier point. The AR "brace" is not a method to defend yourself, but a work around to be able to carry a SBR.
Yeah, there is some velcro on there for show, but how quickly can someone get into that harness in a moment when you need to if your actually physically disabled?

I’m not talking about a brace. I’m talking about an actual rifle with butt stock. Come on man. Why can’t you get braces off your mind? Did a pistol brace kick your dog or something?

 

[Tanis143]

I’m not talking about a brace. I’m talking about an actual rifle with butt stock. Come on man. Why can’t you get braces off your mind? Did a pistol brace kick your dog or something?

Maybe he kissed a girl with braces once and his tongue got stuck, which hurts like a bugger.