News: Packing Heat and Protesting

Open carry is explicitly forbidden here in Florida, though I've never really cared, since being able to carry a handgun concealed is much more valuable from a practical defense standpoint. The closest I've ever come to open carrying was an empty-holster protest where I used a thigh rig, and, indeed, it did get some attention.

Recently, people coming to the Obamacare protests have been openly carrying firearms, which has given some in the mainstream media the vapors:

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There's a whole lot of editorializing from Maddow and the former gentleman from the Secret Service in the video embedded above, but no one bothers to ask the man with the AR why he brought a rifle to the protest. Here's what he has to say:



Bringing a rifle to a protest may be imprudent, but in any case, it's impossible to do what Maddow suggests (ban firearms within a mile of the President). A mile is a long distance - I doubt an officeworker lawfully carrying a concealed weapon ten blocks away is any danger to the POTUS, but he or she would technically be violating the proposed cordon.

There's a better argument that protesting with an openly carried firearm creates a "chilling effect" that silences the opposition. But plenty of traditional protest tactics - burning flags, shouting slogans via bullhorn, crowding around entrances of buildings - can intimidate people; after all, part of protesting is getting someone to notice you.

Still, unless the protest specifically concerns Second Amendment rights, I can't see any reason to display your EBR to anyone. But if you normally open carry your handgun, I also see no reason to change just because you're exercising your other rights. Hopefully that makes sense.

EDIT: Just saw this: