Just because something is “legal” doesn’t necessarily make it “smart”. SOME (note I say “some”) of the individuals walking around town are seeking to provoke a reaction and/or get attention. They get off on that sort of thing. Same way SOME of the bearded, green haired, fake boobed, dress wearing individuals are doing it for the attention of the shock value. They’re getting some kind of personal satisfaction out of doing it which has nothing serious to do with the basic principle of their action. They just do it because they know it will make some people crazy. They seem to occupy a sad little pathological niche of their own.
That being said, I would note and pay attention to anyone walking around in public spaces with a slung rifle. Condition yellow if they are exhibiting no additional concerning behaviors, condition orange if they appear to be ‘twitchy’ in some way. Might alert the authorities, might not. It would depend on the totality of the circumstances.
As always, each of us has to make our best decision as we see fit, neither snowflake nor iceberg.
If you arrested anyone for this imaginary offense, you would lose your job and the person who you arrested could retire on the settlement.
Open carry is legal. I really don’t care who gets offended, but as a LEO you take an oath to uphold the law. Offending snowflakes isn’t against the law. Doing something that you think is stupid isn’t against the law.
Let’s just say (for sh!ts n Grins I WAS THERE, Dude is approaching the bus stop my lil rug rats are getting on the bus. I’m going to make eye contact first and foremost, see if I see a little ‘Jim Jones’ flare in his eyes. I’m going to be observing Tension, aggression etc. If I see him NOT break stride intending to walk on by I’m going to give him a pass (as the Leo’s should do)
‘IF’ he is in an Open Carry, (and all the rights listed above and he’s not holding it ! PORT ARMS he gets that pass.
IF he goes to unshoulder it this is a different story/different ending (for him)
My recent experiences with Leo’s and reading about them is a lot of very good Men and Women in Blue have left (pushed out, retired, DEI’d out of existence) Left behind so to speak not so much…
Very sad.
Come a time we will have to (de) FEND for ourselves. Maybe this guy is a Trendsetter.?
They might need to consider doing this if random strangers with rifles keep walking up to their kids for no obvious reason.
In the picture of the ladies they have the rifles at their backs in a clearly non ready position. That demonstrates less of a potential imminent threat than the guy walking by the kids. Though this creates even more retention issues which is one of the several reasons why I wouldn’t carry a rifle around in public unless I was expecting a very high chance of needing to use it or was at some sort of firearm related event.
In the second photo you posted notice how everyone has empty chamber indicators and are carrying the firearms at their backs except for the one person who has their action zip tied. Again a much different threat level presented than a random person approaching your kids with a rifle that could be put into action in less than a second.
I’m not saying that people shouldn’t have the right to carry rifles around town. But it is rather unusual behavior in most places - outside of places where folks are hunting, target shooting or at pro 2A events. Even in my very pro 2A area I just don’t see people walking around with their rifles unless they are heading into the forest to hunt. Unusual behavior should raise our attention levels.
Seeing a stranger walking down my street with a rifle slung in front like in the original photo in the article would make me at least a little concerned the person doing so was either expecting trouble or looking to cause some. Either way I would act accordingly until I figured out what other reason they had for taking their rifle for a walk around town. Even more so if I saw them walking towards my son.
But this is a free country so people are free to not be concerned when armed strangers approach their children. Guns themselves don’t concern me at all, but strangers acting outside the norm get my attention every time.
Context is everything. Man w/ rifle and/or pistol (s) walking calmly down the street carting them in a non-threatening manner but in a way that indicates he’s going somewhere- very likely, all good. Man stalking down the street, waving it around in an irresponsible manner- someone to keep an eye on.
Same situation outlined above except substitute a baseball bat instead of firearms. What would your reaction be then?
Then there was the leftoids in Appleton, WI. a while back who didn’t like the people carrying pistols and rifles at the Saturday Farmers Market, so they came the next weekend with (illegal) open carry chickens, daring the police to take action.
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As I asked a person that said if she in a restaurant she would get up and leave as fast as she could if someone carrying came in. I asked her why? What was he doing? Is he sitting and eating calmly, or is he looking around, nervous, tapping the weapon.
If he’s only sitting there eating don’t worry about it. I would think you should do the same.
These guy’s are my main ‘Battle Rattle’ company
(1) Plate Carrier set up Steel plates
(1) Soft Armor (both Level3)
The orders came with FREE ‘Trauma Pads’
(addition protection when you take a hit.)
The Heavier set is mine w/ IFAX, Mag holders (6 AR/6 M&P)
Fixed blade and Baton
I doctored the soft Armor for my Sister: IFAX, Speed loaders for her revolver and
Holster.
Good Stuff.
That’s prolly the stupidist Leftist response I ever heard Stuart (and THAT’S saying something!
‘Open Carry Chickens Indeed!’) That’s Clucked up! Only a Demoncrat would think that up!
They tried the same here in Shawano, carried anyway and the signs were gone the next week. States preemptions. 