Gun rally mocks
2nd Amendment rights
Editor, Times-Dispatch:
Monday's gun rally parade was the absolute worst expression of the Second Amendment. It doesn't promote the right to legal firearm ownership and utilization. It squanders opportunities at these events to show America that the vast majority of firearm owners are discreet, responsible, thoughtful and respectful. In the 21st century, where carrying a rifle, fully clothed in combat gear — while threatening to use those firearms against law enforcement or anyone who might attempt to confiscate them — is not protest, but sociopathic. It is not parallel with open-carrying a pistol, which triggers fear by threatening actions such with AR-15s (lightweight semi-automatic rifles) at port arms (held diagonally across the chest) while marching. Such actions only help to erode the right that allows them to act embarrassingly inappropriate. This causes others, who desire to open-carry a pistol, to be viewed with ire and fear. This results in leftward-leaning governance that is so hypersensitive to be goaded to further restrict their use. I want to be the best expression of the Second Amendment. I want to be trained and practiced. I don't want anyone to know I'm carrying a firearm, especially criminals whose first effort would be to remove my firearm. However, if I have no privilege to conceal, I would open-carry. This would cause me to lose the element of surprise, or to be targeted first when they see that I'm a potential armed defender. Expressing your rights is one thing, but dressing up like you're preparing for war and being defiant for the sake of being defiant isn't protest. It's profane.
