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20mm wrote:MPD is less likely to harass and draw down on a group of OC'ers. OC'ing in a group in MSP is not only a great idea, it's wise as well.
Who wants to get together for a OC meetup in Loring Park?
So the press shows up and interviews you and the first question is:
"What is it that you are trying to prove with this gathering? Don't you think that this provocative action is going to scare people? Do you believe that Minnesota needs to do more to protect its citizens from dangerous situations like this?"
bstrawse wrote:"What is it that you are trying to prove with this gathering? Don't you think that this provocative action is going to scare people? Do you believe that Minnesota needs to do more to protect its citizens from dangerous situations like this?"
Your response is...? b
Obama rocks!!! Go Democrats!!!
You don't have to prove anything...or talk to them. Maybe offer them a hotdog.
Last edited by 20mm on Fri Jun 21, 2013 10:47 am, edited 1 time in total.
"Go 20mm" - Sigfan220 ""Real men shoot 20mm." - FJ540 "If I could be reincarnated as a fabric, I would come back as a 38 double-D bra." - Jesse Ventura
20mm wrote:MPD is less likely to harass and draw down on a group of OC'ers. OC'ing in a group in MSP is not only a great idea, it's wise as well.
Who wants to get together for a OC meetup in Loring Park?
So the press shows up and interviews you and the first question is:
"What is it that you are trying to prove with this gathering? Don't you think that this provocative action is going to scare people? Do you believe that Minnesota needs to do more to protect its citizens from dangerous situations like this?"
Your response is...? b
"What is it that you are trying to prove with this gathering?"
Nothing at all. We are a group of like-minded individuals who wish to legally and peacefully gather for the common ground of our interest. Many people do this when they get together for bike events, sporting events, book clubs, or any other number of interests which bring people together in a lawful and peaceful group setting. We do not have any agenda other than our shared interest.
Don't you think that this provocative action is going to scare people?
The cure for fear is knowledge. While our goal is not to provocate, only to gather for our common shared interest, if someone is in fear, we are all approachable human beings that are willing to communicate with people to alleviate their fear through shared knowledge and understanding.
Do you believe that Minnesota needs to do more to protect its citizens from dangerous situations like this?"
I believe there are other issues of concern that are actually dangerous versus a gathering such as ours. Take for instance drunk drivers, they have killed far more people than firearms have in Minnesota. (insert quoted data with sources here). Those gatherings in bars are of a greater concern to me since what begins with the legal right to consume alcohol often leads to an illegal act of driving under the influence. Can you cite me one instance in Minnesota where a law-abiding gun owner with a permit-to-carry has left a gathering such as ours and then gone out and committed a crime involving a firearm?
You've said that this gathering of ours is both "provocative" and "dangerous", by what criteria have you come to make this assessment and believe it to be accurate?
Last edited by XDM45 on Fri Jun 21, 2013 10:57 am, edited 1 time in total.
You can lie to the press.. Tell them anything you want. Just make sure it's not a federal official.
"Go 20mm" - Sigfan220 ""Real men shoot 20mm." - FJ540 "If I could be reincarnated as a fabric, I would come back as a 38 double-D bra." - Jesse Ventura
Who is the 'organizer' of the open-carry / open streets event? It appears to be Shelly Leeson.
If so, I have to strongly respect the far-sighted-ness that she showed to 'De-Escalate' and avoid a conflict. Let's invite her here to share her ideas. This place is such a big 'Sausage-Fest'.
It's important that we not squander all the exemplary work of GOCRA / Andrew Rothman / Joe Olson / many, many others that have left the antis, particulary Paymar /Latz in an impotent fuming funk.
Gun rights advocates holster plans to display weapons at Open Streets block parties Tim Nelson June 20, 2013, 11:39 AM 3
Gun rights activists who follow the Twin Cities Gun Owners and Carry Forum say they’re cancelling plans to bring their guns to Open Streets Minneapolis, a series of community gatherings set to start this weekend.
“It got blown way out of proportion,” said Shelley Leeson, the organizer of the effort, in an interview. “I thought it would be a good opportunity for us to go to a place, where we could have some public interaction, possibly have some conversations with people, just normal social activity, showing that hey, we’re just like you. We live in your neighborhood, we volunteer in your neighborhood, we go to the same events that you do. And we just happen to be gun owners.”
But Leeson cited threats and harassment, some of it online on the group’s Facebook page, as reason to opt out of the Open Streets events. She said training in Minnesota for people planning to carry firearms in public typically encourages permit holders to avoid conflict as their principal strategy for self-defense.
“People were going to be harassing us and intimidating us,” Leeson said she feared. “It wasn’t our intent to be in your face.”
AGAIN, Thanks for the cool-headedness...I think 'De-Escalation' is a core skill and it's hard to train for. Good Work.
Here's a few links from Google. It looks like she had a 'Shelly Leeson for Mayor facebook page at one time'
June 2012: On a Saturday afternoon while walking her dog, Shelley was held at gunpoint and detained for 20 minutes by 6 – 8 Minneapolis police officers and Park police officers in an egregious and unwarranted over-reaction to her lawful open-carry of a securely holstered firearm. This incident further fueled her activism and community organizing of other lawful gun owners to **come out of the closet** in an ongoing, pro-active visibility and public education campaign regarding law abiding gun owners, which continues to date.
August 2012: Took a hiatus from the crime watch network in fear for her safety after she and the crime watch pages became the target of intolerant Leftists/Progressives who ramped up a bullying and hate-filled disinformation and online stalking campaign against her (because they took umbrage with comments made by others on the page), which subsequently resulted in her receiving death threats and vandalism to her property.
January 2013: Was a featured speaker on the steps of the state capitol in front of nearly 1,500 attendees, where she spoke about the failure of our criminal justice system, its failure to enforce existing laws and its lack of proper prosecution of criminals who commit violent crimes, and helped to rally a throng of law abiding gun owners in the eventual defeat of specious, emotion-driven and misguided state and federal gun control legislation aimed at punitively punishing law abiding citizens.
February 2013: Spoke again on the capitol steps to rally several hundred law abiding gun rights supporters toward the defeat of misguided, emotion-driven state and federal gun control legislation.
DoxaPar wrote:Edit: Try to think of it this way... if we had an OC social park get-together how would you feel if a gay pride group showed up with all their stuff?
Trying to "ninja" someone's event just isn't cool.
+1
I could only see this as a positive if the people OCing are locals to the neighborhood, otherwise it comes off as busybody outsiders trying to push an agenda.
I can understand that, I wouldn't want you people in my backyard either...
Was anyone there? Any open Carry? In 10 years of carrying I've seen maybe 3 people OC ing one was a security guard. You could be sure there would be some Occupy Wallstreet Matted hair / showered 3 weeks ago losers ready to stink things up.
I'm going to guess 'no news is good news' If someone had been 'provoked' even into a shoving match...you know that story would have legs and would be mentioned in the next session of the Legislature. I hope this Shelley Leeson had some helpful talks with senior members of the Civilian Firearms Community. The 'Back Down' is to be respected....it's not easy in conflict.
I'm going to assume that all 3 other Open Streets events are not going to be Open Carry events
gunsmith wrote:I'm going to guess 'no news is good news' If someone had been 'provoked' even into a shoving match...you know that story would have legs and would be mentioned in the next session of the Legislature. I hope this Shelley Leeson had some helpful talks with senior members of the Civilian Firearms Community. The 'Back Down' is to be respected....it's not easy in conflict.
I'm going to assume that all 3 other Open Streets events are not going to be Open Carry events
Any word on Shelley Leeson? Is she a member here? I do see her posts on E-Democracy.com and her posts are very sensible and focused. She appeared on the same podium w/ Andrew Rothman at the capitol and I'm going to assume she's guided by common sense.
I'm nervous about the 'Cop Block' people...they seem to have a chip-on-the-shoulder which may not be 'productive'
At any rate, 'All's well that ends well' Any commotion w/ Open Carry and Open Streets would have been blown way out of proportion and would have echoed into the Legislature next year.
gunsmith wrote:Any word on Shelley Leeson? Is she a member here? I do see her posts on E-Democracy.com and her posts are very sensible and focused. She appeared on the same podium w/ Andrew Rothman at the capitol and I'm going to assume she's guided by common sense.
I'm nervous about the 'Cop Block' people...they seem to have a chip-on-the-shoulder which may not be 'productive'
At any rate, 'All's well that ends well' Any commotion w/ Open Carry and Open Streets would have been blown way out of proportion and would have echoed into the Legislature next year.
Thanks everyone for 'taking the High Road'.
I don't think she is a member here.
The copblock people are scary indeed. This video sounds like they are promoting violence against the police. https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=p ... MEw#at=210 which is going to be a losing battle for an individual.
