Year: 2008

We’re getting some comments in the post directly below that touch on a few issues I want to address in a separate post.  I don’t deny that the gun rights movement is a civil rights movement.  The ability to defend oneself is one of the most basic natural rights that one can imagine to exist.  I can’t imagine what comes ahead of self-preservation.

With the fact that our struggle is a civil rights struggle, there will be parallels between ours and other civil rights struggles.  In terms of strategy, tactics, and even sometimes rhetoric.  But I think we have to resist thinking of ourselves as an oppressed minority in the same vein as those who experienced systematic, government sponsored racial discrimination at the hands of Jim Crow.  As much as many of us might want to wear that badge, the public won’t buy in.  Race is something people are born into, and they can’t escape or hide from it.

We’re probably more like the gay rights movement than we were are the civil rights movement, in that while I believe many people can’t help being gay, they can certainly help their behavior.  The reason the gay rights movement has been successful is because by coming out of the closet, people suddenly realized that they knew a lot of gay people, and more importantly, they were normal.  They were your family members, your neighbors, and coworkers.  Would the gay rights movement have been as successful as it has been if this guy had been their public face?

Whether we like it or not, we do live in a world where some people are afraid of guns, just like some people were once afraid of gays.  Those people do need to be educated, and relieved of their ignorance.  But I question whether appearing openly armed at a kids’ soccer game, when other people have expressed discomfort with the idea, and politely requested you stop, is really accomplishing that goal?  Or is that more likely to convince other people that gun owners are odd and belligerent?  Whether we like it or not, I think we need to be reasonably accomodating to the people around us, and keep in mind that when carrying openly, you’re representing all gun owners, so that gives the rest of us a right to bitch.  Sometimes, that’s going to mean having to go concealed in certain situations.  I would argue that a kid soccer game, when other parents have objected to the presence of your side arm, is one of those situations.  I’m not saying people who open carry, or do open carry activism need to give it up.  I am suggesting that common sense be exercised, and people be mindful about how they are making other gun owners look.

We’ve talked about context on this blog before, though it was a while ago.  I am a supporter of open carry of a firearm being legal and acceptable, and I don’t agree with the unlawful behavior of many government officials when it comes to enforcing laws that don’t exist.  That is why I have supported open carry folks when they get into trouble.  The practice is legal in Pennsylvania, and even though some officials don’t like it, tough.  It’s a lawful activity.

But I’m increasingly finding myself on the other side of open carry advocates when it comes to social pressure, which I think is not a matter for government.  I point to this article involving the soccer mom losing her License to Carry.

Parents were upset by the presence of the weapon at the game being played by 4- and 5-year-olds, said Charlie Jones, who coaches one of three under-age-6 teams, known as U6, in the Lebanon Recreation Youth Soccer program.

“More than one parent was upset,” he said. “I did not see it, but it was brought to my attention.”

I agree that Ms. Hain has a legal right to carry her pistol openly unmolested, but I also agree that just because you have a right doesn’t mean you get to be immune from social decorum and social pressure.  Looking at the comments, I see:

She must love the attention. If you have a concealed permit, carry it concealed! She wanted the attention by doing this at a little kids soccer game. I hope she’s happy with the attention she is getting. I’m a gun owner with a permit as well.

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This lady makes all proud gun owners such as myself look like morons. Little kids dont need to be around that nonsense legal or not. OUT OF SITE- OUT OF MIND. Carried Concealed!
HAVE SOME BRAINS, I dont think many people get Mugged at a kids soccer game!

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I have a carry permit and carry when I can. but to openly carry at a kids game wasnt very smart. in this paranoid world, she was asking for trouble by doing so openly instead of concealing it. Nothing wrong with going to the game with a sidearm.

On a lighter note, I bet it kept the ref’s honest!

I have to wonder about the wisdom of this when even most people who have carry licenses think this is really going too far overboard.  I know the goal of open carry advocates is to get the public used to seeing law abiding citizens with guns, but I’m coming to increasingly question whether or not this goal is actually being accomplished, as the situations open carry people are finding themselves in become increasingly bizarre and outside the realm of where I think even the general gun owning public can sympathize.

I’ve sort of hinted about this issue before in the Dickson City incident a few months ago.  I will continue to support open carry being legal, and highlight abuse by state officials when they attempt to stifle this lawful activity.  But I really think open carry activists need to rethink what the public perception is going to be if they get create a stir in some situations, and perhaps be a bit more mindful of public perceptions of what they are doing.  Yes, you have a right, but we also have to get along in a society with other people who might have different experiences and beliefs about armed self-defense.   There’s a lot to be said for changing public perceptions, and getting the public used to the idea of people carrying firearms for self-defense, but perhaps a kids soccer game is not the best venue to begin that education.

Everyone and their brother has been e-mailing me this story.  I would have covered it yesterday, but things have been extraordinarily busy:

Officials in Pennsylvania have revoked a woman’s concealed-weapons permit because other parents complained that she was carrying her loaded handgun at her daughter’s soccer games.

Meleanie Hain says she’s fighting the revocation by the Lebanon County sheriff.

Hain lost the permit and got a warning from local soccer officials after a game on Sept. 11.

Sheriff Michael DeLeo says openly carrying a weapon to a youth soccer match shows a lack of judgment.

Well, that’s all well and good, except for the fact that openly carrying a firearm is legal in Pennsylvania, and a sheriff’s perception of judgement isn’t a reason to yank an LTC.  We’ve been through this before in Pennsylvania.  Pennsylvania is technically listed as a shall-issue state, but in reality we are may-issue.  The sheriffs exercise an extraordinary amount of discretion in issuing and revoking licenses, and that’s a discretion that’s going to be taken away if they keep insist on abusing it.

Everyone in Pennsylvania who carries regularly should get themselves a Florida license.  It’s good in Ohio and Delaware, and Florida is truly shall-issue, and they won’t revoke unless you commit a crime or violate one of the enumerated conditions for having the license.

UPDATE: Dustin beat me to this one.