How you came up with that because of my statement that I support laws not allowing brandishing a firearm to cause unjust fear in the community I'll never know? Boyscout you know me better than that we've carried together in public under MOCA. I support open carry laws but don't think our rights as gun owners should be abused to cause undue stress on others in the public. People have a right not to have to live in fear of being shot by some fool waving a gun in public. None of us have the right to abuse our rights to carry to scare or intimidate others by brandishing a weapon in public.
Now on total different subject which I expect some negative feedback, I really question if carrying loaded AR in public should be allowed. I see reason for handgun carry for self defense but I have issues with someone walking around with loaded AR just cause they can. As a deer hunter the law stops me from crossing highway with 5 rounds in my deer rifle but as I understand the law someone can walk the streets of Portland (Maine's largest city) with 30 round clip in their rifle.
Understand I'm not only a gun owner but a concerned American. The reason I bought my first handgun ever was because I was almost sick for week from the killings at Virginia Tech. I vowed to myself if I could ever stop such a crime from happening I would do so or die trying. As all of us my views on many subjects in life have changed as I've matured and because of my age I can feel confident in telling you both I feel your views can and will change in time whatever they are. (PS, I'm not anti AR's I own one
1. The law does not require you to unload your rifle when you cross the street. That law was abolished many years ago. You just cannot FIRE across a roadway or within so many feet of the roadway.
2. An AR15 has a magazine, not a clip. Educate yourself on the differences. It's important. You sound ignorant otherwise.
3. You do NOT have a right to not live in fear of being shot by someone waving a gun around. Sorry, bad things happen and criminals who are firing shots at people should be punished, but pretending that a law prevents bad things is just ignorant.
4. Look up the definition of "brandishing" Carrying is not brandishing. Brandishing means "to wave or flourish in a threatening manner" Carrying a rifle is not brandishing a rifle. There is no threat.
5. Your rights should not be abused to cause stress on other people. Sorry, but sometimes the exercise of your rights DOES cause stress on other people. It's not just gun rights. Many people are greatly offended by people who hold signs either pro or anti abortion. Those signs are offensive, but they are free speech and those people have an inherent right to voice their opinions. No law should be made to take away such a right, no matter how dispicable YOU deem their actions.
6. Who are YOU to determine what is an acceptable self defense setup for another person? An AR15 rifle is certainly a FAR better self defense tool for most self defense situations. If you're presented with a mall shooting scenario and the shooter has an AR15 and he's 50 yards from you and pointed in your direction, I'd rather have an AR15 on me than a pistol. If I'm attacked by a roving gang of 10 pistol wielding teenagers who just want to kill a man for the thrill of it I'd rather have an AR15 on me than a pistol to counter such a threat. The ONLY benefit of a pistol is it's minimal size and weight. A long gun is ALWAYS a better tool when you need someone stopped quickly.
7. If you want to stop a Virginia Tech type situation, it would be far easier with a long gun than a pistol, so why don't you use the better tool for the job?
I pose these questions genuinely. I know that you're an intelligent and thoughtful man. Think of it from a freedom perspective, not from a controlist perspective. It is every man's personal responsibility for their own actions. The actions of another man should never be restricted when no harm has occurred.