Scaring Kids a Bad Strategy

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BarryLee

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Forsyth County, located in the northern suburbs of Atlanta, is most likely a pretty gun friendly community. However, a recent incident at a children’s ball game may cause some to rethink those beliefs.

Apparently a gentleman was open carrying at the ball park and making sure everyone knew he was doing so. Reportedly he said, “Look, I got a gun and there's nothing you can do about it”. Eventually people became so concerned they stopped the game, took the kids to cover and called the police.

When the police arrived they found the guy had a current weapons license and since he made no specific threat there was nothing they could do. The local Sheriff stated that while he supports the right to bear arms the conduct was inappropriate.

It seems as if the guy used incredibly bad judgment in an attempt to make some kind of public statement about gun rights. I know some may disagree with me, but it seems like these intentional public acts designed to draw attention and interaction with the police only hurt our position. If you feel strongly about the issue, raise money, contact law makers, solicit membership in gun right groups, or something that doesn’t turn off even our allies.

http://www.wsbtv.com/news/news/local/man-gun-causes-scare-during-childrens-baseball-gam/nfhJS/
 
This topic may start a firestorm of responses, but I think open carry is often counterproductive and politically foolish. Anti-gunners harden their positions when they see it. In-between moderates who don't think about the issue very often may tilt into the anti gun group when they see blatant examples of open carry in public areas. I am concerned that continuing examples of such displays may gradually push a majority of voters in some communities into the anti category.
 
you see a lot of small business owners in bad neighborhoods who prefere the class B FID card over the class A because class B means open carry as opposed to class A which is conceal carry.

the open carry makes it obvious you have gun so the muggers and robbers stay away.with conceal carry in a high crime area you might have to pull your piece or even worse use it.which is perfectly legal but you will to be grilled by homicide dectectives for 5 or 6 hours before they rule the shooting justified.who wants to deal with that.

open carry greatly decreases you ever having to deal with a problem

but at a kids sports game?not good for open carry
 
This thread isn't the place for an open versus concealed carry debate. It is about the ACTIONS of the man.

If he had sat in the bleachers and watched the game, few if anyone would have been concerned.

His behavior is the problem. He would not doubt explain it some other way but the facts are simple.

He, and the others like him, are attention whores. They give no consideration to the wisdom or prudence of their words and actions. They want attention.

Open carry is not the problem. HE is the problem and the actions of him and others like him will be BAD for gun rights in general and open carry rights in particular.

We've already seen it in California and other places.
 
I don’t think this was really just about open carry one of the mothers was quoted as saying, “I don't think the parents would have been nervous had he just had the gun in his holster and was just watching the game". Apparently the guy was going out of his way to make sure everyone knew he had a gun. I can only assume this was done in an attempt to make some kind of statement.
 
What a fool !!!

Open carry is not the problem. HE is the problem and the actions of him and others like him will be BAD for gun rights in general and open carry rights in particular.
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Amen to that and it looks like, once he opened his mouth, he proved to everyone that he was a fool ... :)

The police could have removed him on a charge of disturbing the peace. Eventually, incidents like this will catch up to him and in my neck of the woods, his permit would be revoked.... ;)

Be prudent and;
Be Safe !!!
 
Brian is exactly on the money. This is not really about guns, gun rights or open carry. It's about the difference between respect for others and a lack of respect for others.
 
This guy was an idiot, and makes everyone who carries look like a lunatic.

I'm glad GA is open carry, but I never would in today's world. Too many people are uninformed about the laws and would cause more trouble than its worth, and then you have these idiots who think they're a cowboy.
 
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Not all, but a lot of open-carriers do so to invite debate/confrontation, etc., which is fine but there are times and places for such discussions.

This guy did not help the pro-gun community.
 
Not all, but a lot of open-carriers do so to invite debate/confrontation, etc., which is fine but there are times and places for such discussions.
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Yes, there may be times when holding an organized, preplanned, controlled demonstration might make sense. For instance there have been rallies at the state capitol, local restaurants and of course some LGSs. However, these were organized events designed to express support for gun rights without alarming people unnecessarily or pulling LEOs away from more important matters.
 
Open carry where legal should be no problem as long as you don't go around strutting like some over confident peacock. This guy should be called in if he has a license to carry for a good talk. Although I am not very knowledgeable on Georgia law I would imagine if this ball park was school property it is possible that he could have been charged with carrying a gun on school property.
 
My son, who open carried for months with no hassles ever, told me this little gem for open carry. Just go about your business and act normally. if you don't look nervous or act suspiciously why would anyone pay any attention to you.

The guy this topic is about sounds like either a jerk, someone trying to make a statement, or perhaps may even be mentally unbalanced. Any one of those is not good for pro-gun rights.
 
Golly,I find myself in complete agreement with Peetza!

This guy's relationship with his gun is a little "twerky"He is not just a man carrying,he is a man acting oddly,and carrying.I would feel protective of the kids,too.

If he was carrying a cordless drill,no one would pay attention,if he just watched the game.If he walked around telling folks "I'm packing my cordless drill",he would seem about one half bubble off level.

While I get the idea behind"I have a right to open carry,you better get used to it because you are the problem" there is a certain style...a gentle wind...

There are other social agendas(no need to be specific) where I can just shrug my shoulders,and think "None of my business,too much information,live and let live,lets just get the job done,or,whatever"

But militant factions push the issue,push the agenda,and in so doing,violate the rights of others.

These "pushers" cause me to turn my back on folks I might otherwise be open to.

Best way to promote open carry is about like how you might help a gunshy bird dog learn the joys of bird hunting.It is not taking the dog to a 3-gun match.It has to do with building trust
 
I agree that this guy has a screw loose. His behavior is what causes controversy when it comes to guns and reinforces the idea that some have that gun owners are crazed fanatics. This does lead to legislation where none is needed because of preconceived notions being confirmed by a radical.
What I want to see is gun ownership NOT causing controversy and being viewed as a fact of life. Of course fanatical thinking on opposite ends (pro gun vs. anti gun) of the spectrum keep the argument alive and laws being passed.
 
Amazing how many of us were there to see him and hear his words. Oh, wait.....

We have reports of this and reports of that. We have accusations he did this and accusations he did that.

We know the Forsyth County Sheriff's Office was called and they assured the caller that open carry was legal in Georgia as long as the individual had a license and that they saw no need to respond.
We know that further calls were made to FCSO and that those calls reported actions that the SO decided should be looked into and dispatched deputies.
Now, I wasn't there that day, but I have this sneakin' suspicion that when the cries of the mommies weren't pacified that they "kicked it up a notch" and alleged actions that would get the Sheriff's attention.

Pahoo said:
The police could have removed him on a charge of disturbing the peace. Eventually, incidents like this will catch up to him and in my neck of the woods, his permit would be revoked....
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Nope. First of all there is no charge of 'disturbing the peace' in Georgia, but there is 'disorderly conduct. As the reader is aware, the Sheriff's Office was there and as I'm fairly sure they are familiar with Georgia's laws they saw that the was no violation of OCGA 16-11-39. Deputy Ryan Yeaton threatened the man with trespass (although how you can be trespassed from a public park while in full compliance with all park rules, all city ordinances, all state and federal laws is beyond me). Fortunately Sergeant Dumford was there to correct the young deputy.

It's possible that the man's actions were the result of youthful impertinence, but that remains to be seen.
It's also possible that the reactions of the citizenry to an inanimate object were a bit rash and hoplophobic. There is a statement by one mother of 2 that
We have many dads that OC while at the ball park with their kids. Many moms have them in their purses.
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She's been asked to provide photographic proof to back up her words, perhaps I'll have to eat a little crow in the next few weeks.
 
I'm not sure what he was trying to prove, but his actions were provocative IMO.

Couple his provocative actions with the fact that many people who don't own guns, and know nothing about them, are either brainwashed into, or naturally fear the mere sight of them; It's not surprising that this happened.
 
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This isn't the first time things like this have happened.
About two years ago, an individual was walking for exercise on the pedestrian pathway at Gary Pirkle Park in Gwinnett County. The police responded to an inquiry of "is that legal?" by dispatching a half-dozen officers to investigate a "suspicious person" although what crime he was suspected of was never mentioned.

Not finding any illegality and being quite miffed about it, the officers made an arrest for 'trespass' based upon nothing more than a mere allegation (and by mere I mean absolutely NO investigation of the charge) from one complainant. The charge was nolle prosequi'd by the county solicitor with a further notation that the individual's actions were entirely legal.

The complainant wound up paying about six-grand in an out of court settlement to be removed from the subsequent civil lawsuit.

The individual wound up purchasing an 80% lower and made it into a sweet AR engraved with grateful thanks to the arresting officer and his badge number as the serial number.

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Exactly one year later on the same day, at the same park and at the same time, over a dozen openly armed individuals had a picnic luncheon. Despite a call from a "concerned individual" the Gwinnet County Police did not send a half-dozen officers, they didn't send two, nor even one.

Not a single GCPD officer responded to the call from the panicked citizen.

This week, 23April2014, Governor Deal signed HB60 into law, which among other things, prohibits law enforcement from stopping an individual 'merely because he was observed to be armed'. This brings being licensed to carry a firearm much more closely in line with being licensed to operate a motor vehicle as one may not be stopped 'merely because he was driving, to see if he's licensed to do so.'
Somebody done learned themselves a lesson, ya think?
 
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Now, about half a decade ago, this individual could have been prosecuted under Georgia's nebulous "public gathering" statute which at the time read - -
16-11-127
(a) Except as provided in Code Section 16-11-127.1, a person is guilty of a misdemeanor when he or she carries to or while at a public gathering any explosive compound, firearm, or knife designed for the purpose of offense and defense.

(b) For the purpose of this Code section, 'public gathering' shall include, but shall not be limited to, athletic or sporting events, churches or church functions, political rallies or functions, publicly owned or operated buildings, or establishments at which alcoholic beverages are sold for consumption on the premises. (snipped)
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Obviously, 'not be limited' to opens up quite a few possibilities and makes exactly where a 'public gathering' is or isn't.

In 2010, OCGA 16-11-127 was completely rewritten and enumerated 8 'unauthorized locations' greatly simplifying an ambiguous law.
 
4th Point
I was familiar with some of that case. I like hearing more about it.
As to this case, I do have to suspect that some of the 'moms' there who called the police may have, just a tad, exaggerated anything that was said by the open carrier.
Things tend to get twisted in the telling, and so who knows if anything was said.
dc
 
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