Another anti-crime rally to be held in Manchester

[anthonybpugh]

was he the one harassed by the governor? 

[David]

any thoughts regarding whether it would be helpful or hurtful for me to open carry in this context?  If i do; I will probably inform the nearby police first.

That's a good idea, considering what happened to mvpel.

My personal thought on open carry is everyone should be doing it as often as possible, so that (1) people become accustomed to it, (2) people learn why it's important for ordinary citizens to carry, and (3) more people carry.

Gun rights are not a huge issue for me, even though I know how important the right of self defence is. 

IMHO, getting people used to seeing guns in a peacefull situation is the number one thing the gun euthusiasts need to do.  You can teach till you are blue in the face, or you can prove it.  The only way to get people used to seeing peaceful people carry guns, is for peaceful people to carry them around, openly.

[mvpel]

Any time anyone argues with me about that point, FSP-Ohio, I just point to the experience in Ohio and the effect that peacable open carry had to prompt the legislature there to pass a shall-issue concealed carry licensing system.

I figure if the folks are so alarmed by open carry, then they shouldn't make people ask for permission to carry concealed.

[Rosie the Riveter]

i think i'm going to go to this with a sign that says that...fight crime shoot back.  anyone want to join me?   I may just stand outside. 

Update on Dada's behalf -- Hold a sign with Dada and others tonight starting at about 6:30 outside the Manchester Police Athletic League  - 409 Beech St, Manchester, 03103

I know he would love the company.

[Dave Ridley]

Quick report on our demo outside the rally:

When I first got there I went inside unarmed and informed a random cop what we were planning to do.   He didn't react badly at first but then called his supervisor.  After that he came out and started asking us questions.  His name was Gannon. By then there were two of us, me and Brian.  He asked for our ID's.  I told him that altho the law does require me to identify myself, and that I would do so honestly if asked to, it does not require me to show him ID.  I said that if he felt I was concealed carrying then he could ask to see my concealed carry license.  He said I had informed him I was concealed carrying, which I had not.  I told him that he was wrong.   But this was all civil.  At this point in time I had a the pistol on my hip in its holster.  He asked if we had a permit to demonstrate.  He said there was a city ordinance.  He asked about the expected size of the rally. He said he would be back, or that someone would be back.

Fifteen minutes later there were four of us I think and a seargent pulled up.  I forgot his name.  He said he (and I think the others) really appreciated what we were doing.   He reluctantly quoted some rules regarding demonstrations, such as the need to keep moving.  He said if we impose these rules on others but not on you we'd be inconsistent.  But we really appreciate this and hope you'll come inside too.   I said we'd mostly stay outside so that a message gets out other than "please help us, federal government."  He laughed.  I invited him to visit NHfree.com.  That was the last we heard from MPD.

By then lots of people were honking in our support becuase they saw the Fight Crime Shoot Back signs.  a guy from the mayor's office came by and introduced himself to me while the first cop was trying to interrogate me LOL.  But I think that was before he had any idea what we were doing and I'm not sure if our message got through to him or not since I was distracted by the cops.

Then we just stayed out there with our two signs, our rattlesnake flag and our NH flag for about 2.5 hours. 

Muni got to talk to senator D'allesandro on the way in (sp?)

I don't think we got any media coverage however.  It's hard to tell because WMUR did take pictures of us, yet their website does not include any of their coverage of the rally or us.  The Union Leader reporter talked to us briefly after the rally but got paged by her editor after about 90 seconds of talking to us and didn't put us in the story.

The intersection only gets about 6 cars a minute but we probably got about sixty honks or other expressions of suppport as well as maybe 7 expression of opposition.

Andy went inside to keep tabs on the meeting and ask questions.

We were probably seen by about a thousand people total if you count all the passers by.  A lot of them did seem to spot the pistols...this generated less surprise and interest than you might think.  I took of my coat and wore a light colored fleece to make it more visible, and one of the guys had this huge unconcealable revolver on LOL.   

Probably the most useful thing is the effect it seemed to have on MPD...the discussion this probably triggered between their officers.  You have to assume that they will be talking about this among themselves and that this will get them more comfortable with open carry.  Maybe it will get them more comfortable with people saying no to them, although that part may not have generated as much discussion.

Turnout for us was five activists and four pistols

[Dave Ridley]

also someone from the crime watch group, one of the speakers at the rally, came over and more or less invited us to go shooting with him

However another guy came over and criticized our signs.  Brian asked him what would be a better sign and they bounced ideas around for a while.  D'Allessandro did not like our message much.  Not that many people from the rally came over to talk to us overall I would say, considering there were about 80 to 100 inside.

Other than andy i dont think any of us went in.

[mvpel]

Great work, Dave!

[Rosie the Riveter]

I'm glad that you all had fun with it. I'll look forward to hearing from Andy about the activities inside.