"Assault Rifle" Litter Clean Up, anyone? Anyone? Hello? Anyone there?

[doobie]

As the subject says...  anyone interested in an "Assault Rifle" Litter Clean Up?  I blame Mr. Ridley for mentioning the idea to me last night. 

[margomaps]

Assault-rifle, as in a select-fire, smallish-bore carbine?  I know hardly anyone that can even afford such a thing (on account of the select-fire aspect).  Well, maybe everybody and his uncle in Iraq -- but not in the US!  Those suckers are expensive! 

Ah.  Perhaps you mean "assault-rifle", as in the name invented by anti-gun groups for ordinary rifles that happen to be made with black plastic, have a bayonet, or a folding stock (among other attributes)?

Anyway, no offense to you or Dave, but I think it's a terrible idea.    An open-carry litter pickup with holstered handguns is one thing -- a relatively tame thing that already freaks some people out (yes, I understand that sensitization/education is the point).  But open-carrying handguns is still somewhat commonplace; for example, people see police with holstered handguns all the time, and occasionally they might see Dave Ridley with one.  Most people -- even gun nuts -- would be surprised or possibly shocked to see a group of guys walking down the street carrying rifles.  A non gun nut would probably be terrified.

I can think of no reasonable circumstance in which one would have a rifle in a sling (or in a hand) while out picking up litter in an urban part of NH.  It serves only to create hysteria, and I think that's a very poor approach to changing hearts and minds.  In my opinion this sort of stunt would only increase the number of foes you have, and probably alienate people who are otherwise friendly/neutral on gun issues.

OK, I can think of a couple approaches that might not be a disaster.

1) If you dress up in a full revolutionary war regalia, and carry some sort of wood-bodied long gun slung across your back -- not a black plasticky AR-15 or Hi Point carbine -- that could possibly work without freaking people out too much.  They might instead ridicule you for your odd behavior/clothing, but that's better than them wetting their pants with terror.

2) If you pick up litter in a rural part of the state on the side of a highway, for example, holding big signs that say "NH Rifleman Litter Pickup" or somesuch -- that might not be so bad.

[doobie]

Yes, sorry, I should have used quotes around it and have corrected it.

I kinda posted this as a joke.  I don't think anyone would really be up for it.  Though it would be interested, but I don't think it would be taken too kindly to in a city environment.

[margomaps]

Yes, sorry, I should have used quotes around it and have corrected it.

I kinda posted this as a joke.  I don't think anyone would really be up for it.  Though it would be interested, but I don't think it would be taken too kindly to in a city environment.

You know, I kind of thought it smacked of jokingness.  Sorry I took it seriously. 

[highline]

Ah.  Perhaps you mean "assault-rifle", as in the name invented by anti-gun groups for ordinary rifles that happen to be made with black plastic, have a bayonet, or a folding stock (among other attributes)?

How dare you question this gun policy.

We have a serious problem with drive-by bayonettings here in the USA.  These laws are to keep you safe.

[Dave Ridley]

i thought *you* were the one who brought it up!

no i'm not really in favor of the idea at the moment; maybe someday somewhere it might have its place

[Russell Kanning]

seems a little cumbersome

[Jitgos]

Probably not good PR, but I'd still die to see a Ridley Report of it! LOL .. some day... some day...

[Lloyd Danforth]

seems a little cumbersome

not if you use the bayonette to pick up paper and cardboard with

[MattLeft]

Bazooka Litter Cleanup...hmmmm

[doobie]

i thought *you* were the one who brought it up!

no i'm not really in favor of the idea at the moment; maybe someday somewhere it might have its place

Maybe you mentioned something about it being OC'ing rifles in a town and then I added the open carry, because until our conversation I believed it wasn't legal to OC a loaded rifle on public streets.

[Lex]

What about Nuclear Bomb Litter Clean Up? You can walk around with an aluminum briefcase.

[kola]

I think carrying around assault rifles for volunteer clean up is a very bad idea.
The commonfolk just ain't ready for that and its just too intimidating.
IMO, stick with pistols.

Kola

[Puke]

What about Nuclear Bomb Litter Clean Up? You can walk around with an aluminum briefcase.

Damn, beat me to it. 

Howitzer litter pick-up anyone?

[sandm000]

What about a cavalry saber litter pick up?