Ohio Carry organized another open carry walk this past Saturday in Vermilion. This was part of their ongoing effort to educate the public about their constitutional rights in the Buckeye State. Note the completely different image from what the Bloomberg media campaign is trying to craft for open carriers. As morningjournal.com reports, “In an effort to educate the public and combat stereotypes surrounding gun rights, Ohio Carry’s Northeast and Northwest chapters hosted a joint open carry and firearm education walk in Downtown Vermilion Sept. 13.” . . .
Ohio Carry, founded in 2012 as a firerm rights, advocacy and education group, consists of five chapters in Ohio and has hosted walks in Akron, Cleveland and Canton. The group has done around a dozen walks this year, and the most recent in Vermilion was the city’s first.
The group didn’t shy away from the carry of long guns on the walk, but were careful to ensure that the rifles were slung and not pointed at anyone. This is a classic demonstration of strong, political, symbolic speech.
The walk proudly proclaims “I have rights that government may not violate,” “The Constitution means what it says,” and “The Second Amendment is meant as a limitation on the government.”
These types of walks are spreading, from Texas, to Arkansas, and now to Ohio. Only in California has the state dared to make them illegal once they started, and that action led to the Peruta decision that requires the state to issue concealed carry permits. In numerous states, such as Wisconsin, Michigan, Virginia, Ohio, and Arizona, open carry activism preceded the establishment of shall-issue concealed carry laws.
©2014 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included.
Gun Watch
They’re doing it right.
A correspondent who lives nearby says that this story was ignored by the rest of local media.
Go Jack, go!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMzd40i8TfA
It’s not uncommon for us to get zero local coverage in Ohio if nothing negative happens. On one hand, it indicates just how normalized open carry is in much of the state. On the other hand, it reduces the audience potentially educated through the unreported or under reported events.
Of course the local StateRunMedia outlet won’t report- doesnt fit the narrative.
Nor was the local MDA types there to snag a picture of a doofus in cammies in low ready that could be spread as disinformatzia
Thats EXACTLY why we, the POTG, have to spread the word, using our 1A rights responsibly, how to demonstrate for our 2A rights, responsibly. Pass it along, drop the link in a comment box, email to another blog owner, send to your local gun rights group.
Read “An Army of Davids”. It works.
http://www.amazon.com/An-Army-Davids-Technology-Government/dp/1595551131
Another great article, Dean.
They definitely did it right. Good signage, prior notice to the press and police, the whole nine yards.
These types of walks are spreading, from Texas, to Arkansas, and now to Ohio.
Good write-up but what?!? We’ve been doing this a good while in Ohio. It hasn’t “now” spread “to Ohio.” That’s inaccurate and a bit insulting to those of us who have dutifully been involved in OC and OC demonstrations for many years. We dealt with many gun people who ridiculed us for the effort before it was “cool.”
Lighten up John, this is a tribute to your long work, not a criticism.
No need to lighten up. It was a statement from someone with many years “in the trenches” and was more for others who might not realize that open carry has been on the front lines longer than many might realize. Dean does great service to the right to keep and bear arms, including (perhaps especially) the open carry folks. His write-up was top notch and I’m glad to have him on our side. I consider him a real patriot and an asset to the cause of individual Liberty.
Sorry, didnt read carefully. Thanks again for your many years in the trenches and keep up the good work.
You read it correctly but It didn’t come across as I meant it. I re-read my post and it was tone deaf of me because it does read like I’m chastising Dean. Of course, now those reading will know that is not the way I meant it to read. Thanks for pointing it out and carry on. 🙂
I will be content when Ohio’s neighbor, the “Formerly Free State” of Maryland, can also say that OC is “normal.”
This works. No hands on their weapons, no Chipotle Ninjas, no lookitme posturing. Pay attention Tarrant County OC and Texas OC!
No kidding. If you’re going to be an advocate, don’t pose ridiculous pictures at the low ready in Chipotle.
Thanks for showin’ ’em how it’s done. Where, exactly, are YOU in this picture?
Hey, look, the town I grew up in is on TTAG. This isn’t the first time there have been open carry marches in Vermilion. There were marches back when us Ohioans were trying to get the concealed carry laws passed 10 years ago. I bet the police weren’t in a great mood and were sitting there biting their tongues the whole time, they are far from a friendly police force and are known for abusing power and using excessive force. Pretty much everyone I knew had nicknamed them the Gestapo. Pretty liberal area but mostly due to union influence. Nice range just south of town that requires a membership.
JT- using acronyms on social media means that you must feel everyone understands what you mean- so NO we don’t fyi- TTAG means ??? As for the police biting their tongues I happen to know the new police Chief in Vermilion and he is totally FOR 2A rights! In the past the unions were strong there but now hardly any manufacturing for them to be strong now. If everybody you know called them the Gestapo makes me wonder about the people you run with!
TTAG is the initials of this site, The Truth About Guns
Good news about the police chief. I am convinced that the crucial people to win over are the police. A lot are on our side already. They have sworn an oath to uphold the Constitution, and most have first hand experience with armed citizens as an asset. The law is now pretty much on our side. When the police openly side with us, we have won, because “public opinion” is sure to follow.
It is a win/win for the police, as it is hard for them to be “Gestapo” when they protect the right to be armed.
NAZIs do not want armed victims.
Well, done! But did you notice it’s just mid-September, and everyone is wearing coats and jackets? Gonna be a long winter!
I grew up near Vermillion, and JT is correct when he said that the cops were heavy handed, but for me it was 30 years ago: God, I’m near 50 🙁
The police were bullies as they were in Huron, but not so much in my hometown Sandusky. I worked with many of them in Sandusky, and from the patrol officers to the detectives they were good guys (except my old partner who got caught with his fingers in the cookie jar and was prosecuted.)
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