Posted on 08/06/2007 5:45:15 PM PDT by Dada Orwell
Below is a video of my August 5 open carry incident in New Hampshire. It starts audio-only then the video picks up a minute or two later when our pro photographer runs to the scene.
Basically I'm a liberty activist here; I wear a holstered pistol in public roughly once a week. It's legal in New Hampshire but not that common south of the notches. Cops sometimes ignore, sometimes harass you for doing it. When that happens to me, I don't get angry but use the chance to educate police about the open carry rights of NH citizens.
I was walking 50 yards from my car to the monthly Free Stater meeting at Murphy's Taproom in downtown Manchester. I usually open carry to that meeting.
I was noticed by a state trooper, but I noticed him too and called the Free Staters' emergency hotline before he got to me. In the video you hear my call realtime, as I report my situation and try to explain to our listeners what's happening.
Folks inside the bar also came running out to support me. Police thought it was pre-planned it happened so fast, like they'd been set up or something. But this is just how our guys react when they're nearby. I appreciate the fact that the police were able to maintain calm and respectful demeanor despite some of the anger directed against them by the crowd. But of course look I forward to the day when they don't make such stops in the first place.
Note that I am able to lawfully refuse them when they ask for my "papers" and personal information. If you think this is a better outcome than you'd get where you are now.....move your ass up here and share our freedoms!
Visit www.FreeStateProject.org
Thanks to all who showed support during and after this incident.
Hopefully this video will remind people New Hampshire does allow open carry, that officers here do handle themselves better than in most states, and that the Free Staters are continuing to improve level of support which is available to freedom lovers when police take exception to their responsible exercise of rights.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FWXnK5UyRI&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fnewhampshireunderground%2Ecom%2Fforum%2Findex%2Ephp%3Ftopic%3D10019%2E45
Rights, like muscles, atrophy when not exercised.
I've only been pulled over once, unloaded the 40 cal., put it on the dashboard with my CCW, drivers license and registration. No ticket, no problem.
"Have a nice day officer."
5.56mm
Thats generally the case. Usually they dont even want you to unholster.
Oh BTW 40 SW is a dandy cartidge
Oh, that's quite understandable. Being on the wrong end of a camera can occasionally ruin or change one's career/life etc...
Believe it or not, there are more than a few people out there that have concealed recording devices installed in their vehicles, specifically for traffic stops. Some even have video and audio. No joke.
Glad it worked out for you. I tended to get a tad twitchy on traffic stops if I saw the driver fumbling around with a firearm while I was approaching. I suggest that you leave it be, and announce that you are armed, where it is, and that you have a permit.
I have to agree. Strip shirt dude was either drunk..or on speed. Open carry guy was cool and calm. All in all, I think the cops handled it well.
I appreciate your input, but I don't fumble around with firearms. Every move I make is deliberate, quick, and not easily observed. It's that tactical training I can't seem to get out of my head...
5.56mm
ok
Stripe shirt guy is a certain male appendage. For the good of law abiding citizens, he needs to get a life and stay the hell out of the way.
Hmm, now about New Jersey....
They really didn't have much choice in this incident.
In LA, if this guy were walking down the street like that, they send out a tactical swat team, seal off a 10 block perimeter, set up command posts, shoot the cell phone out of his hand, send in the dogs, tazed him, shot him several dozen times, and if he resisted, 7 or 8 would beat him senseless with clubs. He would then be arrested for failing to follow commands in a timely manner, in addition to 36 other law violations.
That was exactly my thought, as well.
That’s a smart move to get it out in the open that you have the CCW. I had a buddy who went to school in New Mexico. Obtained some sort of federal license that he could carry back in New York City.
And this friend is black and originally from New York mind you. That really freaks out NY police officers when he’d have a run in. Not too often, but it did happen from time to time.
The officers always thought they were on to something. They’d be pretty surprised to hear this guy had a federal license. I still don’t know how he set that up.
New York City is home of the celebrity only right to carry.
If you think there’s not bias in the media, just take a scan of the additional vids that YouTube teamed you up with on the page. THAT is lieberal trash! Interesting vid, showing that the only way to keep your rights is to exercise them.
thanks for the responses guys. with regard to russell, the angry supporter....there is a reason why he gets testy with manchester PD. they locked him up and dragged his wife into a paddy wagon once for peaceably demonstrating outside a “free speech zone.” The president was coming to town (and so what?). Russell was at a bus stop, not on private property. Secret service refused to help prosecute him so the case was dismissed.
but yes it’s better not to get testy and especially i’m against humiliating government personnel in any way. The fact that they’re essentially our opponents makes it twice as important to treat them with kindness if at all possible.
Also here’s video of an earlier open carry incident with me and a Concord NH cop.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=mu4Dr3B3Rg4
Turns out I spoke the guy’s native language. I will try to post a translation on the youtube site...
I’ve had three incidents in three years....the first one i was alone, these second two i had friends within running distance.
In LA they have reason to respond this way. I don’t like the fact that some cops do not like citizens carrying protection, but they are dealing with an armed unknown when they approach you. The gentleman in the video had a calm demeanor and explained what he was doing. The idiot in the striped shirt could have gotten someone shot.
If you want to educate cops about your rights, visit the local police station. Don’t beg for a confrontation on the streets. The same refrain the officers show to you could land them dead tomorrow.
Armed people should always be respectful and not let their friends dare the other armed person show restraint.
Not hardly. He didn't do anything to provoke a shooting for any reason. Being stupid isn't illegal. Even in LA they would have just broke his knee caps n' choked him off for good measure, then arrested him for running an over sized mouth without a muffler.
“He didn’t do anything to provoke a shooting for any reason. Being stupid isn’t illegal.”
Waving his hand in front of a cops face multiple times while he is covering his partner might not be a shooting offence but could have escalated a peaceful sitution into all parties trying to defend themselves. Being stupid may not be illegal but just might get you shot. Your father should have told you not to play with guns. No matter what point is trying to be made.
I have no idea what your talking about. I've already told you in other specific areas of this country they would have jackhammered the mouth and arrested him for interfering. These small town cops were obviously intimidated by the camera and the mouth. It they performed like this in other venues I know of, they wouldn't survive 5 minutes.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.