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Matt Gurney: Get me a decaf, non-fat dark cherry mocha and a Glock, please
National Post ^ | 18 March, 2010 | Matt Gurney

Posted on 03/19/2010 7:20:22 AM PDT by marktwain

A growing grassroots movement across the United States is seeing public meetings of armed citizens gathering together just to prove their right to gather in public with weapons. I'm sure many Canadians are appalled by the very thought, but there really isn't anything wrong with a bunch of people standing around in a park with holsters on their hips.

What's provoked the controversy has been the increasing number of these meetings that are occurring in those shrines to urban leftism — Starbucks coffee shops. Symbols matter in politics. Rightly or wrongly, Starbucks coffee shops have indeed become synonymous with lefty, latte-swilling urbanites. While plenty of right-wingers and apolitical types enjoy getting their caffeine fix there, too, there's enough truth to the perception to have made Starbucks the location of choice for those Americans eager to flaunt their Second Amendment rights. As reported here, Starbucks shops have become meeting points for Americans testing the boundaries of the right to carry arms in 43 states.

The advocates of Open Carry (wearing a holstered handgun in plain sight, as opposed to the more typical option of Concealed Carry, where it is obscured under a shirt or jacket) believe that their right to bear arms includes the right to do so publicly and overtly. While I support, in theory, the right of a citizen of carry a weapon for self-defence, I've never considered such to be a practical option for Canada, so I've admired those Americans who've stood by their belief that a responsible armed citizen is an effective way of deterring crime and maintaining law and order in the absence of uniformed authority. (After all, the closest cop sometimes isn't close enough). All the same, there are implications to Open Carry that go beyond merely the right to self-defence.

(Excerpt) Read more at network.nationalpost.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; News/Current Events; Philosophy
KEYWORDS: banglist; gun; opencarry; starbucks
"fiercely independent and proud"

I like that.

1 posted on 03/19/2010 7:20:22 AM PDT by marktwain
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To: marktwain

America is the only place left...


2 posted on 03/19/2010 7:23:19 AM PDT by Eric in the Ozarks (Impeachment !)
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Comment #3 Removed by Moderator

To: marktwain

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1196941/The-violent-country-Europe-Britain-worse-South-Africa-U-S.html


4 posted on 03/19/2010 7:30:35 AM PDT by School of Rational Thought (Most interesting man in the world.)
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To: marktwain
What Gurney is not emphasizing is that our right to self defense is not just about defending ourselves against criminals but most importantly defending ourselves against a tyrannical government whose tyrannical policies may be enforced by "uniformed authorities".
As said by one of our founders "when citizens fear the government they are under tyranny, when government fears the citizens we have liberty."

Our current government is arrogant and does not fear us. People are reacting.
6 posted on 03/19/2010 7:34:56 AM PDT by orinoco
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To: marktwain

Starbucks is only a shrine to leftism if the area its in are leftist. In my city Starbucks caters primarily to a Republican crowd because of where they’re located.


7 posted on 03/19/2010 7:47:44 AM PDT by AzaleaCity5691
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Comment #8 Removed by Moderator

Comment #9 Removed by Moderator

To: Eric in the Ozarks
America is the only place left...

Yes, it is, and let's please keep it that way. Personally, I hate Starbucks; so I carry my .45 to Dunkin' Donuts.

10 posted on 03/19/2010 11:48:28 AM PDT by andy58-in-nh (America does not need to be organized: it needs to be liberated.)
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To: marktwain
Matt Gurney: Get me a decaf, non-fat dark cherry mocha and a Glock, please

You'll shoot your foot off, Matt.


11 posted on 03/19/2010 11:55:03 AM PDT by CholeraJoe ("We are as numerous as the stars in the heavens, and we are all gun-men.")
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To: marktwain
“For example, imagine that you're out for a walk with your kids and someone is loudly using profane language. I think it's reasonable to ask that person to watch their language, but it's equally reasonable to imagine that you might reconsider even a polite request if the loudmouth in question had a giant cannon strapped to their thigh.”

It's also reasonable to imagine that the profane language using loudmouth might reconsider his behavior if those around him also had a giant cannon strapped to their thighs.

12 posted on 03/19/2010 3:45:54 PM PDT by KrisKrinkle (Blessed be those who know the depth and breadth of their ignorance. Cursed be those who don't.)
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