Posted on 06/12/2012 7:01:42 AM PDT by marktwain
BIRMINGHAM, Mich. -
Gun carrying protestors let their voices be heard during a Birmingham City Commission meeting.
A number of protestors came armed with AK-47’s, a variation of rifles and pistols during Monday night’s meeting. The advocates of Michigan’s open carry law attended the meeting to support a young man who was arrested for openly carrying a weapon.
“We understand that it’s not something that’s apart of the public norm or something you see in everyday life, but there is not a law against it,” said open carry advocate Phillip Hofmeister.
Sean Combs, 18, from Troy was arrested back in April after he was spotted with a loaded rifle slung across his back in downtown Birmingham.
According to Combs, he did nothing illegal. His lawyer wants to see the charges against him dropped, which range from brandishing a firearm to obstructing an officer.
“You stand up for your rights period, regardless of what the right may be you stand up for it. So even if it’s a firearm right, if you want a firearm you have to stand up for those rights,” said Combs.
“He has no driving tickets, no parking tickets, no speeding tickets, or any kind of ticket. I would hate to see his record marked by this especially when he did everything legally right,” said Sean’s mother Pam Combs.
Combs, his mother and attorney did not attend the meeting.
“I hope that council sees that good people carry guns,” said Hofmeister.
Combs pleaded not guilty to all charges.
(Excerpt) Read more at clickondetroit.com ...
Obviously, the police need to be educated. If the police arrest you for exercising a constitutionally protected right, it is clear that some serious education is called for.
Just think, if the kid hadn’t walked through dowtown with a rifle, the police might still need educating but no one would know it, and the city could save money and officers time. Still think it’s stupid and brings negative attention.
If it's on the books, it's not in the minds of the police, and it needs to be planted there too.
You don’t think the police know about the open-carry law in their own state? I’m sure it’s not on their minds all the time, as it’s a dumb thing to do and they probably don’t expect someone to be walking around an affluent dowtown area with a loaded rifle.
My dad retired from the detroit mounted division after 25 years....he open carried all those years. When he retired he concealed carry...it was for defense not for being a smart ass show off..
There is no legitiment reason to open carry, like you say except to yell out LOOK AT ME I HAVE A GUN. Then the bad guy can take you out first...it then becomes LOOK AT ME I HAVE A GUN AND AM DEAD.....
I want the guy with the concealed weapon close to me....
You have logic fail.
either way, it should be an individual choice. The Right of the people to Keep and BEAR arms, shall not be infringed.
Period. Open, concealed, blade, blackpowder, machine gun, anti-aircraft canons, GAU-8, or a fully appointed Navy Destroyer...
Shall not be infringed.
Shall not be infringed. It may be “stupid” to open carry, but it is your God-given right. I’m all for freedom. In some circumstances, some of us choose to mkeep quiet rather than speaking-up. It is a choice. It is freedom. The cops need educated...possibly by lawsuit.
If they do, and they still arrested this patriotic young man, then they should be fired for corruption.
If they do not, then they need to be educated. This case is getting a fair amount of publicity, so quite a number will be educated.
I imagine that if a person wants to open-carry, then they already know their states laws.
A difference of opinion is what makes a horse race...but I have noticed that the open carry opinions never go open carry in the inner cities. They wouldn’t make it 2 blocks. And no one would know which direction the shots came from....Those that use their guns for self defense don’t advertise it...they have nothing to prove to others...just a difference of opinion....
Maybe because according to law he is a second class citizen, he is only 18 and cannot get a concealed carry permit.
Consider this, until age 21 he is not allowed to carry a hand gun nor obtain a concealed carry license. So he put his long gun over his shoulder and went to town, legally.
So why carry a rifle dowtown?
You are correct, shall not be infringed. But because the state is already infringing on his rights he had to carry this way. The state infringes when it says he cannot purchase a handgun, therefore he has no choice but to carry openly.
Because he is going from one place to another, because he wanted to or maybe for no reason at all, he needs no reason. He is a free man and breaking no laws so why not.
Without the SWAT team being called out on them.
I agree. Inner cities are liberal controlled hell holes that no one in their right mind should ever want to visit.
Why not? Because all of this doesn’t have to happen. I don’t think getting in peoples’ faces about gun rights is the smart thing to do, even though it’s legal. He’s old enough to carry a loaded weapon, he should be smart enough to know what will probably happen. All this is going to do, is cost the taxpayers money. There’s no law that will be changed or corrected.
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