I can understand why cops would be called (don't like it, but I understand that there are plenty of anti's out there...).
I can understand why the cops, after being called, might even stop and ask a few questions. After all, the only thing that they know is that someone has called them about some men with guns. A couple of polite questions - at the most - would quickly clear things up.
No, what I have a problem with is the following quotes:
An officer replies that while Wisconsin recognizes the right to openly carry guns in most public areas, "there's a point where that can be crossed and it becomes disorderly conduct" and that's what the officers are investigating.
and
"It's taking the Second Amendment a little too far," one officer says
There's no such thing as "taking a law a little too far". Either a behavior is legal, or its not. If it's legal to carry a gun, and the men are behaving legally with them (not threatening people, not acting aggressively, etc) .... then that's that. End of discussion.
Scary times we live in. 30 years ago, where I grew up, two men carrying guns wouldn't have been given a second look. Unless the cop wanted to admire what they were carrying.
A Right not exercised can be easily taken.
A point made VERY well by these open carry demonstrations.
“Yeah, it’s your Right. We just don’t want you doing it.”
Very dangerous attitude for folks to adopt.
As was pointed out on another thread about this incident, the queers have been so in-your-face about their activities, that they have won queer marriage in many places.
Gun owners need to be in-your-face about open carry, until it becomes normal and un-remarkable.
/johnny
I also have a problem with the cops confiscating the camera. It’s not illegal to have a camera. They shouldn’t touch it.
“Scary times we live in. 30 years ago, where I grew up, two men carrying guns wouldn’t have been given a second look. Unless the cop wanted to admire what they were carrying.”
I remember trucks in my high school parking lot with rifles in the gun rack.
These guys were looking for trouble, and they found it.
I'm sure they understood that the likelihood of dealing with the police was high, but I disagree that they were looking for trouble. I'm sure they would have been much, much happier if the police had simply responded to the caller by telling them to call back if they saw anything that was actually against the law.
As you finish with, society didn't used to be so hyper about seeing firearms in the public square. So how do we get back to that point? There is only one way and that is conditioning. These men had their weapons slung, and were not doing anything threatening, which is exactly the correct way to introduce people to seeing firearms in the public square.
These guys were looking for trouble, and they found it.