Posted on 06/01/2007 1:26:08 PM PDT by em2vn
POST FALLS – Zach Doty typically wears a tie and dress shirt to church. But lately, a new accessory of his is raising alarm in Post Falls.
After turning 18 last month, the Post Falls teenager began strapping a loaded 9 mm Glock 19 handgun to his belt every day. He totes it in full view to Bible studies, the public library, city parks and neighborhood stores and on walks around town.
His 15-year-old brother, Stephen, has joined him, carrying a loaded Ruger .22-caliber rifle slung over his shoulder.
The brothers, who are home-schooled, say they're flexing their Second Amendment right, which allows citizens to bear arms. They say they're protecting themselves and others, deterring crime and making a statement about constitutional freedoms.
"If you don't exercise a right, eventually it will go away," Zach Doty said last week, a handgun tucked in a holster on his hip. "I'd like to raise people's awareness that it's a right, and I hope to encourage others to exercise that right."
The brothers are stirring up concern about citizen safety and gun responsibility.
Residents have alerted police and complained to the city. Police officers have stopped the boys on several occasions in the past six weeks.
And city officials say the brothers' action may lead to restrictions on carrying weapons on public property within city limits. At this time, the city doesn't have an ordinance that prohibits firearms in most public buildings.
"It obviously has created some controversy in the community. …We are fielding a significant number of calls from concerned citizens about how we're going to react to this and how we're going to ensure their safety is upheld," Post Falls City Administrator Eric Keck said. "It really is a matter of defining things very carefully and balancing maintaining one's rights and what has become the norm of society. It's something we're really going to have to examine."
Thinking back. I know that I shot at my Grandfather’s house when we visited, but my Grandfather and my Father were always there to ensure that we were safe. We never walked around outside my Grandfather’s property though. I know for a fact that I would not have been able to go into the mall with it.
Obviously, one can not "legally" abuse what they have a "legal" right to do. However, one can ethically abuse a legal right, and people often have.
Now in this particular case I don't see any abuse of a right legal or not. However if they were waving the guns in peoples faces that would be abuse, even if there were not (yet) a law against it.
“These boys are screwing up.”
How so? They would be in jail if they even approached breaking the law. They are merely doing what a hell of a lot more people should be doing every day.
the boys are creating what educators call a “teachable moment.”
They need to follow up on the publicity their actions bring to teach other lawful citizens why there is no threat from lawfully armed citizens.
Yeah, it’s actually humorous -
the cops KNOW they don’t have anything on them, or they’d already have taken action.
Yeah..kinda depends on the kid. My teen handles shotgun and pistol safely and responsibly..still I can see how some people would freak out at ANY armed teen in today's society.
The Second Amendment says nothing about the right beign subject to conceal the arms in questions. In many states, you need a permit to carry concealed, but no permit to carry openly.
“A fear of weapons is a sign of retarded sexual and emotional maturity” - Sigmund Freud
You seldom see an article about Uzi-toting gangbangers that refers to their religious and scholastic activities.
>>You seldom see an article about Uzi-toting gangbangers that refers to their religious and scholastic activities.<<
or in the case of the demographic you are referencing - the lack thereof.
No, I’m not missing the point. I support their rights.
To me, these boys are yelling “Fire” in a crowded theatre. Just to see if they can get away with it.
I remember fondly of being in high school and getting up early with my brother and doing some deer hunting before school. We would hunt until about 15 minutes before the bell rang, throw our rifles on the racks in the back of our trucks, and attend class. Half the trucks in the parking lot had rifles in the back.
I miss those times.
How?
How, They want to be free and not slaves to the government.
“But I fail to see how not wearing a coat or jacket over your holster means you’re “brandishing” the weapon.”
I agree, but I can tell you that people can and have been prosecuted for that. I think it stretches the definition (at least in my mind) of brandishing, but obviously some don’t.
Nonetheless, not causing alarm in restaurants and other places is why I keep my carry weapon concealed.
The only abuse of rights evident from the text of the story is on the part of those who have complained to the police (abuse of the right to free speech, abuse of the right to petition the government for redress of grievances,) and on the part of the police (abuse of authority under color of law.)
Oh, and it's an abuse of the right to keep and bear arms to fail to do so, and to rely solely on others to keep you safe.
It would definitely be surprising to see a 15 year old walking around with a loaded weapons.
Aw hell, no. Both of my boys have been using guns since they were eight. The only thing I would say to a 15 yr old with a .22 rifle is: "Going gopher hunting?"
Teenagers with .22's are almost as common as teenagers with fishing poles.
Now I grant you that it depends upon the "look" of the kid, but so long as he's a clean-cut redneck boy, it wouldn't even raise an eyebrow on me.
-Bruce
Absolutely. I hope he never gets another full night's sleep as long as he lives.
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