Libertarian Candidate Gary Johnson Throws Gift Gun in Garbage

Ammoland ^ | 14 June, 2016 | Dean Weingarten

[marktwain]

At Liberty Hangout, an article has detailed a boorish, foolish, insensitive, and careless action by the Libertarian candidate for President, former New Mexico Governor, Gary Johnson.

The nomination was strongly contested by two other candidates, Austin Petersen and John McAfee.  Austin Petersen came in second, John McAfee came in third.  When Johnson won the nomination, Austin Peterson pledged his support, and he did so with a dramatic flourish.  From libertyhangout.org:

 As a token of good faith, Austin gave Johnson a replica of George Washington’s flintlock pistol, to let him know that he has Austin’s full support in the general election. Tearing up on the front stage of the convention floor, Austin said to Gary as he presented him with the pistol, “You have my sword, and you have my gun.”

In a video, Austin Petersen  explains that the gun is a prized possession, and that he is giving it to Gary Johnson.  The pistol is a flintlock replica of one of George Washington’s guns.  It thus has multiple symbolic meanings to Second Amendment supporters.  It represents liberty, limited government, the Second Amendment, and the Constitution that George Washington helped to write.

It was a dramatic bit of political theater.

The Libertarian Presidential candidate, Johnson threw it in the trash. The pistol, as part of a matched pair of firing replicas, sells for about $2,500. Non-firing replicas go for about $86. It is not clear if the pistol was capable of firing or not.

[marktwain]

Throwing a gift in the trash, working replica or not, is bad taste, at least so soon after it was given.

[Steely Tom]

Well, he's proven he's stupid and a boor.

Which pretty much describes the (admittedly few) libertarians I've met face to face.

[vette6387]

Gary has been hitting his bong too hard lately! Shure hope some dumpster diver recovered this historical relic.

[colorado tanker]

What an insensitive clod. Definitely not ready for prime time.

[Jim W N]

I am a lover of liberty, individually, politically, economically, and personally. Therefore, I must be a “libertarian” (small “l”). But I am not a Libertarian (large “L” as in Party). Those guys are off the track IMO.

[lee martell]

I heard about this last week. If I was ever going to vote for him (which I wasn’t) this would disqualify him as fit for office, in my opinion. How very rude and reactionary at anything that appeared to be a functioning gun. No appreciation of the intention or history behind the gift at all.
This is what you’d expect from someone deeply repulsed by and afraid of the presence of guns. A Zero Tolerance mentality.

[ChuteTheMall]

Gary Johnson realizes that he can’t possess a firearm and his precious marijuana at the same time without risking increased federal penalties.

He chose weed instead.

[Robert DeLong]

If he did not want it, he could and should have just returned it.

[Cobra64]

If this jerk is mugged or carjacker and shot, justice will be served.

[Vigilanteman]

Yep. Shows extreme arrogance. Even if it was an $85 replica, I'm sure he could've found someone who appreciated it.

Years ago, I was given a $180 deluxe fountain pen by a business associate whom I assisted in inking a new deal with our company. He was a wealthy man and I genuinely appreciated the gesture, so I thanked him politely and accepted it.

As I took it home, I wondered what I was going to do with it. I'm the type of guy who buys cheap pens by the dozen because I lose them frequently. If I kept it on my desk as a display thing, it would eventually get knocked over in the clutter, misplaced or one of my young daughters would try it out and probably break it, any of these outcomes disrupting the harmony of our home.

So I took it to work the next day and presented it to a young lady in our department who had performed so many of my secretarial duties to make this deal a reality. She genuinely appreciated it and I got credit for showing some class. What was not to like about that outcome?

[Jack Hammer]

Thank goodness it was only a replica.

[cloudmountain]

What a moron.
People killed each other THOUSANDS of years BEFORE any gun was invented. Cain and Abel: no gun there.

There was also knives/any-all sharp instruments, poison, pushing off cliff, rock/frying pan/any blunt instrument over head, strangulation, hanging, starvation:

https://www.scribd.com/doc/8177409/101-Ways-to-Kill-People

[smokingfrog]

Stay classy, Gary.

[Steely Tom]

You're a gifter!

[Cyberman]

Apparently he was POd that Petersen refused to support his choice of running mate.

[\/\/ayne]

Maybe he was mad because it didn’t work as a pipe.

[Ohioan]

Yes, indeed. They do not even seem to understand the “libertarianism” of the Founding Fathers—which was totally against what we now refer to as “politically correct.”

[Secret Agent Man]

I would never give a politician a $2500 firearm.

[ChildOfThe60s]

If he gets elected President he might just be low enough to send the bust of Winston Churchill back to England.

Oh, wait. Someone with even less class already did that..........

[DH]

Back in the very early 90’s I was a very active member of the Libertarian Party. I left the party in 95 when it finally dawned on me that NOTHING WAS MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE LEGALIZAION OF DRUGS. Nothing!

Even today it ranks #1 in their agenda. It’s a shame for they had many great ideas that dealt with independence and freedom. Those were the ideas that drove me to the party in the first place...but once the door was open...I found out that dope was first, then everything else would be attended to.

When I look back I see that I was not wrong leaving the party for it never advanced beyond the dope thing and subsequently, it never will.

Now, look what they are hanging out for their standard bearer for President! Years of dope do strange things.