Louisville nfa coalition open carry protest
(AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley)

And here we have a natural extension of the expanding attack on gun rights following the storming of the Capitol . . .

So far, most of the faceoffs between Trump loyalists and federal lawmakers have occurred in airports, in whose rarified, gun-free confines disputes can be freely, if not calmly, aired. Many government buildings have been closed this year because of COVID, leaving angry Americans to confront their representatives on Zoom instead of in hallways and parking lots.

But sooner rather than later, we’re going to have to deal with the oxymoron of open-carry democracy. How do we permit a populace armed to the teeth to safely march, to rally, to watch its government in action, to confront and engage with politicians at will? When does the mere presence of a gun become a threat?

One possible future is taking shape in D.C., where both the White House and the U.S. Capitol have expanded their security fencing to take in acres of streets and parkland, and some members of Congress are beginning to doubt whether their insurrectionist peers can be trusted in the presence of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. For the first time, members of the House will have to pass through metal detectors to reach the floor.

Like lawmakers in Michigan, we are only beginning to see just how much the fullest expression of the Second Amendment curtails the fullest expression of the First.

— Henry Grabar in You Can’t Have an Open-Carry Democracy

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

116 COMMENTS

    • We have a Republic, which is what you need to allow arms ownership. They are correct in a democracy subjects are not allowed arms.

      • No, we are a type of democracy. There are many types. To say “Democracy” is a broad classification. We are a Constitutional Representative Democracy with a Federal system of Government having a bicameral legislature. All that is about who holds political power. All of that is about how decisions are made, that the citizens decide.

        We are also a Republic. The meanings are very close together. One concept is about who decides, the other is about who owns.

        In a “Republic” the citizens own the country, as compared to a monarch or political entity or party owning the country. When a nation evolves out of Monarchy and into a Republic, the ownership of the nation changes from the few or the one, to the many and the all. This does not describe how decisions will be made, but some form of Democracy always follows along with the evolution from Monarchy, a lower form of a nation-state, to a Republic, the higher form.

        The often seen and heard debate over whether the United States is a Democracy or a Republic is a very strange thing. It is both, and this has nothing at all to do with the stupidity of gun control. Different topic entirely.

        • Mr. Walker,

          A right scholarly dissertation, that I somewhat agree with. If I wanted to pick nits, I would point out that you are somewhat conflating “process” (the manner in which day-to-day power and control are wielded and organized) with “philosophy” (the underlying premises of the system of governance). And I can’t blame you for that; our brave firefighters in the media, and our Leftists (ah, but I repeat myself) have been assiduously focusing on the former, and ignoring the latter, for decades.

          OTOH, if we do, truly, have a Constitutionally-limited form of representative government, with basic, inherent rights (supposedly) guaranteed by a Constitution protective of those rights, squabbles over how we elect the representatives, and what their “proper” roles are, become . . . less relevant.

          We have the tools to have an effective system of representative government. We are rapidly decaying into a really pathetic form of mob rule. It will be up to us to see if we can change the direction of this s***show, or end up with a “bread and circuses” decline of the American Experiment. I know what I hope for, but I also see it as a long shot.

          Hmm, the Tree of Liberty is looking . . . parched.

          • Lamp,
            Unfortunately the “process / philosophy” argument works both ways.

            While the US remained a Constitutional Republic – while its individual rights and government limitations were treated as self-evident / settled moral principles – you would have been dead right. It wouldn’t matter who voted, or how. Firearms ownership, self-defense, and practically all areas of individual right and responsibility would be beyond any consideration of a vote.

            The devolution to democracy has been philosophical, not merely procedural. The will of the voters is regarded as the highest good. A tiny handful of court precedents, traditions, and brave individuals and organizations are the only small barriers between any remaining shred of our Republic and majoritarian, parliamentary-sovereignty social democracy. A believer in returning to the Founders’ Republic has less of a voice in 2021 than a shit-shoveler had in the court of Louis XIV.

        • You’re fooling yourself. We’re living in a dictatorship. A self-perpetuating autocracy in which the working classes…..

        • Actually we are a Constitutional Republic in which the U.S. Constitution is the “supreme Law of the Land” (article VI). Democracy (majority rule) is a only a part of our system of government in two ways – 1) free elections for those we send to represent us in the federal and states’ governments, an 2) how those representative vote when enacting laws. But, Article VI also dictates that all democratically enacted law by government(s), must be “in pursuance thereof” the dictates of the “supreme Law”. If they’re not or are “repugnant to” those dictates, they are unconstitutional and thereby “void” (Marbury v Madison, 5 US 137). Anyone who claims that we are a Democracy, is either ignorant or has purposefully perpetrated the lie that has allowed government to unlawfully expand its power over us and is therefore a traitor.

      • We have Democracy in our Republic, we are not a Democracy, as many seem to be confused by their relationship.

    • You know the Democrats not go off black lives matter or antifa that is there organization sponsored by the Democrats the Second Amendment citizens of America who are Christian and support Constitution .Democratic Party wants to disarm them

    • You know the Democrats not go off black lives matter or antifa that is there organization sponsored by the Democrats the Second Amendment citizens of America who are Christian and

    • A democracy will not allow the carrying or ownership of firearms because a democracy is about power over the other. A republic will allow the carrying of ownership of firearms because the natural rights are already realized as belonging to the people. We were created as a republic, not a democracy. They are NOT the same.

      When are y’all going to stop using the Marxist influence of the word, “democracy?” You’re playing into their mind washing games.

  3. No, Carrying a Firearm IS Democracy.

    -When does the mere presence of a gun become a threat? – When it’s pointed at you. Sometimes that threat is justified, when it’s not Justified? “Gentleman, prepare to defend yourselves.”

    -How do we permit a populace armed- Of the People, For the People. By The People; The Populace are the “natural Rulers of our democracy”. We the People are the ones who “Permit”.

    • The right of the people to keep and bear arms is essential to the existence of a democracy. You cannot have one without the other. You may have the illusion of a democracy without gun ownership, or a weakened democracy perhaps, but not a vibrant and healthy democracy.

      Does not mean you have to carry a gun all the time, though carrying a sidearm discretely is often wise.

      The right and necessity though, on the larger scale of a nation, of its citizens to carry arms as they see the need, that is very real.

  4. Riiiiight. Its the lefties that are being censored and silenced.

    This has to be a Babylon Bee piece.

      • Coming from one whose state govt is looking to limit ammo purchases to 20 rounds a year (again 3rd or 4th time) and ban civilian ownership of soft ballistic armor (second time), you poor bastard.

        • “Coming from one whose state govt is looking to limit ammo purchases to 20 rounds a year”

          Got a link on that, please?

        • Found it. Applies to ‘Assault Weapons’.

          I suppose a 9mm upper is good-to-go then? 😉

        • Well we will see what comes out of committee but given the last election I don’t think the governor can even veto whatever the majority party wants at this point (not that he would). Going to be fun seeing how they enforce it with that ammo database/background check system. If it is as good as our vaccine distribution we might have a relevant standing to challenge in a decade (when it exists maybe). At this point I am just glad I am not in either relevant department.

  5. If, after 245 years of gun ownership, the government wants to disarm you, they must be planning something that they would get shot for.

    • I like the simplicity of your statement. They want what we have and thats our freedoms. They use the ploy of a safe streets and civilised Society but more threats come from knives, fists and blut obects. So come and get them.

    • A minor edit –

      “If, after 245 years of gun ownership, the government wants to disarm you, they must be planning something that they would get shot for if they carried it out.”

      I like it, consider it shamelessly stolen… 😉

  6. “But sooner rather than later, we’re going to have to deal with the oxymoron of open-carry democracy. How do we permit a populace armed to the teeth to safely march, to rally, to watch its government in action, to confront and engage with politicians at will? When does the mere presence of a gun become a threat?”

    In his imagination, apparently.

    The hard data shows legal concealed carriers commit criminal acts at a rate so low, on duty police are convicted of crime at a higher rate.

    Repeat after me – “If I have to show an ID to buy a gun, you need to show an ID to vote. No civil right trumps another civil right…

    • American citizens are required to show ID when they register to vote.

      This is just the same as an individual already qualifying for CCW, does not need to undergo the background check in many states, because he has already shown ID and no criminal record.

      • ‘American citizens are required to show ID when they register to vote.’

        Then it won’t hurt them any to show it again at the polling place. Besides, having a permit may eliminate the need for a NICS check, but you still have to show your ID or no gun for you.

      • “American citizens are required to show ID when they register to vote.”

        Keep believing that lie.

        When Democrats register to vote, the only thing they care about is a signature. (If even then)…

        • You’re ‘projecting’ again, boy.

          Go back in your basement, maybe mom will make you some Spaghetti-O’s.

          Dance, bitch. I order you to respond… 😉

        • Not a lie we are all automatically registered to vote when we get a state issued ID here in NY.

      • Point #1: As said above, sounds like showing ID at the time of voting should be absolutely no problem then. Great!

        Point #2: In the leftist states (like my own state of NY) it’s far more than just ID that is required to get a CCW. I had to produce ID, 4 character witness affidavits from people who were not family or law enforcement and lived in my own county, state why I needed a permit, fill out an invasive questionnaire, be interviewed in person by the police, undergo a background check that consulted no fewer than 13 law enforcement agencies, have my application approved by a judge, and wait six months. After all this, I had a CCW, but still no pistol (and, by the way, a CCW is required to even touch a pistol in NY). To buy the pistol itself, I had to go to my county clerk in person to purchase a permission slip, bring the permission slip to the gun store, purchase the pistol, have the clerk fill out the permission slip with the firearm serial number and info, return the permission slip – again, in person, to the county clerk, and have a new copy of my CCW printed with the new pistol registered to me and listed by make, model, and serial number.

        Okay, so here’s a proposal Miner: let’s make voting as rigorously vetted as buying a pistol in NY! This ought to clear up a lot of concern about vote fraud. And since the 2A is as important a right as voting, I really don’t see a concern, right?

        OR: let’s make buying a pistol in NY as easy as voting. That would work too.

        • The scary part is you are probably in one of the easier counties to get a license to begin with as evidenced by its being a ccw.

        • Yes I am. My county actually allowed me to write a letter explaining why a couple of my character witnesses lived in neighboring counties (cars and commuting are, apparently, confusing to the NYS bureaucratic apparatus). And yes, it is an actual CCW, and not a weird, judge-altered, neutered “range only” sportsman permit like so many counties have invented. It’s one of the reasons I chose the county I chose. Bad as the state is, at least my county clerk is fairly pro-2A.

        • It’s remarkable how nice many of the counties that are not Albany and to a lesser extent Schenectady can be on pistol permits (unless you get the token lefty activist judge) in the capital region. I would imagine central and western NY may have similar experiences around Buffalo and Syracuse. Aside from Long Island I do not hear many good things south of Ulster county.

      • How did illegal aliens get registered to vote when they got a CA drivers licence?

        Better remind them that’s not cool.

      • Cool. So I’ll just go into a gun store and tell them I’m a ccw. When they ask my name I say John Smith and if there is a John Smith in the CCW database I get to walk out with my purchase.

        I actually appreciate calling out some of the right wing BS for what it is, but you never are willing to apply the same standards to the leftist agenda.

      • Gee, Minor Annoyance is a lying piece o’ s***!!! Imagine that!!!

        Minor IQ, NO, in many (most) states, they are not. I can tell you for a FACT that is not required in my dear ex-home of Commiefornia, you lying s***bag. And, for the record, exactly WHAT DIFFERENCE would that make, if there were not a corresponding requirement to confirm that the registered voter was in fact the person casting the vote?? Oh, “None at all” you might say . . . if you had the brains God promised a doorknob.

        Minor, do us all a favor and go spend the next few months (finally) learning to tie your shoes. Just askin’, for your poor mom, who’s getting too old to bend over and do it for you.

  7. “Carrying Firearms Is Incompatible With Democracy”

    Fixed it: Carrying Firearms Is Incompatible With Tyranny

    • Elected officials fearing their constituents is a feature, not a bug.

      The point is for public officials to fear the voters, than for the voters to fear the politicians.

      They work for us, and they need to be reminded of that fact…

  8. A man with a gun is a citizen, a man without a gun is a subject. I ain’t no freaking “subject”.

  9. Stupid, or just assume we are!? A democracy is impossible when people dont have the means to defend themselves from their enemies, whether they be foreign or domestic!

  10. I got a speeding ticket and was asked if I had my carry piece with me. He saw my permit as I pulled out my driver license. What does that have to do with anything? Criminals don’t sweat carry permits or lying to cops. Some cops are cool and some aren’t. This one was a bit of a prick for no reason.

    • Good point. I just moved my carry permit to a spot in my wallet where it wouldn’t be visible when I take out my driver’s license.

      • I assume they can see your permit when they go back to their vehicle to check you out. Maybe a cop can chime in here. I’ve actually been pulled over for both a headlight and brake light being out in the past year or two (my truck’s pretty old). They both called it in and came back to only give me a warning. They didn’t ask anything about a carry piece. I think I’ll also hide it from view in my wallet. I didn’t have time to have my license out because I was gathering my insurance and registration by the time he was at my door.

        • Cops aren’t necessarily the only people I might not want to see the permit. My state doesn’t have a requirement to inform so I’m generally on a don’t ask don’t tell basis. I think the data bases are kept with the counties, so I’m not sure they could even look it up without contacting my local sheriff’s office.

        • Be very careful about reaching for your license, police have shot citizens for that:

          “After being asked for his license and registration, Castile told Officer Yanez that he had a firearm (Castile was licensed to carry) to which Yanez replied, “Don’t reach for it then”, and Castile said “I’m, I, I was reaching for…” Yanez said “Don’t pull it out”, Castile replied “I’m not pulling it out”, and Reynolds said “He’s not…” Yanez repeated “Don’t pull it out”.[5] Yanez then fired seven close-range shots at Castile, hitting him five times.[6] Castile died of his wounds at 9:37 p.m. at Hennepin County Medical Center, about 20 minutes after being shot.“

        • “Be very careful about reaching for your license”

          I already had my wallet in my hand about to pull out my license when he got to my door. I keep everything within close reach. I prefer to have everything in my hand before they even ask for it. I wouldn’t volunteer any information, like “I have a gun” unless they ask.

        • Dude,

          I would not reach for ANYTHING until after the policeman/woman is at your car door and asks you to reach for something. At that point, confirm what they want, tell them how you intend to do it, and ask them if that is okay before actually doing it.

          My spouse was driving when police pulled us over for something or other. Both of us have concealed carry licenses and both of us are usually armed. Except for reaching up to the ceiling to turn on the interior lights, we did not reach for anything and kept our hands plainly visible at dashboard level or higher. When Officer Friendly asked for registration and proof of insurance, I informed Officer Friendly that I am licensed and armed and that those items were in the glove box — and asked him how he wanted me to proceed, including whether or not he wanted me to use flashlight. He thanked me –genuinely — for the information and asking how to proceed, and it was obvious that he knew what I was doing. He was visibly calm after that; then explained how he wanted me to acquire those items, and how to hand them over. Everything went smooth and he sent us away with a warning and no ticket.

        • I am glad you live in an area where LE is not paranoid. I have instructed my kids and grandkid for year, to keep their hands on the steering wheel until the officer asks you to lower your window. When he asks for license and registration, give him your license and tell him your registration and proof of insurance where taken in a car burglary, or lost at the carwash. That way, if he does write you a ticket, it will be a “fix-it” ticket, then you take the paperwork to the PD and have them sign it off.
          Sudden movements can create problems with the officer. Even here in Ca, where you can’t carry in your car(unless you are transporting to a place to use it or home), cops don’t like sudden movements. You would think they could trust the law to keep them safe.

        • I can’t imagine a cop would feel threatened if they get to your door and your window is down, and you’re already holding your documents and ID. They can’t see me reach for anything before they get there unless they see me get my registration from my visor. If you have to open a glove box or center console after they’re at your door, what’s to keep you from grabbing a gun then? A slight miscommunication or overly paranoid or incompetent cop could be disastrous. Would the guy above be alive today if he already had those items in his hand?

  11. Democracy is an alternative to war. In ancient times when two equally matched armies met they would decide the battle by having a champion from each host fight. This reduced the casualties each side would take to 1. Why was this done? It was much cheaper and produced similar outcomes.
    Now democracy is a similar idea. With most battles being won by the largest army voting can be used as a stand in for fighting. So long as the terms imposed on the losing side are not too onerous it is cheaper to accept the outcome of voting.
    There are two cases where democracy breaks down. The first is if the vote begins to diverge from what the outcome of a fight would be. IE one side is physically superior to the other but outvoted by a slim margin.
    The second case is when terms imposed on the loser of the vote are more expensive than fighting would be.

    • @Dan, just a friendly reminder, America is not a democracy, we are a constitutional republic. Democracy is mob rule, which is exactly why the electoral college exists, and why the left wants to eliminate it.

      • You beat me to it. After all the erroneous declarations above of what we are, yours is the correct one.

        Also, note that the Northwest Ordinance (the fourth of the four foundational documents of our country) clarified that any territories wishing to become States must establish a Constitutional Republican form of local government, to match the Federal level.

    • There are “peace loving hippies”, and they usually do not even care for politics at all. There are many non voters out there, which is a good thing. They are somewhat satisfied with their lives, they don’t feel part of the process, don’t care, are ignorant, and/or don’t want to be used for ulterior outcomes. At least they know their limitations.
      There is a huge difference between hippies and yippies. Hippies just want to be left alone to enjoy life in their way. The back to the land movement begat the new homestead movement and is closely related to prepping. Hippies wanted to create their own society, Abbie Hoffman and his band of Yippies just wanted to tear down society and were related to the SLA and the Weathermen.
      Long hair and tie dye does not make a hippie.

  12. Someone needs to catch a video of Sebastian Gorka going through the metal detectors and share it with the world.

    • IMNSHO yes.

      In the eyes of government, no.

      I am not entirely sure how BATFECES classifies them. There is a youtube channel called ordnance lab that has done some experimenting with them. They have all the necessary tickety boo licensure from BATFECES to do so legally and I think they explained the legalities in one of their videos, but I do not remember the details.

      https://www.youtube.com/c/OrdnanceLab/videos

      • In the eyes of the government all the communists have been getting a free pass for not only bearing Molotov cocktails, but using them to commit arson against innocent victims. Contrast that with peacefully protesting while legally armed. Seems to me the gubmint has it backwards.

        IMNSHO, a Molotov cocktail makes for a really poor defensive weapon, therefore I wouldn’t find restrictions on them particularly egregious. However, if you’re having a bonfire party and want to kick it off with a bang, have at it. But then it wouldn’t really be a weapon in that scenario.

        • Actually, the use of Napalm on civilian targets is prohibited under international treaty.

          “International law does not specifically prohibit the use of napalm or other incendiaries against military targets, but use against civilian populations was banned by the United Nations Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW) in 1980.”

          A couple things I’m wondering, will Lonnie Leroy be charged under this treaty and just who had he intended to hit with napalm and burn to death?

        • Gov. Le Petomane,

          Depending on the exact implementation of a Molotov cocktail, I think it could actually be a pretty good defensive weapon. It could also be a pretty good offensive weapon. For those reasons, Molotov cocktails should be protected arms in my personal opinion.

          Disclaimer: the above is my PERSONAL opinion and is not legal advice or legal instruction.

        • I don’t know u_s, I’m thinking after getting stabbed 6 or 7 times you’re more likely to set yourself on fire than your assailant. Maybe I just need to watch a few ‘tactical Molotov cocktail deployment’ videos though.

  14. Thunderin Jayzus! Only 1 or 2 people who understand American government and it’s origins in this thread! This is NOT A DEMOCRACY. A democracy is a dictatorship of the majority and the funding fathers were very specifically against it. Franklin did not say “A democracy. If you can keep it.” He said “A republic. If you can keep it.” because he and all of the others knew that a democracy is lost before it begins.

    Every time democracy has been implemented in history terrible things happen. It has a worse record than communism. Communism only dates back to Christian heretics in the middle ages, but democracy goes all the way back to the Greeks at least. The ancient Greeks tried a number of different forms of government many times, including democracy. It never worked. It never went well.

    Democracy is the second worst idea humans have ever had, the worse being all forms of tyranny.

    We are supposed to have a Constitutional Federal Republic. A system in which every group has representation, and a simple majority cannot oppress a minority or deprive them of their rights. I will not support democracy, ever. If you want to restore the republic I will support that.

      • They can’t do it without three-fifths of the states approving it…

        • I think they proposed it last year as well. They’ll probably propose it every year now, just like marijuana legalization in the currently nonlegal states.

    • “I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

    • Crimson Pirate,

      I always describe our nation as a constitutionally limited republic with democratic representation.

    • “Democracy is the second worst idea humans have ever had, the worse being all forms of tyranny.” No, you were right the first time. Democracy is as you wrote a form of tyranny – the worst form.

      In the “traditional” (monarchical or aristocratic) form of tyranny, tyrants took what others had earned based on the belief that they were better than others – often with some basis such as exceptional service to the nation (by their ancestors, if nothing else).

      In a democracy, the tyrannical mob can (and always does) vote themselves a “right” to other people’s earnings not despite, but specifically because they have been proven, with all the opportunities a free market offers, to be unproductive idlers or failures with no redeeming qualities and absolutely nothing to offer society. One can find countless examples of robber barons or military juntas making off with millions, maybe even low billions, but all pale beside the trillions our “free” society wastes on subsidizing degeneracy.

  16. Attributed to Ben Franklin:

    Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch (ie, a Majority Rules system of government). Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote.

    Yes, we are a Constitutional Republic, a form of Democracy. An Armed Democracy, contesting the vote….

  17. It is a threat to democracy but not to a republic. A true democracy is mob rule. Guns prevent mob rule.

  18. The presence of armed response is a threat only when the actions taken by the politicians require an armed response. See how that works?

  19. Regardless of what ANYBODY says or does, it is our constitutional right, and we will continue to carry now and forever. I know this scares the crap out of the Biden and Harris gang, but that’s how it is. Understatement: WE WILL NOT DISARM UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES.

  20. henry gun graber confirmed he is a perverted minded busy body twerp who is proud to lend support to the historical sick agenda of Gun Control racists and nazis. When anyone promotes Gun Control in any shape or form chances are they also get off on the idea of defenseless women being raped, etc. And to be fair I get off on blowing a rapist’s balls smooth clean off.

  21. Once again optics matter and a clown car of idiots on January 6th made things easy for the socialist-democrats. Thanks guys.

    • Not so fast ranger rick…There are extenuating circumstances like 4 years of slander, libel and election fraud along with 1 billion in damage and 28 lives lost due to so called peaceful protests, etc. After all those years of democRat Party sht who threw the first punch? Was it those who voted for a duly elected POTUS or those behind the slander, libel and stealing the election by cooking the books in the dark of night? Lots of scumbags in that Capital are behind all of it and they hope narrow minded morons with short memories cater to them. So I ask you…Who threw the first punch and do you accept joe as your president?

    • Do they though?
      That other side doesn’t seem to care one whit about their optics.
      For the past two generations at least they’ve presented some of the most foul, vulgur, violent, intolerant and homicidal optics and only encourage ever more of their constituents from encouraging leftist bombing full circle to pardoning the bombers to dousing the elderly with urin and bleach and excusing it as justifiable anger.

      Funny how we always have to walk on eggshells while they get to freely tromp, stomp and destroy and get praised and loved for their actions.

      Gotta keep up the sheep optics lest you offend the wolves.

      • You can’t always choose the battlefield you operate in so you must adapt accordingly, combat is unfair like that. If can’t adjust and overcome you need to reevaluate your commitment. The odds are always against us so you have to do better and be better than the enemy. On the 6th of January the “Moarl High Ground” was willingly surrendered.

  22. We have a Representative Republic, with a democratic process. The 1A and 2A are essential for our system to work. The 2A was established in the event that we no longer have representation, we are to use 1A to inform the populace and the 2A to set things back to how they should be. The founding fathers knew that there was a high probability that tyrants and unwanted influence would find its way into our government. The intent too was for states to have a high degree of sovereignty and not be centrally controlled by the federal government. This nation is too expansive and diverse in culture and values to be centrally dominated by the federal government without trampling on the rights and values of a large portion of the population. It is actually pretty amazing there has not been more popular uprisings. Mostly the ones whose rights are being infringed on are the hard working people who have been focused on providing a living and the best life they can for their families… at some point we were going to get our fill…. and just because we didn’t get loud until now does not mean we didn’t notice or didn’t care.

    • That’s what I was taught over 40 years ago. A Republic is a form of government with a written set of laws. The Representative part comes from our Federal, State, and local representatives who vote on and enact the laws.
      This is no Democracy, and I am glad for it. I am a minority in many instances, and so are all of you. It all depends on how fine you want to break down the issues. I am short, fat, and old. That puts me in the minority, and some of the do-gooders might want to force me to lose weight, stop eating butter, eat more vegetables, or not have weapons.

  25. When 200 peace loving hippies show up on your lawn foaming at the mouth and they brought a can of gasoline and a box of strike anywhere matches, remember the immortal words of Vin (Steve McQueen) in The Magnificent Seven, “We deal in lead, friend.”

  27. NOW NOW LITTLE ONE’S DON’T IN A UPROAR . CONSTITUTION 2st PROTECTS YOUR RIGHTS . HOWEVER AR 15 , AK 47 , RIFLES , SHOTGUNS SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED ON THE STREET OR AT PEACEFUL OR SHOULD SAY RIOT RALLES .

    PISTOLS WITH LICENCE TO CARRY OK WHERE LAW PERMITS , AND I DO CARRY , LIVE IN STATE WHERE LAW ALLOWS OPEN AND CONSEALED PISTOL CARRY .
    LTC HAVE TO HAVE ONE . SO GET ONE I DID .

    RIFLE TYPE WEAPONS FOR HUNTING GAME , DEER , HOGS AND SUCH OK .
    NO YOU CAN NOT SHOOT ANYONE YOU WANT JUST CAUSE YOU WANT TOO .

    MAYBE YA SHOULD GO LIVE IN RUSSA OR CHINA SEE WANT YOUR RIGHTS ARE TO OWN AND CARRY WEAOPONS , FIRE ARMS .

    BELIEVE , HELL KNOW I LIVE IN GREATEST NATION ON PLANET EARTH . I BELIEVE IN OUR CONSTITUTION . AS A VETERAN I LOVE OUR CONSTITUTION .
    GOD BLESS AMERICA .

    WANT TO CHANGE SOME GUN LAWS GO TO NORTH KOREA IN SEE WHAT HAPPENS .

  28. Until you get 32 states to agree, it is just as important as the first.

    Now go find your safe place and cry.

    Oh yeah, don’t forget what happens when a law is passed and someone brings a lawsuit….it goes to the courts where there were what? 270 lifetime appointments?

    Nothing has been lost my friends. Just a false sense of entitlement to the winners which will come crashing down once the milk and cookies laws come up against those appointments.

  29. All these anti gunners will receive cranial reorganizations via high speed lead delivery systems.

    Coming to a town near you sometime in the next few years….

  30. In a way, he is correct:
    Democracy is two wolves and a sheep voting what’s to be for dinner. Liberty is a well armed sheep contesting the results of the vote.

    • I’ve never liked that “quote”, not only because it sounds nothing like anything else Franklin ever wrote, but also because it falls far short of how ridiculously unnatural dumbocracy is.

      Democracy is more like two sheep and a wolf voting on what’s for dinner, and the brave and powerful wolf meekly submitting because the fact that there are two weak, lazy, pathetic sheep (and only one of him) somehow made their opinion correct and effective policy.

      • The point made in that short parable is about the evils of majoritarianism as usually embodied in democracy. The US Constitution strives to preserve liberty, by only using democratic processes, and confining democracy as much as possible in the actual governing, while also preventing the government from infringement on the people’s right to keep and bear arms, to be used as a last resort in case majoritarian tyranny takes hold.

        • I know what it’s trying to say. It just conveys the message very poorly by showing ignorance of simple facts. Democracy is never about the strong eating the weak.

          It’s about the strong (rational, responsible, productive, etc.; self-disciplined and self-made men like the Founders) meekly and idiotically acquiescing in parasites’ and dumbshits’ wishes – no matter how unjust, irrational, and doomed to failure – solely because there are (invariably) more parasites and dumbshits than there are Washingtons and Franklins.

          It’s like a hardworking couple with a houseful of retarded foster children deciding it would be “nice” to give the little rascals an irrevocable, equal say in a household to which they had contributed absolutely nothing – and then being shocked and upset when the Goodies for Tards Party dictates to the grownups in every single decision unless there’s an actual fire or active shooter.

          Is that analogy unfair? Sure – to the special kids, who are never as entitled or evil as many so-called “adults” today.

  31. “Grabar: Carrying Firearms Is Incompatible With Democracy” should read “Grabar: Carrying Firearms Is Incompatible With Socialist Dictatorships”

    • IT’s the same thing when taken as defined. Democracy, which is where everyone gets a say in how things run, ALWAYS degrades into communism. That’s why we: 1. Don’t have a true democracy, and 2. HAVE GUNS.

  33. The Constitution Oak Liberty Tree stands tall behind my home. It is over 300 years old. It has weathered countless storms. May we survive the day. God Bless our Republic. Dire days lie ahead.

  35. Democracy is nowhere in our founding documents. Lastly, firearms gave you a country. George Washington’s Continentals didn’t use sticks.

  36. Joey B ought to smarten up and actually try to be what he purported to be during his campaigning unless he was just blowing the 47 years of political BS when doing so. Regardless he ought to smarten up and try to salvage something of his failed presidency before it even starts on 1/20. His own people are just like ravenous wolves waiting to take Joe moderate out and replace with something a bit more social. They are really scared shitless about Mr. Trump coming back in 4 years & they know it that is why they sorta have ta get an epeachment conviction the time honored democratic way-lying & cheating

  37. — Henry Grabar in You Can’t Have an Open-Carry Democracy

    The above bit of wisdom was the close of the above article.

    Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, however voicing said opinion opens one to question concerning said opinion/opinions. So Mr. Grabar, regarding your opinion above expressed, what is the source of the wisdom upon which said opinion is based, or in simple terms, what is the opinion expressed above based on?

  40. Since this great nation is a CONSTITUIONAL REPUBLIC maybe democrats, republicans claiming democracy should be whisked off to GITMO for Treason & death.

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