Open Carry Gun Walk in downtown Indy yesterday (Washington: legal, gangs)

[Southside Shrek]

Knox
I think the point of their walk was to show the public at large how easy it is to get a permit to openly carry a gun in public. While in the parking lot near the heliport where they were congregating before the walk and out of curiosity, I asked one of them for literature about their Open Gun Carry Walk but the guy said the person with the literature had not arrived yet.

I am sure the police were a little nervous about their walk and that's why they escorted them to keep a close eye on things.

Some strange things have been going on in Indy including people jumping off buildings with parachutes. That's one thing I would never attempt, drunk or sober.

[arctichomesteader]

Originally Posted by grmasterb

I don't know, although along those lines I've heard it said that if more people carried guns, there wouldn't be as much crime because the criminals would be scared off by a population packing heat. Problem is, Americans own/carry more guns than any other civilized nation, yet we're also one of the most violent.

The crime rate isn't uniform throughout the country. Currently the safest state (Maine) has very loose gun laws and guns are common. Some of the worst crime is found in areas with strict laws. In Europe, Switzerland is full of guns yet has a low crime rate, while its neighbor Germany has more crime and strict laws.

[grmasterb]

Originally Posted by arctichomesteader

The crime rate isn't uniform throughout the country. Currently the safest state (Maine) has very loose gun laws and guns are common. Some of the worst crime is found in areas with strict laws. In Europe, Switzerland is full of guns yet has a low crime rate, while its neighbor Germany has more crime and strict laws.

There is not one western European nation that comes close to matching the homicide rate in the U.S.

[Knox Harrington]

Originally Posted by Southside Shrek

Knox
I think the point of their walk was to show the public at large how easy it is to get a permit to openly carry a gun in public. While in the parking lot near the heliport where they were congregating before the walk and out of curiosity, I asked one of them for literature about their Open Gun Carry Walk but the guy said the person with the literature had not arrived yet.

I am sure the police were a little nervous about their walk and that's why they escorted them to keep a close eye on things.

Some strange things have been going on in Indy including people jumping off buildings with parachutes. That's one thing I would never attempt, drunk or sober.

OK, now I get it. I just assumed they were protesting something. Yeah, it looked like the police were just there as a precaution. No big deal. It was certainly a great day to go for a walk. Of course, I thought the weather was better for sitting outside and drinking beer.

The BASE jumper thing is weird. I'm going to keep an eye out for him/her/them when I'm downtown.

[Southside Shrek]

Originally Posted by grmasterb

There is not one western European nation that comes close to matching the homicide rate in the U.S.

You're right. In France they mainly torch cars and buses. Sometimes they have guns and shoot at police or toss Molotov cocktails. They are the young hooligans doing it.

[arctichomesteader]

Originally Posted by grmasterb

There is not one western European nation that comes close to matching the homicide rate in the U.S.

Vermont and Maine have lower homicide rates than most Canadian provinces and some European countries. The U.S. as a whole is vast and dwarfs any single European country. Break it down by areas.

[Southside Shrek]

If the US has such a high homicide rate compared to European countries and also Canada, does that suggest that law-abiding citizens should arm themselves in order to be better protected? Let's face reality, police usually arrive on a scene after a homicide occurs and not before.

[Boompa]

And all this has what to do with a few Militia types parading around Indianapolis with their rifles?

[Southside Shrek]

Boompa,
I saw more handguns than rifles on Saturday afternoon. At least one of them was a former police officer packing two big handguns in leather shoulder holsters wearing a Texas cowboy hat. It was a real contrast with the wedding going on in Monument Circle.

Your characterization as 'Militia-type' is well put.

[Southside Shrek]

Originally Posted by domergurl

and shrek ... unfortunately, your experience is probably the same as with most. you can't believe what is going on and the last thing you remember is your gun.

Domergurl
I knew what was going on when my wife started screaming "There is a man in our house!!!" That's all I needed to hear around midnight and went for my gun.

The guy had burglarized other neighbors' homes before he came into ours. He got away but he left his tennis shoes on our front porch. Of all things he took a bag of my wife's Christian books.