[quickdraw]

Sorry, I wouldn't want camouflage guys at my door either. Swat Team? Military? Who the hell knows. And I bet single and elderly women would be more nervous than I.

It's not a rights issue, it's a common sense issue. Who goes door to door wearing camouflage? People associate camouflage with guns and for good reason.

Again, take away some of my rights to protect me from the Jerry Springer types running around unchecked.

[tkln]

I don't have a problem with him walking around in camouflage, and I don't have a problem with the woman calling the police. But, based on his side of the story, the cops were certainly not very courteous or friendly. Seems that they definitely could have mentioned that people were nervous or complaining and suggested he possibly get a change of clothes or something like that.

[quickdraw]

Originally Posted by tkln

I don't have a problem with him walking around in camouflage, and I don't have a problem with the woman calling the police. But, based on his side of the story, the cops were certainly not very courteous or friendly. Seems that they definitely could have mentioned that people were nervous or complaining and suggested he possibly get a change of clothes or something like that.

I guarantee they did.

[Lilybeans]

Originally Posted by quickdraw

Sorry, I wouldn't want camouflage guys at my door either. Swat Team? Military? Who the hell knows. And I bet single and elderly women would be more nervous than I.

It's not a rights issue, it's a common sense issue. Who goes door to door wearing camouflage? People associate camouflage with guns and for good reason.

It's not like people don't wear camo clothing. It's not uncommon. Guns? What does that's have to do with anything? That's not the police's business either.

[quickdraw]

Originally Posted by Lilybeans

It's not like people don't wear camo clothing. It's not uncommon. Guns? What does that's have to do with anything? That's not the police's business either.

Knowing people who wear camouflage in Vermont, I'd worry about opening my door to a hail of bullets.....mistaken for a wild turkey.

[OhBeeHave]

Originally Posted by arctichomesteader

I'm inclined to believe him. The Rutland police detained me over a half hour because I was carrying a handgun (perfectly legal, not a legal reason to stop and detain me) and during that time railed on and on against citizens carrying guns and tried to intimidate and coerce me into not doing so anymore (for instance, telling me they'd stop me everytime they see me doing so). Completely illegal what they did. And what they did to this guy was too. The police are supposed to act within the law, not outside of it. Telling a person to go home and change his clothes like this is outside of the law. When the police behave like that, they (the police) are criminals and belong in jail just as much as a robber or killer.

This isn't NY...

Yes, it isn't NY. VT is having issues with inner city skell coming up and running drugs and such through it's communities, and creating a negative QOL. You are carrying your handgun and following the law, but that thug wannabe who's packing could care less. Is it possible that the police have to ferret out who the law abiding handgun owners are vs the dirtbags? While it might have been 'illegal' to detain you for possession of a handgun, what happened to cause them to stop you?

We're getting off track.

I appreciate the fact that you don't care for the empty suit type politician, but rule number one is: you dress the part for your career aspirations. Don a solid color, warm winter coat for canvassing a neighborhood, leave the camo for canvassing a field.

A frightened woman with a camo clad stranger at her door is not irrational and is well within her civil rights to feel scared when an interloper is standing on HER property. Would we be having this discussion if he wore a navy parka with a 'VOTE for WHITE' pin on it? Probably not.

We are only hearing one biased side of the story.

Please do me a favor, seeing as I am not in VT full time, if there are any follow ups to Mr. White's opinion piece, would you link them here? I am curious to see whether anything more comes of it.

[OhBeeHave]

Originally Posted by tkln

I don't have a problem with him walking around in camouflage, and I don't have a problem with the woman calling the police. But, based on his side of the story, the cops were certainly not very courteous or friendly. Seems that they definitely could have mentioned that people were nervous or complaining and suggested he possibly get a change of clothes or something like that.

I am certain that they did.

Mr. White is giving us the story in a light which paints him favorably and casts a shadow of doubt over the RPD. He is an aspiring politician, after all.

[OhBeeHave]

Originally Posted by quickdraw

Knowing people who wear camouflage in Vermont, I'd worry about opening my door to a hail of bullets.....mistaken for a wild turkey.

I would be doubly worried that the camo wearers might be ingesting Wild Turkey before mistaking me for one!

Mental note to self: Always wear blaze orange during Silly Season.

[Sporin]

The police had every right to see who he was and what he was up to if there was a complaint, that's their duty, and their job.

However, sending him home to change clothes is a step beyond legal precedent. (assuming we are getting the whole story).

[arctichomesteader]

Originally Posted by OhBeeHave

Yes, it isn't NY. VT is having issues with inner city skell coming up and running drugs and such through it's communities, and creating a negative QOL. You are carrying your handgun and following the law, but that thug wannabe who's packing could care less. Is it possible that the police have to ferret out who the law abiding handgun owners are vs the dirtbags? While it might have been 'illegal' to detain you for possession of a handgun, what happened to cause them to stop you?

There must be no tolerance for police acting illegally.

Apparently someone driving by called them. I eventually found out who did it, and it was a NY'er who had been driving down the road...doesn't even live in the state, comes from a fascist police state. tries to apply NY insanity to VT. And on top of that the officer was originally from MA...

I appreciate the fact that you don't care for the empty suit type politician, but rule number one is: you dress the part for your career aspirations. Don a solid color, warm winter coat for canvassing a neighborhood, leave the camo for canvassing a field.

A frightened woman with a camo clad stranger at her door is not irrational and is well within her civil rights to feel scared when an interloper is standing on HER property. Would we be having this discussion if he wore a navy parka with a 'VOTE for WHITE' pin on it? Probably not.

We are only hearing one biased side of the story.

I see no reason for people to not dress how they normally do. Wearing camo is quite common in this state...the police were way out of line.

Please do me a favor, seeing as I am not in VT full time, if there are any follow ups to Mr. White's opinion piece, would you link them here? I am curious to see whether anything more comes of it.

I'll keep an eye out...