[mustmove]

Originally Posted by arctichomesteader

Guns, Politics and Homesteading: once again harassed

I am absolutely not impressed with Rutland's police.

I'm not defending the police, but open carry of big single action revolver is going to get you attention not all of it positive. Legal yes- but so is tattooing and piercing your face, which will also get you attention not all of it positive. Folks will claim that ain't right but that's the way humans work.

[arctichomesteader]

Originally Posted by mustmove

I'm not defending the police, but open carry of big single action revolver is going to get you attention not all of it positive. Legal yes- but so is tattooing and piercing your face, which will also get you attention not all of it positive. Folks will claim that ain't right but that's the way humans work.

Officer Fuller did several things illegal when he stopped me. The police are supposed to follow the law not opinions. He picked the wrong person though because I knew the law better than apparently he did. They are well aware by now they will be facing a federal civil rights suit (under the Civil Rights Act of 1871) if they decide to repeat their game. There may be anti-gun people around (mostly moving in from out of state) but under the law their opinions amount to nothing, because it's already a settled matter here that they can't do what they tried to do.

[googabee]

Right on, arctichomesteader! That boy was way out of line. Thanks for 'sticking to your guns' so to speak!

[mustmove]

The law- Officer Fuller is the law. Joking. My point is that despite it being legal to walk around VT with a sixshooter on your hip you will receive negative and possibly illegal repercussions for doing so. While you are legal don't be surprised by the results of your choices. I've also heard of the open carry movement and they have a point. But the reality is you would be better served carrying concealed or open carrying a modern weapon.

[arctichomesteader]

Originally Posted by mustmove

The law- Officer Fuller is the law. Joking. My point is that despite it being legal to walk around VT with a sixshooter on your hip you will receive negative and possibly illegal repercussions for doing so. While you are legal don't be surprised by the results of your choices. I've also heard of the open carry movement and they have a point. But the reality is you would be better served carrying concealed or open carrying a modern weapon.

Hard to conceal carry wearing shorts and a light t shirt. So I don't bother in the summer. I ususally stick a revolver in my coat pocket in the winter. Rutland is the only place in VT I've run into this problem. Maybe there'd be issues in some of the other anti-leaning cities (Brattleboro, Burlington), but from what I've heard (and experienced) Rutland is the worst city in VT with this issue. They seem to enjoy being taken to court over this. Being told in no uncertain terms in 1903 by the VT Supreme Court that prohibiting carrying of firearms was unconstitutional was not enough. They tried to ban carrying of firearms even as late as the 1990's, when a lawsuit finally took out the ordinance for good. Regardless, police officers are expected to know and follow the law. Ignorance is not a defense. They'll be hammered in court if they try anything more.

Most people either don't notice, or don't really care about someone carrying, in my experience. There's just a small number of vocal antis and/or people who panic, but they're no reason to not do something, just as people's responses to a black woman in the front of a bus was no reason for her to not sit there. A right not exercised is soon lost.

Oh, better to carry a gun that's "antique" under federal law in VT (because it's then not a firearm under federal law) in case they attempt to enforce the federal gun free school zones act (which has been thrown out of court before but why give them the chance to do so, when if they'd attempted it with me, it would have been an illegal arrest since I wasn't carrying a "firearm" under federal law). And the first time I was stopped I was carrying a seven shooter. An antique Nagant, with hollowpoint loads. Now I've taken to my Colt Walker now and then.

[flu189]

Originally Posted by MRVphotog

The news said they were supposed to have one of those blowup cushions in that situation, it was on the way, the supervising officer should have waited. Who knows, I wasn't there.

Exactly, we don't know. Lot's of dynamics go into calls like this. Quite possible a large and problematic crowd was starting to develop and the Lt wanted to expedite the conclusion to the incident. Since the Lt is now deceased himself we will never know what set of factors he based his decision on. I know on several occasions I had to make quick decisions based on rapidly changing factors, luckily, even though some could have been different based on after action review, nobody died as a result.