Open Carry FUBAR in WI, could it happen here?

[MuzzleFlash]

This is going viral. It's now a federal lawsuit.

Here's the people filing the lawsuit. Listen to the 911 call especially towards the end.
http://www.wisconsincarry.org/default.html

Wisconsin has a state constitutional provision that allows for openly carrying firearms. The Wisconsin AG opinion can be read here:
http://www.doj.state.wi.us/news/files/FinalOpenCarryMemo.pdf

Now look at the policy of the pompous ass Madison police chief. He intends to charge anyone who exercises their right under the state constitution with a municipal crime:
http://www.cityofmadison.com/news/view.cfm?news_id=2231

[BushMasterBoy]

Madison Is a Town for losers...glad I don't live there!

[MuzzleFlash]

The same can be said of the People's Republics of Denver and Boulder. However, that's not a reason to cower in fear of lawless police power.

[Elhuero]

I will refrain from comment, as my opinion is inflammatory in the extreme.

[theGinsue]

That police Chief, while believing he is doing his job to protect the public, has issued a policy which clearly violates the Wisconsin & U.S. Constitutional rights of law-abiding gun owners.

Perhaps suing (and winning) the City of Madison to the point where it hurts will get them to understand that you can't violate someones rights simply because someone else feels uneasy about the other person exercising their rights.

[Irving]

Can we get a short summary? From what little I read, it looks like they got some tickets? Was anyone beat up or shot or anything?

[TS12000]

The biggest problem with people like these is that they don't get removed from power, if you do something like this in the bureaucracy everyone looks the other way or you get a slap on the wrist (x days suspension w/ pay....). Or you can do like Shittaco mayor Daley, and just worm around any decision put upon you and continue your action. Start actually punishing these people and maybe we'll see some change.

[cebeu]

Look at that state's elected officials- most are pinko as hell. Same as Minnesota. Not sure how that happens. Great hunting, fishing, football and the citizens vote lefty. Dang sad.

Consider the states socialist history, explains a lot about the demographic even today. Futher, at the end-of-the-day it comes down to Milwaukee and Madison, both pockets of liberalism to the extreme coupled with Milwaukee carrying a heavy percentage of residents at the very [very] low-end of the socioeconomic strata. net- They "weight and turn" the vote to the likes of Feingold, Doyle and the current Administration in DC. Lastly, the remaining out-state population is litterally sacked by Fudd's to the nth degree; "give me my blue-n-wood deer rifle and I'm good," nothing else matters.

I spent a lot of years paying taxes in WI (<-- HOLY S***!) and there are many great people there but...simply out-weighed by the above population.

But...if you want to see something more interesting re: the here and now, look at the following (doesn't mean anything until elections close but...wow...I'm surprised at the moment for WI).

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/07/29/10-wi-gov-ge-jvf_n_728206.html

Gov: Walker (R) leading Barrett (D) 50% to 44%
Senate: Johnson (R) leading Feingold (D) 54% to 42%
And more...

[Irving]

I had time to read the whole link this morning. I really look forward to seeing where this goes in Federal Court.

[buffalobo]

FUBAR is right. Because some citizen is clueless of the law then you as an informed citizen exercising your rights(duty IMO) will be accosted and likely arrested. How much we have given up for the appearance of security.

Have seen or been involved in a couple open carry discussions recently. What I don't get is this mind set that if just the fact that you have a gun that can be seen by other people and it "scares" them or gives them discomfort, then you are in the wrong.

When did we gain the right to comfort, that our unfounded fear trumps anothers rights?

This lame idea/reason was given in almost debate about open carry. That the gun owner should curtail his activity or have it curtailed by law, because some moron is scared or intimidated just by the sight of a gun. Ridiculous.

[Irving]

This is the consequence of guns not being common in the public.

[MuzzleFlash]

But to the point of my question, do you think the same thing could happen here? Unlike Wisconsin, Colorado's state statute confers the right to ban open carry on the cities. One might argue that that provision is in conflict with the keep and bear language in our state constitution - not to mention the federal 2A.

But in spite of the constitutional arguments, what do you think would happen today? Let's say a group of law abiding gun owners open carry at an outside restaurant in pick-a-town Colorado - a place that doesn't have an ordinance against it. Depending on which town we're talking about, do you think local police will try to charge you with disorderly conduct (or worse, like brandishing) - when the gun is holstered the whole time and you are not threatening anyone?

In my own case, Arvada doesn't allow it in parks or on city property, but otherwise it's legal. If I went packing to a Starbucks or some other local restaurant, what are my chances of being arrested on trumped up charges? When Ron Sloan was our chief, he made it clear they would respond and look for any way they could come up with a charge that could stick. Thankfully, that ass hat is no longer here (he's running CBI). I haven't called up the current chief to see what he would do.

What about the jurisdiction you live in? Have you heard any horror stories?

[Irving]

I'm sure this kind of thing has already happened here. I knew a guy who was thrown down on the concrete, and then arrested for wearing his EMPTY OWB holster into a Subway.

[MuzzleFlash]

I'm sure this kind of thing has already happened here. I knew a guy who was thrown down on the concrete, and then arrested for wearing his EMPTY OWB holster into a Subway.
How did that get resolved? Where was it?

[jake]

The incident at least, but not the fallout, reminds me of the story I read - maybe here - of the guy who was open carrying in Borders in Boulder (yeah, yeah, save it). The manageress freaked out and called the police who came and asked the guy to leave (as far as I can recall that's all that happened). He subsequently complained to Borders' head office and received an apology and acknowledgment that their employee was wrong and would be retrained.

[Irving]

How did that get resolved? Where was it?

I don't remember any of the details as I wasn't into guns or laws back then. It was probably 10 years ago. Laws were probably different then, but it doesn't matter as he wasn't breaking any of them anyway. He actually had his guns locked up in a box in his trunk and was coming from the range.

[Elhuero]

at my job years back someone saw a guy walking in the parking lot towards the building with what they thought was a gun on his hip. called the cops.

fucking swat team showed up. full gear, assault rifles, etc.

turns out it was an empty cell phone holster on his belt.

[buffalobo]

But to the point of my question, do you think the same thing could happen here? Unlike Wisconsin, Colorado's state statute confers the right to ban open carry on the cities. One might argue that that provision is in conflict with the keep and bear language in our state constitution - not to mention the federal 2A.

But in spite of the constitutional arguments, what do you think would happen today? Let's say a group of law abiding gun owners open carry at an outside restaurant in pick-a-town Colorado - a place that doesn't have an ordinance against it. Depending on which town we're talking about, do you think local police will try to charge you with disorderly conduct (or worse, like brandishing) - when the gun is holstered the whole time and you are not threatening anyone?

In my own case, Arvada doesn't allow it in parks or on city property, but otherwise it's legal. If I went packing to a Starbucks or some other local restaurant, what are my chances of being arrested on trumped up charges? When Ron Sloan was our chief, he made it clear they would respond and look for any way they could come up with a charge that could stick. Thankfully, that ass hat is no longer here (he's running CBI). I haven't called up the current chief to see what he would do.

What about the jurisdiction you live in? Have you heard any horror stories?


I believe it could happen depending on location, Boulder, Denver, Thornton are not gonna be friendly to anyone openly carrying. Probably has happened and we just don't know it.

I live in Morgan county and occassionaly open carry, most of the time people don't really seem to notice. Mostly on saturday when I have to run to parts house or feed/hardware store(I open carry all the time at home/farm) and forget to change to conceal gear. If going to restaurant or social gathering I will have cleaned up, dressed up and changed to conceal gear.