Rights come with responsibilities.

And they also come with the fact that if you misuse your "right", you may have an encounter with the cops.

And, yes, whether you like it or not, the cops want people to report someone who is carrying a weapon in public:

Arlington Police Lieutenant Chris Cook said residents should not feel too intimidated to report people carrying guns in public places.

'Let us determine what is lawful or unlawful,' Lt. Cook said Friday.

Open carry advocates are upset that they get "sussed" by the cops.  But, here is what the cops have to say about this:

Lt. Cook points out it's against the law to knowingly file a false police report. But he said the greater fear is that citizens fail to report armed individuals, either because they feel intimidated or because they've become desensitized to guns on the streets.

Let's face it, there is a good point to calling the cops if someone sees someone who looks like they shouldn't be walking around with a firearm  if it was true that Jared Loughner was openly carrying prior to the Tucson shooting.

Especially if the person walking around has the type of weapon that could wipe out a lot of people.

Last year, a student parked a car at a supermarket near the campus of the University of New Haven, He got out carrying two handguns, which he took to class with him. Bystanders thought that looked suspicious, even though it was actually legal for him to have the handguns. They called 9-1-1. Police responded and investigated. They found another gun in his car, an illegal assault rifle, Police also found the student also had news clippings and pictures of previous spree killers all over his bedroom. 

So, yeah, those callers were not technically reporting something illegal: just something suspicious. And they probably prevented a mass shooting.


The problem is that the open carry movement is about baiting the cops and those who don't feel comfortable seeing people walk around in public with a lot of firepower.  That's a recipe for disaster.

Seriously, are you people so stupid that you would enable a mass shooter?  You give him/her the firepower--would you also give him/her the opportunity?

So, if you clowns want to walk around carrying weapons in public--live with the consequences of your actions.

But, I have to admit I am happy that the open carry movement exists since they are so far out on the fringe of gunloonery and full of irresponsible people that they are the best thing to happen for our side.  Eventually, they will piss off most people with their antics.

See also:

• Chief’s Counsel: Responding to Gun Possession Reports