And now for something completely different: A cop doing his job.

Hat's off to officer North. A job done professionally and efficiently. He earned a fan in that exchange.

Originally posted by Taupin Desciple

Originally posted by ThinkingCap

Though some could easily see this as wasting the police officers' time, what they were merely and admittedly doing was exercising their second amendment.

Yes, for the sake of it. Admittedly. Seems rather pointless doesn't it? When you do something simply because you can, that makes you a poser IMO. If I carry a gun in public it's NOT going to be in plain view and there WILL be a reason for it. It would have to an extreme circumstance because I feel that using a gun to solve a problem is extreme. Look at that cop for example. He didn't need to draw his weapon because he was able to reason his way out of the situation. And the chances are good that if he wasn't carrying, he still would've been able to subdue the suspect because if you're that good at reasoning with your words, you're going to be just as good at reasoning with your actions. And if you can't wrap your head around that concept, then yes, I suppose you need a gun.

The problem, in my opinion, is that this doesn't happen enough.

True that. Everyone who owns a gun should wear it in plain view because we all know that's what makes society safer. If the people in the movie theater in Colorado for example were carrying, they would have been able to drop that guy in 5 bullets flat, right? Problem is, it's dark in a theater and 2 or 3 people dropping the bad guy would have turned into a wild west shootout because no one would know with certainty if the guy was alone or not. After all, everyone has a gun right? Now turn the lights on. The same analogy applies.My point is, if everyone were carrying guns in the open, everyone would be suspect. You might not like that truth, I know the NRA doesn't, but it's a truth nonetheless.

These videos always start out with "We received calls there was a man walking around with a gun (aka a civilian was exercising his second amendment)"

If I see a man walking around in public with a gun, especially an automatic or semi, the first thing that's going to cross my mind is NOT that he's exercising his 2 amendment rights. In the world we live in, how can someone realistically see a person walking in public with a gun in plain view as doing the right thing? Naive isn't the word I'm looking for here. It's a rather dangerous way of perceiving the situation IMO

Though it's excessive to carry what looks to be an auto shot, it's important to remind everyone that it is your personal right to do so.

Yes, it's important to remind everyone that doing things for the sake of it is important, because if they take THAT one right away, how many other rights are they going to take away? Again, just because you have the right to do something that the Constitution says you have a right to do, doesn't mean it makes sense. They don't put amendments in the constitution like that so people can do things simply for the sake of it. There are valid reasons you know. In this case however, the only valid reason I'm seeing is extensive lobbying by the likes of the NRA. Their principles and reasoning are antiquated. This world has moved on extensively since the NRA was implemented, and might I suggest that they and people like you do the same. Look at society for the way it is. Stop holding onto ideals that hold no sway anymore. You're not making yourself look old fashioned and principled. There is absolutely nothing wrong with old fashioned and principled values. Especially when it comes to family matters. We need to get back to more of that in this society. But in this case, you're making yourself look out of touch.

edit on 22-8-2012 by Taupin Desciple because: (no reason given)

First of all, I was making an isolated point on the law itself - while it exists it should be upheld - which if you watch the video, the police officer fully agrees - even more than I would have had I been in the officers' shoes.
"An assault rifle, really guys?" Unnecessary, yet it is their right - what's the problem with that?
If I had my way, I would abolish all guns from the face of the earth.
Bring back swords, much more honorable. Shooting someone is a much less personal act than stabbing someone, crime would undoubtedly go down.


To bring up the theater shooting is a moot point. It's no surprise the media used the opportunity to attack gun rights after that massacre.
I completely agree that walking around with an assault rifle is irrational, but is that really the point?

My point is that people have it in their heads that the only ones who should be allowed to carry or even own a gun are police and military - this I totally disagree with. It is not naive, but dangerous for one to think otherwise. "Get with the times" arguments hold no water, not the kind of water I would offer to someone I liked at least.

It also goes without saying (I hope at least on ATS) that concealed carry is the way to go. I was always taught that if you brandish a weapon, it is when it will be used, and no other time.

I am 100% for citizen carry, open or concealed ( I prefer concealed ) - rifle or pistol. However, on a personal note this guy just annoys the hell out of me. Something about his demeanor and the general way he tries to present his argument and over talk the officers.

Originally posted by nerbot
reply to post by rottenrascals

 

I am SO glad I don't live somewhere where people walk around with semi auto guns like they are handbags.

A good cop? yes, but imo he's just protecting his job security by keeping one more gun carrier out there and one more potential te**orist.

America, born with a gun, die with a gun.

92 percent of criminal attacks are deterred when a gun is merely shown and states that have allowed open carry have seen less crime as a direct result. That officer is right when he said those young men having that gun will deter any criminals in the area. Making firearms illegal will cause crime to increase here because criminals will always find a way to get a gun, or use an alternative, regardless. It has no impact on them, it would only have an impact on law abiding citizens who often use their weapons in defense or to fend off said criminals.

I don't know where you live, but the US has 310,000,000 people with every possible demographic and with millions of different traditions and views. Surprisingly, we get along pretty well. We currently have a controlled media and government that's out to demonize weapons tho so they feverishly highlight (or in some cases cause) any death that takes place involving a gun.

Despite them sensationalizing every shooting they can, the fact is your chance of dying in a mass shooting in America is 0.000003% and your chance of dying in a car accident is 0.9%.

Do you have a car? Then you're more of a "terrorist" than an armed citizen.

I'm proud of these guys! I would love to hear the cops' conversation driving away from this! I would WANT them to rag on these d-bags that were trying to catch cops doing wrong. I don't think they could say much that would offend me in this case.

s&f

I say that because I think they should NOT be like that for respectful individuals. Also, as a disclaimer, I don't think they should treat these guys any differently in the future. Everyone's entitled to their opinion, but civil servants owe respect, until it is forfeited by crime, and even then, not overdoing it. I know it's a fine line to walk, but these guys are supposed to be the "finest," right? And I'm always proud that I have an officer for a brother!

the officer in that video was very professional and nice, to bad i have never had run ins with cops that professional

I'd love to say that I'm glad to see Officers of the Law actually doing their jobs for a change, but to be quite honest: I'm even more pleased to see our US Citizens doing their part. Not enough citizens know the constitutional rights granted to them quite like these guys, and I'm sure law-enforcement would have to do a "double-take" should we as a majority learn them as such.

-B Goode

This was a very morally straight officer.

There is way too much police bashing on this site and everywhere in general. I would bet much more than half of the members on ats would have dealt with this situation much worse.

It is always hard to deal with people who are trying to pick a fight like that.

This police officer was a gentleman.
I understand his concern and I think he handled everything very good.
This video is a perfect example of the fact that there are allot of educated and smart police officers around.

reply to post by thebryman


I kind of disagree. These guys do not seem to know their constitutional rights. To me they seemed like two kids who Googled something like "how to piss off cops" and got some very textbook answers on how to reply to cops.

To me it seemed like he memorized the relevant parts of a flyer they give out at protests and was using that to try to get the officer to say something stupid.

Score one for the cop. He handled it very professionally, politely and without trying to be intimidating.
On the other hand, the guy with the weapon was obviously trying to set up a confrontation.
I'm guessing his goal was to get his video on youtube and start crying about how he was mistreated.
Very refreshing to see an officer doing his job according to the law, not his own interpretation of it.

reply to post by thebryman


I know my right to bear arms well. I would never take a intimidating rifle out in public and scare the hell out of my fellow citizens to prove a point. I was taught from young the responsibility of having a gun and the fear that can be caused if it was used inappropriately. I respect others rights to life without fear also. These guys caused more negative effects to gun ownership than they did good.

Originally posted by HomerinNC
Those guys were out there LOOKING FOR TROUBLE, they were looking to be loudmouths, and try to provoke the LEO into something, they failed tho. They were lucky they encountered that cop, anyone else probably would have laid em out.
Honestly, they would have had it coming to them...come on, who walks around with a damn MP5, it's an assault weapon, semi auto or not

I agree. The LEO could have easily written those 2 boneheads up for inducing panic and could have taken their weapon only to have them pick it up later at the station. They need to consider themselves lucky.

There are laws that protect us guns owners and there are laws protecting us from boneheads that abuse theirs rights. They violated the laws of safety and intelligence by bill boarding their MP5.

I say the LEO did right by approaching them. It stopped whatever it was that was on their mind to be carrying around an MP5 out in the open.

reply to post by rottenrascals


I know at least two cops like this, who would be absolutely tickled to death to run into somebody who knew their constitution. However, I have to admit that not all officers are this courteous. In fact, most of them arrest for open carry even though it's legal.
Good to see a man who actually knows what Law Enforcement is about.