Open Carry of AR-15s in Portland, OR

[Ben]

A couple of guys were open carrying their AR-15s in downtown Portland today in, it appears, hopes of dispelling EBR myths. It appears the police left them alone after interviewing them, but it kinda irked me that the police rep that was quoted blamed the two men for "tying up 911 resources". How about blaming the people who called 911?

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/01/10/men-armed-with-assault-rifles-walk-through-portland-to-educate-public-on-gun/

[dm1333]

Have you ever been to Portland or lived near there?  It isn't San Francisco but they do have more than their fair share of liberals who would quake at the sight of an AR15. 

[Physics]

Have you ever been to Portland or lived near there?  It isn't San Francisco but they do have more than their fair share of liberals who would quake at the sight of an AR15. 

~NW 23rd and Everett.  Me, walking down the street from my apartment to my car with a backpack full to the brim with ammo and a number of rifles.  Including an AK and an AR15.  Had one lady beg me not to shoot her and lots of other weird looks.  Some things I don't miss about Portland, although at least nobody called the cops.   

[AJ Dual]

Need a couple hundred, if not thousand to do this, in a bunch of cities.

[Perd Hapley]

~NW 23rd and Everett.  Me, walking down the street from my apartment to my car with a backpack full to the brim with ammo and a number of rifles.  Including an AK and an AR15.  Had one lady beg me not to shoot her

Well? Did you shoot her?

[AmbulanceDriver]

Kind wish I'd have heard about this ahead of time....    Probably would have joined them...

[kgbsquirrel]

Damned misleading article title. I don't see any freaking auto-sears on those rifles, they're not freaking assault rifles you stupid *expletive deleted*ck nuts!

[Lee]

Seems dumb to me. After two high profile mass shootings, I'm not to sure that two guys toting AR15's through an urban area is the way to alleviate fear of guns. Kinda like jerking off in public to alleviate the fear of rape.

[MicroBalrog]

Seems dumb to me. After two high profile mass shootings, I'm not to sure that two guys toting AR15's through an urban area is the way to alleviate fear of guns. Kinda like jerking off in public to alleviate the fear of rape.

I... don't think this is the analogy you want to be using.

[freakazoid]

I... don't think this is the analogy you want to be using.

That's only because his isn't fed by a high capacity...

 

In seriousness, if you can get a lot more people to do this on a regular basis, I think it can be a good thing. Not too sure what the political climate around there is. I think this would work even better if lots of people did this in an area where no body would bat an eye. It gives it a safe area to get people use to the idea of them being out in the open. It still gets them out there but away from the antis to where they can't really do anything about it.

[AmbulanceDriver]

Might have to jump on a couple of local forums here and see if we can't arrange for a big open carry meeting somewhere in downtown.  

Although open carry in Portland is kind of weird - it's actually prohibited by city code, unless you have a concealed handgun license!  The reason being that the state law covering CHL's has a preemption clause in it, which trumps the city's prohibition against open carry by CHL holders.  

[Hawkmoon]

Need a couple hundred, if not thousand to do this, in a bunch of cities.

Saturday, January 19, is the day.

http://www.armedpolitesociety.com/index.php?topic=37733.0

[BobR]

The Portland Police Bureau, however, asks anyone who sees someone armed with guns to immediately call 911.

If I lived in Portland, I believe that every time I saw one of those armed guys get out of a blue and white car with the funny lights on top, I would be all over 911 reporting an armed man, as they have requested. 

bob