Via via Latino Post, a snapshot of American weirdness:
In Dallas, “open carry” gun activists say the 2nd Amendment protects the right to openly a gun in Dealey Plaza, the place where President John F. Kennedy died of a gunshot to the head. The exemplars of the paranoid style in American politics have a vision: Stand up for firearms rights at the scene of a heinous gun crime. That’ll prove you’re a free American.
Some responsible gun owners in this video note that the public display of firearms on the spot where JFK was murdered by a gun is, you know, sick and clueless. But the philosopher spokesman of the group claims he’s defending “American freedom” from the “usurper foreigner” in the White House. The paranoid style and the 2nd Amendment are alive and well in Dealey Plaza.
The 1rst Amendment, not so much. If you go to Dealey Plaza, armed with unlicensed pamphlets asserting that JFK was killed by right-wing enemies, well, then you may be considered a menace to public order. Robert Groden, a JFK photo expert and author, has been arrested by the Dallas police 80 times for the openly displaying certain ideas at the JFK crime scene. Now he’s suing.
In other words, it is more hazardous to tout a conspiracy theory on the spot where JFK killed than it is to tout a loaded Mannlicher-Carcano rifle.
via Latino Post.
Many Dallasites are unhappy with such moronic displays by this group in the DFW area, particularly, for me, in Dealey Plaza. They are, however, protected by the Constitution and the laws of the state of Texas. Fortunately, there has been a backlash from some civic groups against these “open carry” demonstrations, and some action has been taken against them “carrying” in private businesses.
DP should be a place reserved for reflection on the major historical and political event that claimed the life of our head of state, and the national trauma that resulted from that event, not only that weekend, but for decades after.
This group’s NRA/Bible-thumping ignoramus spokesman sounds just like Nazi supporters in pre-war Germany: just replace the word “foreigners” with “Jews”. I can’t believe there are really people like this wandering around populated areas with enough weapons to wipe out a whole town… all the while wailing “Amen, brother, Amen!”
Only in America. Keep on fighting for the right to pack heat while tens of thousands of Americans are shot each year. What twisted logic and irony.
Just looking at this article still pisses me off. If one feel’s unsafe in DP, (I never have), with the proper training and license you can carry a concealed hand gun in Texas. To show off offensive weapons in the place where a United States President was murdered is sick.
I agree, especially since the 2nd Amendment couldn’t save even the Chief Executive of the Republic.
I think assertion of 2nd amendment rights is inappropriate in Dealey Plaza, which is primarily a memorial and locus for dissent of the official version.
If it is tolerated, then so should Groden’s peaceful protest.
Good for the folks in the video. But my God Jim Tague couldn’t get a ticket to attend the Dealey Plaza 50th anniversary of JFK’s murder program that the city of Dallas put on. And according to reports it was quite a put on…