I must admit, I had a serious attack of schadenfreude when I learned that the #BlackLivesMatter protesters in Boston were upset by the outrage directed at them after they blocked Route 93. I guess I wasn’t surprised that some protest leaders live at home with their parents in wealthy suburbs.
I guess they were stunned to learn that people trying to get to work felt that their own lives mattered, too.
Let’s contrast this event with another rally by gun rights activists in the blue haven of Washington state. The Washington Firearms Leadership and Activism Group (WAFLAG), Protect Our Gun Rights Washington, and the Gun Rights Coalition hosted Rally for Your Rights against I-594, an “18½-page incoherent, rambling, unconstitutional gun control initiative” that was recently passed by the state legislature.
Given the crowd and the passion, I suspect it will not be the last event.
More than 200 gun-rights activists, most of them carrying firearms, rallied on the steps of Washington’s Capitol Thursday morning to protest the expansive background-check law state voters passed in November.State legislators and other opponents of Initiative 594’s requirement of background checks on all gun sales and transfers voiced their belief that the new law unfairly infringes on their constitutional rights, and a handful of the protesters carried long guns into the public viewing gallery of the state House of Representatives just as the morning’s brief floor session ended.A series of speakers urged the crowd outside the Capitol to work to build support to repeal Initiative 594, both by contacting their legislators and by lobbying their friends and relatives. Several I-594 opponents carried signs with messages including “Prosecute criminals not harass us” and “I will not comply” during the chilly morning rally…..Although the protest was explicitly directed against the new background-check law, a number of speakers and crowd members said their feelings extend to an opposition to gun control efforts in general.
But, like the Boston rally, there was some real drama. This video shows state representatives Graham Hunt and Matt Shea making an appearance to discuss some of their proposals to support the rights of Washington’s gun owners, which seems typical of a political rally.
Victory Girl contributor Kit Lange takes us behind-the-scenes, where the action was really happening.
So-called “gun rights groups” organized a “Rally for Your Rights” where folks against I-594 could come and listen to them talk about how they weren’t going to actually fight to repeal this unconstitutional law, but instead would try to offer a compromise to the legislature. These groups also, because they didn’t want to scare or offend anyone, asked that people leave their long guns at home and dress in business attire. Perception! they urged. Curb yourselves because otherwise you’ll scare the undecided legislators and make them not like us or vote the way we want.They apparently never learned Liberty 101: The moment you allow your rights to be curbed because of someone else’s fear or offense you have lost the fight to keep your rights, for you have just shown the way to take them all.Some of us, however, remember that lesson well…because we know the fates of those who forgot it. We are not subjects and our rights are not open to interpretation or other people’s feelings. If anything, the legislature should be afraid, because their job security depends on the people they have refused to serve.So we came armed with long guns anyway.
It is reported that the State Patrol officers stayed close to the gun-carrying protesters who had entered the Capitol and that no arrests related to the rally were made. It’s legal to openly carry firearms into the Capitol and the public viewing galleries above the chamber floors.
And while the people of Washington are battling to repeal gun control legislation, a Rhode Island lawmaker is trying to prevent road blockages by protesters in his state.
Rhode Island lawmaker said Friday that he’ll introduce a bill making it a felony to block a highway, like protesters did in Boston a day earlier.State Sen. Leonidas Raptakis said he supports First Amendment rights to free speech and peaceful demonstrations but is concerned some gatherings could threaten public welfare.Demonstrators alleging racial profiling and violence by police against minorities blocked a busy Boston-area highway used to connect to Providence during the Thursday morning commute and caused lengthy traffic jams, inconveniencing thousands of people and preventing an ambulance from getting through. A similar protest shut down I-95 in Providence for 15 minutes in November.
And just because I cannot watch this video too much, here is a replay of Tyree Landrum’s rant against #BlackLivesMatter road blockers in my hometown. Others must have felt the same way: A crowdfunding site wanted to raise $2000 so Landrum could give his kids a great Christmas. The final tally was over $15,000.
It’s good to see hard-working Americans pushing back on those who would infringe upon their need to get to work and their right to bear arms…and seeing it rewarded.
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