HuffPo Outraged VA Man Exercising His Open Carry Right … While Wearing a Trump T-shirt
Yes, HuffPo, Virginia’s open carry law applies even in the “wealthiest county in America”
Every once in a while a headline catches my eye because it is so profoundly misleading that it can only be purposeful. This is one of those times.
A Huffington Post article entitled “A Guy In A Trump Shirt Carried A Gun Outside Of A Virginia Polling Place. Authorities Say That’s Fine” has the strange non sequitur subtitle: “The incident happened in the wealthiest county in America.” Its url also contains, for no apparent reason, the term “voter intimidation.”
Here’s the story:
A man wearing a Donald Trump shirt and carrying a weapon stood outside a voting location in Loudoun County, Virginia, on Friday. Authorities in the nation’s richest county are apparently OK with that.
Erika Cotti encountered the man when she went to vote at the county’s registrar’s office, she told The Huffington Post. Virginia doesn’t have early voting per se, but voters can cast in-person absentee ballots for a host of reasons, like if they’re going to be out of the county or city on Election Day.
“I had my 9-year-old son with me. I felt intimidated,” Cotti said. “And I had to explain to my 9-year-old why a man with a 357 magnum is standing outside the polling station.”
Cotti said the man offered her a Republican sample ballot, which she declined.
“He’s like, ‘Who are you going to vote for, crooked Hillary?’ And I was like, that’s really none of your business,” Cotti said, adding that the man was standing in the sidewalk outside of the office when they left and blocking their path.
Judy Brown, Loudoun County registrar, confirmed that the man was standing outside her office in Leesburg and handing out GOP literature.
“There is a gentleman standing outside the office with a holstered gun,” Brown told HuffPost. “According to law enforcement, because Virginia is open carry, he’s allowed to have it.”
Virginia is indeed open carry, and I’m sure the police checked the guy’s permit when they were called to the scene. No one was threatened, no one was harmed.
And yes, HuffPo, Virginia’s open carry law applies even in the “wealthiest county in America.”
Essentially, someone saw a guy with a legal holstered gun. In Virginia.
Oh . . . and he was wearing a threatening Trump T-shirt!
Quick! Alert the (demonstrably biased) media!
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Comments
Oh my…. how frightful! A citizen following the law of the state of Virginia.
How did Ms. Cotti know that the firearm was a 357 magnum?
But we must remember that anti-gun folks are scared of squirt guns. Or a pop chewed into the shape of a gun.
One word describes this: Hoplophobia
Good question. Can a gun expert tell what kind of gun it is while it’s in the holster? The woman who complained doesn’t sound like a gun expert.
Luckily it wasn’t a black gun. He could have been oppressing it.
I was out to lunch last week with three other guys and a man at the next table was not only carrying, but the gun was actually black. I felt immeasurably safer.
Well, first off, the gun has a black grip thingey, which indicates a high-powered gun, so that means 357 … can’t be a 44 because 357 is bigger than 44.
Also note that the holster has a strap restraining the gun into it’s holster, necessary because, well, it’s a high-powered gun which we know because it has a black grip thingey.
The strap is there to prevent the firearm from leaping out of the holster on its own and shooting someone /sarc
““I had my 9-year-old son with me. I felt intimidated,” Cotti said. “And I had to explain to my 9-year-old why a man with a 357 magnum is standing outside the polling station.””
I was wondering how far down in the comments someone would mention the “357 magnum”. Didn’t have to go far, first comment.
The man carrying is real. Everything else is just fake.
Yawn. I feel intimidated by that evil man all the way down here in Texas. LOL!
Virginia is indeed open carry, and I’m sure the police checked the guy’s permit
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uh….am I only one thinking that makes no sense?
Great point, dmacleo! Some states, including Virginia, do not have any licensing or permit requirements on open carry.
NC, like VA, has open carry without a permit.
However, the commies in power here require a concealed carry permit to purchase a pistol or a “pistol purchase permit”.
To obtain a pistol purchase permit, one must first go online and fill out an application and pay the fee ($5). Then you must print out the paperwork and take it to your county sheriff’s office, get fingerprinted, and sign your rights away to do a complete background check, including medical. A few weeks later, if approved, you must once again show up in person to receive your permit.
Rifles/shotguns are just normal background check which takes about 10-20 minutes. Even for those bad black assault rifles…
Nebraska is similar. No permit for open carry. Need handgun purchase permit or concealed carry permit to purchase a handgun. However I didn’t have to go through fingerprinting and complete background for my purchase permit. I did for my concealed carry permit.
I thought so but had not had a chance to check, thanks for verifying.
Huh. A black outfit (including the hat), black handgun grips, and a brown holster.
That is a crime.
Damn right, lol.
Too bad the guy wasn’t ALSO wearing a Che T-shirt…
Huffing Pros wouldn’t know whether to shit or go blind…!!!
I’m fond of this one
http://unsavoryagents.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/douch_art2.jpg
Is that an assault handgun or just the regular kind?
The article didn’t mention a bayonet lug. We all know how dangerous those are.
That holster is obviously an enhanced model, to accommodate the barrel shroud …
Must of been an assault handgun Henry. It has a black handle.
And the woman was skeered and had to splain it to her child.
And the handle was black.
Did it have a black nylon sling? Those are scary.
Well, can’t see a black sling, but
He IS wearing a black hat, shirt, and pants.
Rights and responsibilities.
No one was aborted/chosen, not even cannibalized/planned. Is that why Twilighters are in a huff?
They must be disappointed at an opportunity lost to reduce anthropogenic carbon stored in colorful clumps of cells (i.e. increase [class] diversity).
A WaPo article on the issue of guns and polling places:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/10/21/most-states-have-no-laws-about-guns-in-polling-places-some-election-officials-think-that-could-be-a-problem/
The anti’s of course frame the issue as voter fear and intimidation by the right. That’s why it’s so important that anyone who decides to exercise the right not be of the type who goes off on critics at a slight provocation which would give them something to talk about. Even the ‘crooked Hillary’ response he allegedly gave was reported to seem intimidating.
VA’s gun laws are moving in the right direction despite the attempts of the left to make them like neighboring MD which has a much higher homicide rate.
Somebody remind me again which party stationed men with clubs outside polling places in 2008? And is documented planning voter fraud and hiring violent people to atack the other candidate’s supporters.
“I had my 9-year-old son with me. I felt intimidated,” Cotti said. “And I had to explain to my 9-year-old why a man with a 357 magnum is standing outside the polling station.”
We had to explain to our children what a blowjob was, and why the President was sticking a cigar up inside his girlfriend.
And now you clutch your pearls in fake outrage over Trump….
Also worthy of note is that the woman and what appears to be a (9 yr old?) child standing behind the ‘gunman’ are not fleeing in terror. Almost like a photo op. I wonder who took the picture and when?
She said she felt intimidated; not that she was in terror. Don’t put words in her mouth.
That she went about her business despite feeling intimidated is to her credit – not his.
Sorry, ORDA, you’re the one putting words in my mouth. I never said she was the one in the picture and I never said she said she was in terror. That you had to lie about what I said to make a point shows how shallow both you and your point are.
You pointed out she was not fleeing in terror. You introduced the term terror. Where is my lie?
I get the distinct feeling that most of the people commenting here don’t read past the headline. That figures.
ORDA’s a Leftist; lying is what they do.
@SDN Reactionaries – they don’t know how to think. They just jerk their knees.
No, that she went about her business despite claiming intimidation just shows another social justice warrior at play. She deserves no credit, only laughter.
The State of VA ‘s constitution follows the 2nd Amendment – every citizen of the State of VA has the right to own guns, unless a felon. No permission ‘required’ of the State for what is your Unalienable – God-given right.
Article I, Section 13 That a well regulated militia, composed of the body of the people, trained to arms, is the proper, natural, and safe defense of a free state, therefore, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed; that standing armies, in time of peace, should be avoided as dangerous to liberty; and that in all cases the military should be under strict subordination to, and governed by, the civil power.
I missed the HuffPo article where they were all outraged about the Black Oanthers carrying nightsticks around polling places in Philly.
Some people thought that carrying a weapon around a polling place back then was overblown and definitely not intimidation.
Memory is a funny thing.
So both sides have changed their tune. What is your point?
Memory isn’t so funny. Without any help from you I remembered sites like this going ballistic over the Panthers.
The only difference is that historically it was white men with guns who infringed on the rights of blacks; not the other way around. REMEMBER Goodman, Cheney and Schwerner, MR. FUNNY MEMORY? Yeah, it was 52 years ago. But we remember. Nothing was funny about it.
We have the morons response.
The black panthers were trying to suppress voters.
Slight difference, moron.
Then save your response for a moron.
Do tell about Goodman, Cheney and Schwerner. I REMEMBER that they were shot because they were trying to register blacks. At least one of the culprits carried a gun strapped to his thigh. Do you think the culprits were trying to intimidate or terrorize? I have never been able to clarify that in my mind.
“Do tell about Goodman, Cheney and Schwerner”
Nice try, no sale. Changing the subject doesn’t work.
The discussion was about the nice man legally carrying his weapon in the state of VA. Who you tried to equate to a bunch of black panthers clearly trying to suppress the vote.
You are simply a liar. Not a very good one.
@Barry Happily, the opinion of an unthinking automaton doesn’t matter in the real world.
There’s your problem – You don’t know the difference between exercising a right (or more than one) and committing a crime.
As I recall, those people were killed by democrats who were members of the Klan.
ORDA will just claim that those Klan guys magically turned into Republicans in the 60’s.
Democrats have worked hard to hide their racist past and their current racism
I doubt he is winning any converts with his demonstration. He does have the style of German Brown Shirts rather than traditional American style. But you guys are absolutely correct about his rights.
I am sorry about “the (demonstrably biased) media!” That is their right. Live with that.
And you win the Godwin’s Law prize.
I will accept the prize as soon as it is proven to be a law.
Upvote was definitely an accident.
We need an “Up Yours” option
I gave your observation some more thought. I assume that is the point of making a comment.
Godwin’s Law or observation refers to people within a thread running out of arguments and starting to call each other names. That occurs here all the time in one form or another. Liar is usually preferred to Nazi.
But commenting on the symbolism, intended or not, of a man dressed in black, carrying a gun, standing outside a polling place, asking people to take his sample ballot and making someone feel intimidated doesn’t fit the ‘LAW’. I seem to remember that, joking or not, Trump did suggest that if he lost, 2nd Amendment solutions might be the remedy. It does seem that Trump and his followers are 9/10th’s of the way there.
The url words are for search engines, which give a lot of weight to the words there. It tells you that the authors want this page to be found when people search on voter intimidation.
PrincetonAl mentioned intimidation. I was in context unless your memory only goes back as far as you decide – only as far as the Panthers. The fact that I can remember that, during my lifetime, men with guns killed people for wanting to legally vote somehow makes me a liar.
Someone walking around in front of a polling place with a gun asking people how they intend to vote couldn’t be intimidating? Why didn’t he leave his gun home? Was he worried that he would get beat up? Was he making a point? Trump is the one who called for ‘2nd Amendment solutions’. I don’t know and you don’t know this man’s reasons. Just because something is legal doesn’t make it necessary, civil or polite. Didn’t Melania Trump just ask us to be civil?
This woman felt intimidated. Was she justified? Maybe the fact he was carrying a gun made her feel uncomfortable about refusing his literature. Maybe she wouldn’t have been if he didn’t display a gun. You don’t know.
WHAT EXACTLY DID I LIE ABOUT? Barry the Moron, what did I lie about? You can’t do anything but make ad hominem attacks. You are a loser who can’t make an argument or understand one.
Everything other than the “and” and “the”?
So you are not witty, original or capable of a reasoned argument. Good of you to demonstrate that.
You sound like an ex-wife and make as much sense.
“The fact that I can remember that, during my lifetime, men with guns killed people for wanting to legally vote somehow makes me a liar.”
Those were democrats of course.
“During my lifetime”… Well, duh. During my lifetime and just within the last few months, many murders have occurred and almost everyone is by a democrat. Since you wish to open up with all of history.
“Someone walking around in front of a polling place with a gun asking people how they intend to vote couldn’t be intimidating?”
Maybe the person reporting such, “asking people how they intend to vote”, was just making it up? It is what people like you do. Liars, everyone.
“Why didn’t he leave his gun home?”
Why should he? He has a perfectly reasonable right to carry.
“Was he worried that he would get beat up?”
A reasonable fear given the left’s propensity for hiring thugs to do just that.
“I don’t know and you don’t know this man’s reasons.”
Then stop making shit up.
“Just because something is legal doesn’t make it necessary, civil or polite.”
Nor does it make it scary or intimidating. Didn’t seem to bother anyone except your SJW.
“This woman felt intimidated. Was she justified?”
We simply don’t believe her. Like you, she is probably just making it up.
“WHAT EXACTLY DID I LIE ABOUT?”
Everything. It is what you are paid to do.
Hillary has her “Correct The Record” brownshirts infiltrating comment sections and social media, especially conservative-leaning sites, to create dissent, lie and push the liberal agenda.
If they are willing to pay “protesters” to foment violence at Trump rallies, it’s really not a stretch to believe they would pay internet trolls.
But, one also has to take into account that there are millions of True Believers who would do it for free.
We have a strong UAW presence where I live, and anytime there is a “protest” of a republican candidate or support for some left-wing issue, union members are organizing it and are usually the only ones there.
We had that recently for a Todd Young rally. Headline in the local rag was about protesters, not Young’s appearance. Near the bottom of the article, they finally reported that there were only 8 of them, and that they were all UAW members.
A permit in Georgia allows either open or concealed carry but not within 150 feet of a polling place. Also, you can’t wear a candidate’s tee shirt.
The headline should be about the guy wearing a Trump tee-shirt and giving out Republican ballots right next to a no-campaigning sign. I voted Trump but “No campaigning” means “No campaigning” – unless of course you are Black and in Philadelphia.
Except that the sign actually says “No campaigning … beyond this point” indicating that he is indeed outside of the restricted area. Personally I think this guy shouldn’t be doing what he is doing (it is actually somewhat intimidating, with a small “i”), but he does apparently know his rights and appears to be within them. Unless he does something more threatening than legally carry, people should just go along about their business.
Everyone remembers the NBP party members standing outside polling places in Philadelphia holding nightsticks. This is no different. In both cases the parties involved were well within their rights to be armed in those locations. And, whether the intent was to intimidate people or not, the result was the same.
If this man really felt the need to be armed outside the polling pace, Virginia issues licenses for the concealed carry of firearms. The man could have remained armed and caused to problems. Yet, he chose to flagrantly display a deadly weapon outside a public polling place during a very contentious election year. Gotta wonder why.
Only if the nightsticks were legal to carry in Philadelphia.
Actually, the mere possession of a nightstick is not illegal in both the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the City of Philadelphia. It is not a designated prohibited weapon and if carried for lawful self defense, it falls under the “lawful use” exception. The same thing is true for the carry of a pistol in the Commonwealth of Virginia. So, the situation would be analogous, if neither party is actively threatening others.
Now, the only question that remains here, is why was this man carrying openly and not conceal? After all, he should be aware that OC is not widely practiced in developed areas, ever where legal. The reason for this is because, being an unusual activity which could be potentially deadly, it is not widely accepted by the general public. It is sort of like walking a grizzly bear through the mall on a leash.However, if the weapon is concealed, something that is legal in Virginia, then no one knows that the carrier is armed and any potential feels of concern are lessened or eliminated.
Mac45,
They are not the same. There is a difference between carrying a lawfully allowed weapon and brandishing one. By all accounts, in the Phila case, the weapons were not holstered and the carriers moved aggressively to block poll access to some people. In the case reported here, the weapon was holstered and there was no aggressive action by the carrier. That’s a huge difference.
In VA, to get a CHL permit, you have to pass a background check and pay a fee of up to $50 for a 5 yr license to do what the constitution says shall not be infringed. OC simply requires that you are legally permitted to own the gun. Not everyone wants to jump through the hoops. As to why he did it, we are all just speculating. I would not be surprised to find it a reaction to Hillary’s embrace of gun control this election.
My feelings are hurt! Would y’all please stop already!
We’ve become a society where sandwich cheese or a mail box will make someone, somewhere feel intimidated.
“Sandwich” and “mail box” are both terms of cis-gender patriarchal oppression, bigot!
I visited my daughter at UNC-Chapel Hill the week she graduated, and an adminstrative staffer tasked with directing foot traffic of students taking boxes of lab materials out of her particular building started up with me on that crap, interrupting my convo with one of my daughter’s friends to ‘correct’ an opinion I’d expressed having been asked for it. I scored additional Heathen Points by telling her to speak English or don’t speak to me at all, that all her PC new-speak meant nothing at all once anyone stepped off campus. She was no kid, either. Appeared to be in her 40s. I regret not having told her yoga pants were not a smart fashion choice for her. She acted like I should be grateful for her correction of my opinion. That pissed me off so I shot her. The look on her face! Precious.
Just so no one makes a mistake on Tue. From the VCDL email of 11/6.
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1. Is carry legal at a polling place?
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There is no law against carrying at a polling place, HOWEVER:
* You cannot carry at a polling place in a K-12 school. The gun must be unloaded and left in a closed compartment or container in your vehicle – that is simply state law for guns on school property, which currently has no exception for when a school is being used as a polling place. (You can carry a pocket knife with a metal blade that is less than 3-inches long.)
* You cannot carry in a courthouse, as carry there is illegal at all times. The gun, ammunition, and any other weapon must be left in your vehicle, but can be loaded.
* Churches can ban guns on their property as a private property owner. So if they see you have a gun, they can ask you to leave. If you refuse to do so, then you could be charged with trespass.
* There is no law that says someone working at the polls (if not in a prohibited area, like a school or a courthouse) cannot be armed.
* If the person in charge of the polling place believes someone is trying to intimidate voters, he can order that person to leave and the person must do so. While a holstered, openly carried gun should not be an issue as long as the gun owner is simply going about their business of voting, concealed carry pretty much guarantees that there won’t be an issue, even when around irrational gun-haters.
Anyone visibly wearing a gun (even if it is legal)asking people outside a polling station who they are voting for is not only odd and obtrusive but also intimidating. First off it is none of his darn business. Secondly, I would still feel this way if he was wearing a Hillary shirt. It’s none of his business who I’m voting for. So he can take his gun that makes him feel like a ‘tough guy’ somewhere else. If he really wants to make a difference for the republican party then he should join that county’s committee. What makes matters worse is that this man is a retired police officer and should know better. This is the DEFINITION of voter intimidation.
If you feel intimidated where there is no intimidation, the problem is yours, not the intimidator who exists only in your head and heart, created by your personal biases.
That the cure for one’s bad feelings is a change in someone else’s behavior is how children think.
I feel triggered by his gun. Is that possible?