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Grand Rapids, MI man open carries to polls

8K views 77 replies 34 participants last post by  Snatale42 
#1 ·
#3 ·
It appears he was "legal" in doing so, but like the old saying goes "discretion is the better part of valor".

Direct quote of Michigan law:

Sec. 234d (1) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (2), a person shall not possess a firearm on the premises of any of the following:
a) A Bank.
b) A church.
c) A court.
d) A theatre.
e) A sports arena.
f) A day care center.
g) A hospital.
h) An establishment licensed under the Michigan liquor control act (BAR).

(2) This section does not apply to any of the following:a) A person who owns, or is employed by or contracted by, an entity described in subsection (1) if the possession of that firearm is to provide security services for that entity. b) A peace officer. c) A person licensed by this state or another state to carry a concealed weapon.d) A person who possesses a firearm on the premises of an entity described in subsection (1) if that possession is with the permission of the owner or an agent of the owner of that entity.2) If you don’t have a CPL, you must transport your handgun as prescribed by law.
 
#4 ·
Maybe it's time people started getting used to the fact that people are responsible for their own safety,and you never know when some crazy SOB may decide to start shooting up a polling place,say for instance that happened and the CLP holder stopped the threat without any innocents being injured,they would be kissing his ass for saving them
 
#6 ·
I agree with you and "msgt/ret", but even if it is legal, why not carry it concealed. Anyone with enough brains to fill a thimble knows that if you OC in a school, it is going to cause an issue.
I AM NOT AGAINST OC, even though we don't have it here in Fl. but sometimes I think these OC'ers do this for attention and to try to prove a point.
Looks like he got the attention he was seeking.
Just my 2 cent opinion. :yup:
 
#8 ·
Good for him, I hope more people exercise their rights. The stigma of a gun being bad needs changed, like other say; we have a right to be able to vote without fear of intimidation.

The Black Panther with a club in front of a polling place is a clear case of intimidation. Makes me wonder how many other places endure such intimidation that goes unreported
 
#11 ·
He is stupid to exercise a right? A law abiding citizen carrying a gun, causing no problems, shooting no children, gives the antis an "incident" to use against us?
Shaking my head and wondering about the antis right here in this thread. If the founders would have just kissed a little King George butt, all that unpleasantness of the revolutionary war could have been avoided. :mad:
 
#12 ·
The guy that did this in on a local forum and was on there almost immediately after the incident. He apparently has audio of the whole thing but was warned repeatedly not to post it because he was issued a ticket and is supposed to meet with prosecutors on Monday. IMO he went in looking for a situation like a lot of OC folks that purposely carry into controversial places do. He was obviously making a statement and not so much worried about his safety, if he was he could have went with CC. I do understand the argument about rights but this article is all most people will ever read. I'm sure he wont be charged but it won't really change the negative taste people have gotten from the article and the GRPD will still appear to have won. I guess I dont see the value and I think it hurts more than it helps. Just my opinion. There are far better ways to secure our rights and doing so has helped win most of the states over to "shall issue" states.
 
#14 ·
It says confronted not arrested. While appears to be legal in MI, I don't think it was in good judgement.

Not Legal here in WI> My voting place for the big turnouts is a school and for small turnouts the town hall. Both are no carry zones. I feel safe with no weapon there as it is a very small rural area and I keep my SA.
 
#15 ·
If it hasn't been done already, maybe someone needs to start another polling thread asking whether or not they would OC in a designated "gun free zone", assuming it's legal to do so. Of course, demo/geographics may skew the results a bit, but it would still be of interest, IMO.
 
#17 ·
The man IMO was attention seeking which I despise for any reason. But you can't outlaw stupid. If he was legal then there is no issue and I don't really care. Grandstanding does not win over anti's though. I am just amazed at how folks try to "exercise" their 2A rights knowing it will cause a ruckus. Did he do anything extraodinary to let folks know he was "exercising" his right to vote? Or does he yell profanities at passing people to "exercise" his 1st A right. Of course not. This only happens with 2A issues to generate a shock value. I can OC about anywhere I want. I don't because there is not a need. Only going into the woods/mountains and walking my dog I OC with a .44 mag for critter protection.
But it was legal so I don't care nor should anti's and those that support him. It should have been a non event.
 
#21 ·
He was legally carrying, oh the shame. I bet he legally drove there too, and maybe even legally votes.

Big deal, good for him. Why pick and choose where you legally carry? I wish more gun owners would man up and quit being a step stool to the antis.

Sent using Tapatalk on Android
 
#23 ·
I'm getting ready to leave for work and want to know which lawful activities I should not engage in while I'm out. I would hate to offend anyone. :rolleyes:

Someone does something legal, get confronted by LE (who seem to be wrong here); and the lawful carrier is in the wrong? It's a fascinating form of reasoning. If folks listen to other so much, and put so much weight in what they think; why are you carrying at all? Everyone says you'll never need it anyway.
 
#28 ·
I wish we could carry open or concealed at a school, In texas it's not leagal and I'm taking two classes a week and hate ot have to lock the gun up, He was excersing his right, and more power to him....
 
#29 ·
WOW! Seriously? Whats stupid about it? Are you under the impression that your 2A rights don't apply when voting. We OC to vote all the time here in VA. Have you've never heard "I'm the NRA, and I vote!" Unless your polling place is a no carry zone (like that idiot), what wrong with it? We also put the "I voted" sticker we get on our holster! Whats stupid is people NOT carrying where they legally can, so they don't hurt peoples feelings. I could care less if people don't like it.

Remember "A right unexercised, is a right lost!"
 
#34 ·
2A rights notwithstanding, what you might do in VA (i.e. OC to polls located in a school), we here in MI (yes, I'm speaking for the entire state) do not OC in polling places as a common practice. It has nothing to do with other people's feelings, well, maybe it does a little. And since it is not a common practice, then when it does occur, it's/you're going to stand out from the rest of the voters and volunteers. Why make a scene if it's not necessary? Unless I've got to walk past a couple of Black Panthers who are armed with clubs in order to vote, I'm locking mine in the car safe.
 
#30 ·
Guys, I'm not arguing that he was illegal, I was the first one to copy and paste the Mi. law into my post #3.
It appears he WAS LEGAL and well within his rights to carry. Carry it to a polling place, no problem.
I'm simply saying that in the current climate we have in our country, with a school shooting every few weeks, that if you openly carry a weapon into a school, you can expect to be questioned/detained.
If you think it will not be noticed, you are kidding yourself.
If you carry into a school, even legally, don't act surprised when you are questioned about it.
I still think he went looking for attention...and he got it. No surprise there.
 
#33 ·
+1

For all of you staunch OC-philes who open carry wherever and whenever it's legal, doesn't common sense ever factor into your decision to OC? Beat me up if you'd like, but for me here in MI, I can only think of a couple of scenarios where I would open carry, and a school ain't one of them.
 
#32 ·
People who drive Corvette's, are they looking for attention? Should they be stopped for no reason other than the fact that they are driving a Corvette?

I disagree that people who open carry are looking for attention, (yes, some are). Putting everyone who open carries into a bucket however is just wrong, and I don't agree with that at all.

Not doing it because you don't want to offend anyone just makes you part of the problem. If you don't do it because you simply prefer concealed carry, fine - but don't knock anyone for open carrying just because it's not your personal choice to do so.
 
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