At the Apple Valley Parade yesterday

[dflprincess]

I attended with my niece and her family. We were all settled in when along came another family who went through the production of getting the blanket spreadout, the sun screen on the kids and the water bottles distributed and, just as they finished, they started packing everything up again. I gave the Mom what I hope was a quizzical look and she very subtley pointed at a guy near us.... Some jerk wearing his pistol on his hip.

I pointed it out to my niece and her husband and we too packed things up and moved - all the while hoping the kids wouldn't spot the gun (they didn't). As were were packing up, others in the area did so as well.

I can only wonder, surely Wyatt Earp must have noticed that he was standing pretty much alone in an area that had been crowded with families and did he feel like the asshole he is or did it make him feel like a man? I fear the latter.

(We did find another spot to watch the parade from so he didn't ruin our day, but had we seen anyone else doing this we would have left.)

[Warpy]

1. I'm sure Mr. Macho Gunloon was oblivious to everything but his damn gun

and how powerful it makes him feel. Everybody else thought he was an asshole who should have left the stupid thing locked up at home.

They have absolutely no clue how the rest of us look at them. Gun toting jerks have no place at events that are crowded, especially crowded with children.

The only people packing heat at such events should be well trained police.

[question everything]

2. I know that people are allowed to carry concealed weapon

but are they allowed to carry them in public, just like that?

[dflprincess]

3. Sadly yes.

A couple weeks ago there was an article in the Strib about these Yahoos planning to show up as a group at some community event in south Minneapolis. I believe they backed off after the negative feedback they received.

[Daemonaquila]

4. Oh, good lordy.

Such a fuss because the gun was visible. Want to guess how many guys around you were carrying concealed weapons? You would've left over another visible gun, but dozens of invisible guns in your vicinity aren't a problem? I'd say that you're the kind of person that security theater was created for.

[mn9driver]

5. What an absurd response.

There is no valid reason for someone with a carry permit to pack his heat outside his pants in a crowd situation. That is just plain stupid. If I had been there and someone near me was wearing his d**k outside his pants, I'd move my family away from him, as well.

People who open carry in a crowd have a big chip on their shoulder and other problems as well; most notably, lack of common sense.

[question everything]

6. Right. They send a messaged: don't start with me, I have a gun

It does not matter that others may be smarter, or more good looking, or richer, or more successful. I have a gun and you'd better stay away from me.

And I don't see where this can end.

[dflprincess]

7. I consider concealed weapons a problem

but I think someone who needs to strut around like a character in a John Wayne movie has an even bigger problem (or smaller penis) than the fools who think they need to carry a concealed weapon.

And, just as an FYI, I am not impressed by the security theater we've had foisted on us.