From reading the discussion on the Farewell to Arms topic, I thought this might be a good test case for what constitutes a situation for taking pre-emptive action.
This guy is a Lafayette area resident who is fed up with having his drivers license revoked for not paying all of his traffic fines and in protest he walks around with a rifle in public. He claims he is doing it to protect himself and also the copies of his Bible and the Constitution he apparently carries around in his backpack. He claims to be a "sovereign man", whatever that entails. Is this guy unstable? Should we be alarmed by his actions?
The ISP says he can legally do this as long as he doesn't threaten anyone with the rifle. Well, I can tell you that I would feel threatened if I encountered him on the sidewalk, especially if I didn't see him coming in order to avoid him. Of course, that act of feeling threatened also opens up another door it seems. If I am, for example, a citizen with a concealed carry permit, do I have the right to confront him and stand my ground if I feel threatened? I don't know his intentions and in my mind anyone who carries around a rifle like that in the general public is a little bit loonie to begin with. If he looks at me wrong or makes some uncomplimentary remark to me, do I have the right to draw on him, and heaven forbid, shoot him if I felt it necessary? Might we have 2 people (in this case) popping shots at each other in a public setting not knowing where those rounds end up Where does this gun rights issue cross the line and endanger everyone's public safety?
Link
This guy is a Lafayette area resident who is fed up with having his drivers license revoked for not paying all of his traffic fines and in protest he walks around with a rifle in public. He claims he is doing it to protect himself and also the copies of his Bible and the Constitution he apparently carries around in his backpack. He claims to be a "sovereign man", whatever that entails. Is this guy unstable? Should we be alarmed by his actions?
The ISP says he can legally do this as long as he doesn't threaten anyone with the rifle. Well, I can tell you that I would feel threatened if I encountered him on the sidewalk, especially if I didn't see him coming in order to avoid him. Of course, that act of feeling threatened also opens up another door it seems. If I am, for example, a citizen with a concealed carry permit, do I have the right to confront him and stand my ground if I feel threatened? I don't know his intentions and in my mind anyone who carries around a rifle like that in the general public is a little bit loonie to begin with. If he looks at me wrong or makes some uncomplimentary remark to me, do I have the right to draw on him, and heaven forbid, shoot him if I felt it necessary? Might we have 2 people (in this case) popping shots at each other in a public setting not knowing where those rounds end up Where does this gun rights issue cross the line and endanger everyone's public safety?
Link