Adam Kokesh-Has he damaged Gun Rights

[Camp]

What impact will charges against Adam Kokesh have on gun rights? Positive or negative.? Does he make gun owners look crazy and dangerous? Will the situation inspire others to follow his type of activism?

 

[Kevin_Kennedy]

How did he make gun-owners look "crazy and dangerous" by peacefully owning a firearm? He didn't shoot his gun, or even threaten to do so. If anything he showed that gun-owners can be responsible.

 

[Camp]

So your perception and opinion is that his endeavor was a positive action that showed gun owner responsibility and the publicity garnered from it helps us influence people who are not hard core one way or the other to come to the gun rights side of the debate? I happen to think not. Loading a weapon for the purpose of a demonstration in an area where the law restricts that action could be viewed as foolish, irrisponsible and perhaps dangerous. I think it was a mistake and gives the gun control people something they can use.

 

[Kevin_Kennedy]

So your perception and opinion is that his endeavor was a positive action that showed gun owner responsibility and the publicity garnered from it helps us influence people who are not hard core one way or the other to come to the gun rights side of the debate? I happen to think not. Loading a weapon for the purpose of a demonstration in an area where the law restricts that action could be viewed as foolish, irrisponsible and perhaps dangerous. I think it was a mistake and gives the gun control people something they can use.

It's called forcing the issue. If nobody ever does anything then nothing ever gets done. Bad laws stay on the books unless they're shown to be bad laws. Kokesh, by simply loading the gun, showed that gun owners in general are not going to be shooting people up if they're allowed to carry in Washington, D.C. If somebody is going to shoot somebody up, then that ban on guns is not going to stop them. Are political opponents going to spin it into some narrative about how dangerous and crazy he is? Of course. Does that mean it wasn't worth doing? No.

 

[whitehall]

Enforce the freaking laws on the books. That's all you need to do before you get bogged down in a discussion about the 2nd Amendment. If Kokesh violated the law he should be prosecuted. If the "new black panthers" intimidated voters with weapons and firearms they should be prosecuted also.

 

[Katzndogz]

No effect. He's a lunatic.