We’ve tried to explain why long gun open carry onto the property of private businesses is a counterproductive tactic.
We’ve explained that the reactions of previous businesses to long gun open carry—statements issued by a half-dozen companies that gun carriers are no longer welcome—are counterproductive. We’ve noted that the general public that we need to influence to affect positive policy change overwhelmingly finds long gun open carry abhorrent. We’ve explained that long gun open carry into private businesses has never been common in the history of the United States. We’ve explained how pro-gun legislators have implored these groups to stop, because these tactics are making it harder to build support for open carry legislation.
And most recently, we’ve pointed out that long gun open carry, as practiced by many long gun open carriers, is dangerous, due to their propensity to muzzle one another and point their firearms in unsafe directions, such as tile-covered concrete store floors, roads, and parking lots.
Unfortunately, these groups are intent on continuing the same self-destructive path, and have once again given Moms Demand Action From Illegal Mayors In Everytown more ammunition.
On Saturday, they held another long gun open carry protest outside of a Target store—a retail chain that has so far avoided making a public statement telling saying that gun owners are unwelcome—with their firearms almost universally pointing at the parking lot surface, or one another’s legs.
Apparently @Target wants these customers instead of moms like me #OffTarget @Honest @jessicaalba @Christopher_Gav pic.twitter.com/1UhnV43zXv
— change4thegood (@momschange) June 15, 2014
@Target What do you suggest we tell our kids when we drive up for a Bday gift & see this? #OffTarget #MomsDemand pic.twitter.com/9FLTibObnB — Kim Valverde (@klvalverde) June 15, 2014
If someone has an idea of how to break through to them that they are not only hurting their alleged cause but other gun owners as well, I’d love to hear your advice.
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