A man who openly carried a holstered gun at a high school soccer game Thursday led Muskegon Western Michigan Christian leaders to halt the contest against Hudsonville Freedom Christian with 30 minutes remaining.
The man, whose identity was not immediately available, was spotted with the weapon by a Warriors assistant coach, who alerted head coach David Hulings and assistant athletics director Fred VandenBrand.
VandenBrand asked the man to leave, but he refused. Instead, he apparently took the firearm to his car and left it there before returning to the stands. His presence, and the uncertainty if the gun was still being carried, resulted in the game being stopped with 15 minutes into the second half.
"I thought it was necessary to clear the field of players and parents," Hulings said. "It is regretful that the boys on both teams could not finish. I am sorry for the inconvenience, but I thought it best to err on the side of caution.
"Although I personally have no objection to, and do support, his right to carry, the school also has a right under the law to ask him to leave."
Police were called to the scene, but it was unclear if the man with the gun was questioned about his intent or his interaction with Western Michigan Christian school officials. VandenBrand said an officer told him that the private school had a right to ask the man to leave, and that the scenario is unprecedented in his career.
That is the problem with these disphits.
They are under the impression that having them walk around openly displaying an weapon will make people feel safer, but of course it has the exact opposite effect.
If I see a guy with a gun, who is clearly not a police officer or part of the a security patrol, I immediately think that there may be something wrong with that person. And nothing about seeing them would put me at ease.
However that logic is completely lost on these assholes who act all put upon when the police roll up and confront them about their weapons.
I am beginning to think that we seriously need to revisit the whole idea of a 2nd Amendment. There is no way that the Founding Fathers could have predicted how it would be interpreted and the kind of firepower that is now available to civilians. No way.
I have a carry concealed permit and am always armed. I am a woman and travel long distances by car for my job so I see it as for protection but I don't wear it for anyone to see. I'm for stricter gun laws through background checks etc.because we must do something to keep firearms away from lunatics. I know one thing, the first store or street I enter with some nut job with his AK47 on his back, I'm headed out the other direction.
ReplyDeletewell spoken....
DeleteI think people like this guy forget (or choose to ignore) that the rest of us have the right to feel safe and comfortable in our lives also. Along with rights come responsibilities such as respecting others freedoms, in this case the ability to feel safe while at your kids game.
Very well said!
DeleteAgain, the failure of the NRA and other pro-2nd Amendment people are this, we can't identify a Good Guy with a gun from one who intends to cause harm.
DeleteI too am a woman that carries because of a stalking situation. But I never carry into a business, I have a lockbox in my vehicle.
DeleteBTW be very careful carrying in different states. I would suggest you double check the laws of the states you are traveling through.
Me too. I have had a concealed carry since the early 90's when I got one in Atlanta as I was working in the city and living by myself, travel alone a lot. Always kept it hidden. If I showed my weapon it was because I was getting ready to use it.
DeleteUnfortunately, the wingnuts who carry openly to make a point get far more attention than the responsible gun owners like yourself.
DeleteThere are very few people on the left who are for disarming the population completely, and they're considered just as wingnutty and the idiots who go to the grocery with rifles on their backs.
However, most of us can agree that the laws need to be strengthened considerably in order to maintain some sense of safety FROM the people who are irresponsible with their weapons.
Did this nutjob have a shirt on that said "I'm a good guy!" or are we just supposed to trust him and hope for the best when there are children in the path of danger?
Its because these idiots live in a bubble. Every time there is a mass shooting these morons get hot and imagine what they would have done if they were there. They imagine they would have gunned down the "bad guy" and been heros. In reality they would have no idea who the bad guy was, shot a lot of innocent people and in the end accidentally shot themselves.
ReplyDeleteI'm perplexed why these people don't get that with the thousands of gun deaths that occur in this country that normal people seeing an armed man in a crowded environment wouldn't freak out. Damned stupid they are. Damned stupid.
Might as well be yelling Fire in a theater.
DeleteYou are exactly right. I know a few people personally who harbor those fantasies of being the 2nd amendment hero who took out the bad guy. But like you say, it's more likely they'd mistakenly take out one of their 2nd amendment brothers and probably a few bystanders caught in the crossfire. Maybe a few people standing too close to windows in nearby buildings, or who happened to by driving past the scene, for good measure.
DeleteI remember reading testimony from a guy who was shopping in a store right next to where the Gabby Giffords shooting took place. He had a concealed carry permit and when he exited the store he saw the commotion already in progress, and he admitted he almost mistakenly drew on the guy who had just disarmed the shooter, because that was the only guy he could see who had a gun.
What really amazes me about the 2nd amendment lunatics is that they're okay with the idea that you need to pass a test and be licensed and insured to drive, but don't you DARE put any restrictions on their prized fetish objects that are designed for ONE purpose; to kill people.
I have a kid in my 5th grade class who has Superman socks, complete with capes running down the back of his calves. I imagine he sometimes thinks about racing to the rescue in an emergency, being hailed as the hero whose logo he wears on his legs..
DeleteHowever, he's 10 years old and does NOT have a weapon.
Wonder how long it'll take him to appear on YouTube whining about how his "rights" were "violated"?
ReplyDeleteExactly, his rights are infringed while our right to life, liberty and happiness is threatened.
DeleteAnd the shocked and horrified press release from the NRA defending him in 3...2...1...
DeleteGreat post, Gryphen, and I completely agree with you about the Founding Fathers.
ReplyDeleteIn a way I'm glad this happened, because this stupid man has angered a whole town now with his ridiculous stunt. I'm sure his kid will be ostracized too.
But it will have the effect of getting the people in that town and the whole school talking about what is appropriate.
I find most of these in-your-face gun nuts to be angry, scary people. So if I saw someone like that in public, I would get as far away as possible, immediately.
I hope to see this type reaction done more often! This 'open carry' is total bullshit especially around school events. Makes a person 'look tough', but I'll wager he's the furthest from it.
ReplyDeleteI would also suggest many are noting more than lunatics and Republicans!
Patrons of establishments that welcome these open carry wingnuts need to tell management they're leaving and not coming back because they feel unsafe with these whackjobs walking around with loaded weapons. Then you'll see more places following Starbuck's lead, saying hey, we're losing business because you're scaring our customers away. Leave your guns at home.
DeleteThere is NO REASON to bring a gun to church. Not if you are truly a Christian.
mlaiuppa -
DeleteThe right wing is so fond of their precious capitalist marketplace...but it works both ways, doesn't it? Let's see how quickly they start to whine when businesses find that allowing open carry is hurting their bottom line and start making changes in their policies.