Brave Open Carry Group Goes To Court To Fight For Their Right To Scare The Hell Out of Motorists
Open Carry Tarrant County’s leader in Texas totally does not understand why approaching motorists in their cars while carrying a loaded weapon would be intimidating to the driver even though carjackings are an actual thing. So naturally, he brought it to court.
Kory Watkins was in federal court on Monday in Arlington, fighting for his right to scare the hell out of people on busy streets.
Watkins wants U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor to issue an injunction against the city after Open Carry Tarrant County supporters started handing out literature in busy streets and intersections with loaded weapons, which resulted in Arlington revising its ordinance against impeding traffic.
According to WFAA, the city lays out a list of the busiest streets and intersections, where it is now specifically illegal for pedestrians to approach cars for leaflet distribution.
Watkins is having none of that safety stuff.
Open Carry Tarrant County routinely posts videos of members walking with their loaded weapons strapped to their backs while approaching motorists in the street.
Watkins claims the ordinance stifles free speech and keeps supporters from joining him on the streets.
A city attorney asked Watkins in court if some motorists might feel intimidated.
Was his rifle loaded? He said it was.
What kind of rifle was it? An AK-47.
According to WFAA, Watkins’ lawyer said those questions show Arlington is reacting to guns — not traffic safety.
“How is that relevant?” said Warren Norred, Watkins’ attorney. “None of that was relevant.”
WFAA reports:
Norred also brought up an e-mail by Arlington City Council member Charlie Parker. In it, Parker referred to open carry demonstrators as “thugs” for their behavior at a Council meeting, and their treatment of some police officers.
“The problem is, some people are uncomfortable with this speech,” Norred said outside of federal court in Fort Worth. “They want to do anything they can to shut them up.”
The City of Arlington’s attorney said the leaflet ordinance is strictly about public safety, and is not aimed at any group.
Judge O’Connor asked dozens of questions during the two-hour hearing. He talked of the importance of protecting speech that some might find “uncomfortable.”
He said he’ll rule soon on Watkins’ request for an injunction to block Arlington from enforcing its ordinance.
It’s come down to this: The judge could rule in Watkins’ favor because making everyone around an Open Carry group ‘uncomfortable’ is within their rights.
Watch:
Showing off loaded guns at a busy intersection while approaching motorists is certainly a detriment to traffic safety.
H/T: An actual good guy with a gun, @ComgenKDT.
tiredoftea July 7th, 2014 at 10:10 pm
Stupid doesn’t have a reverse gear. If they’re misunderstood, it’s your fault!
edmeyer_able July 7th, 2014 at 10:10 pm
The trial of the 1st person to shoot one of these idiots will be a great script for a lifetime movie.
mea_mark July 8th, 2014 at 3:00 pm
How about the trial of the first person drive over some of these ammosexuals?
edmeyer_able July 8th, 2014 at 3:07 pm
That would be tougher to prove since they’d probably argue you had the ability to flee the scene even though you have the right to stand your ground. ………..tl/dr………. it’s complicated
Cosmic_Surfer July 7th, 2014 at 10:30 pm
Of course they will “fight for their right” to be threatening pricks. That’s what ball deprived roid-raged children do until their balls drop. Their voices will then drop an octave, they grow pubic hair and they actually learn to give up childish dreams of mommy’s womb (or learn acceptable ways of sublimating their life long pursuit of crawling back in)………. These guys might get there at end of life.
m2old4bs July 8th, 2014 at 7:44 am
You think they ever will? I’m not holding my breath on that one.
Cosmic_Surfer July 8th, 2014 at 9:28 am
People are capable of change – although there is no promise that they ever will.
uzza July 7th, 2014 at 10:31 pm
Hmm. In court he says his gun was loaded. Back when they were defending this practice wasn’t there something about how we were all paranoid because all the guns were “safety tied” or something?
Billy Jackson July 7th, 2014 at 10:45 pm
Yes, and we all know how safe these motherfuckers are with their guns. Specially when they’re cleaning them or showing how safe they are to their girlfriends.
jasperjava July 8th, 2014 at 1:49 am
Or leaving them on the coffee table for their toddlers to get them.
Jedi Dale July 8th, 2014 at 12:37 am
Using the general term “guns” is vague and misleading. That man has a Kalashnikov military assault rifle. Same type of weapon of choice used by the bank robbers in Cal. who had that epic shootout with the cops back in the 90s. Ask a cop what they think of open carrying an AK-47. Here’s the scary truth: If that man decided to kill those motorists, nothing could stop him! I’m a Veteran, and I believe military assault rifles should be for the military, not civilians.
m2old4bs July 8th, 2014 at 7:43 am
as do I
Pilotshark July 8th, 2014 at 1:16 pm
not to mention those two had amour pricing rounds as well, the cops had no place to take cover.
sad to think the NRA is all for this and stalkers, felons etc…
guess in a way that’s why we are militarizing the police force.
M A G July 8th, 2014 at 7:01 am
Where I live, there’s an ordinance against anyone collecting money or distributing materials at intersections. It’s dangerous for the pedestrians as well as the drivers, so it’s just not allowed. Has nothing to do with guns. Is that the case here, too?
m2old4bs July 8th, 2014 at 7:43 am
it should be. But then we are dealing with Texas here.
Altreg01 July 8th, 2014 at 4:31 pm
In Tex Ass guns trump common sense and common decency
ChrisVosburg July 9th, 2014 at 10:47 am
Yeah, it is. The ordinance is not about gunnery, it is about public safety.
The Texas court system, like other states, maintains a list of “Vexatious Litigants”, i.e., people who litigate only to annoy, and I’d say our Kory has just made the list.
Dave July 8th, 2014 at 9:44 am
If a nutjob with a loaded assault rifle came at my car, I’d “Stand my Ground” and run him over…..use their own bullshit laws against THEM!
Pilotshark July 8th, 2014 at 1:21 pm
you have to wonder how that would work. sounds like it could but then again betting few other factors would come into play.
Budda July 8th, 2014 at 10:29 am
Absolutely correct. The term “uncomfortable” is not appropriate here…”fearful” might better describe the situation.
Bridgett Cash July 8th, 2014 at 3:48 pm
Approach MY car or ME with a gun strapped to you and I promise the results won’t be pretty. Just try it one time. I dare you.
Altreg01 July 8th, 2014 at 4:32 pm
Just little men walking around with their loaded penises. Bunch of wussies.
Pearl Polanski July 8th, 2014 at 6:00 pm
Don’t want no short dick man!
http://youtu.be/OwAtn4FZH68
ChrisVosburg July 9th, 2014 at 10:19 am
“Isn’t that cute, an extra belly button.” hee hee.
ColinSC July 9th, 2014 at 10:19 am
Two major stumbling blocks to common sense here:
~ Education and culture, people that only feel safe when armed to the teeth come from a background where their decisions are dictated by fear. This usually comes from the environment they have been raised in the the culture that pervades them.
~ Rich corporations selling their wares, if there isnt a war on they have to sell their weapons somewhere. There are places in the US where more people kill each other with US made weapons than are killed in foreign war zones.
I am sure there are other reasons, but I am equally sure merely abusing these folk cannot help the problem.
ChrisVosburg July 9th, 2014 at 10:32 am
You are describing paranoia, which, although incurable, is treatable, and typically, it is a perceived negative reaction to behavior by a paranoic that will motivate said paranoic to alter that behavior.
We can’t put a gun to their heads to make them take their meds, so telling them that they are acting badly is the next best thing.