Great turnout of supporters for the Sheriff. From the gun crowd were myself - Mike Sessa, Chuck Madurski and Bill aka Dr. Dremel.

I talked with the Sheriff personally and briefly about the open carry issue and as I predicted he was in concurrence that it is legal and constitutional so he is duty bound to uphold and defend the practice. I don't know that he has any real concerns but he did state he thought open carry was OK outside highly populated areas being city's and towns. If that represents a reservation on his part I'm not so sure as he is duty bound by the law and the state constitution to support the right to keep and bear arms in defense of ones self and the state.

Here's what he said in a very short video clip where I ask Sheriff Kalanquin what he thinks about open carry.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1cw8W5SOIs

 

It always bothers me when they say " I think  it's OK " . It's a legal right and that's all. His answer should be just that.

Rant off

A better question would have been...

Sheriff Ron Kalanquin, Would you condone an arrest by one of your deputies if they observed someone OC'ing in a city or other high population area without doing anything else other than simply OC a sidearm?

Because it seems to me that he does not believe we, regular people, have the right to personal protection where ever we choose to be legally.

I also believe it's pretty short sighted to think that one would have more of a need of personal protection in a rural setting than in a high population area (urban) which is where the majority of violent crimes take place.

That being said, I would have liked it better if he simply said, "I am not against OC where legal."

"Outside of a village or town...." hardly seems like the right answer.

Just cuz you like to own guns does not make you "Pro-2A"

For being Pro -2A ,he sure gave me a ration of shit in front of the gunboard when I CCWed.

Mike,

Are we to assume he is for the legalization of NFA weapons?

*edit*
I know you said so in in the tittle of your other thread but he's saying that he's ok with non-officers owning and shooting full auto, highly concealable SBR and SBS's?

But he's not so sure he likes the idea of legal open carry in a city.

hrmmm

Hey guys I put him on the spot by asking the question - you saw and heard his response in his words. It might not be the exact right answer you or I would like to hear - but the guys is an elected Sheriff elected by lots of people not like you and me.

If you want to help mold and shape a viewpoint you need to be around the individual so that other opinions can come into the conversations to challenge particular assertions as defective. Thats how you mold and shape personal, political and public opinion. I might agree with you about what he said in city's and towns but I'm sure he has his own reasons why he might think that might not be a good idea. He said its constitutional and not a big deal to open carry - I call that support.

The Sheriff obviously takes his job seriously prior to approving fed forms or CPL's. The Sheriff knows what we want to do about the state NFA - SBR SBS and Silencer issues. He expressed no reservations - after all even if certain items were legal private parties would still have to gain his signature as the CLEO prior to obtaining a fed transfer of such items. He signs form 4's for mg's and AOW's and has shot NFA stuff. Yes - he's a supporter. Yes he does check you out before hand.

If you guys want to ask other questions either look up his email or call him on the phone - or better yet - show up and ask him in person at one of these events we post about all the time and only the 3 or 4 same guys ever show up.

The sherrif was answering a minute or two before he was trying to organize the parade workers.  He answered off the cuff and I'm sure that he would support open carry fully if he had the time to discuss in detail.

I find it sad that there are 7 guys that ever show up to anything political.  Had we shown up with 200 donors at an Attorney General fundraiser, I'd be willing to bet that we would have an opinion in favor of silencers.  Instead he probably sees it as 7 guys that show up repeatedly that are interested.  Not enough to risk your career over.  Sure, he should have done so even if it were one guy showing up but that is not how poloitics works.  No politician puts his but on the line for one guy.

There is strength in numbers, but it seems that most just like to nit pick the works of those of us that do show up.  Mike Sessa has put more effort into strengthening politics than any of us.  His work and the ceaseless efforts of Kerry put non-C&R MGs in the hands of many here.  Heck, even I found a way to get SBS-SBR here in MI.  I have three already and a few more in the pipeline.  Chuck has made the news about MI gun laws public to the readers of Small Arms Review, trying to raise awareness of the efforts and accomplishments we have made.  Lumpy took the huge task of moderating this very board.  I ask all of you, what can you do to help open up our rights?  We need people to step up and be counted to fight for our rights.

Sometimes people have plans...

I had made commitments prior to hearing about the parade.  If I had not, I would have been there.

Advanced notice helps people plan.

BTW: It would also have been an hour and a half one way trip for me, anything happening closer to the metro area?

Thanks guys for all you do !  
I shouldn't have commented on a Sheriff from a different county that my own. Next time I see the Clinton County Sheriff I will ask him his feeling on open carry. I'm not a open carry guy but I like to know I have a option.

My daughter starts college in three weeks maybe then I can get my life in order and make some of these events . Anything coming up in the next couple of months ?

Don't take it the wrong way.  It was out of the way and I had to drive 1.5 hours round trip.  But there have been some things with advance notice and we can get 150 guys to talk for hours about some of these things like silencers, but no one shows up when it counts.  I have not been able to make every event but it really would be nice to see someone new to step in.  It is going to take numbers for some things to happen.