The report in TPM today that two of the men seen carrying guns at the recent town halls are linked to right-wing extremist groups is an extremely disturbing development.
But, in responding, it is important for Democrats to remember that most of the Americans who carry weapons do so for legitimate reasons – security guards, night watchmen, private detectives, parole officers, and businessmen who have to carry large quantities of cash.
These normal, law-abiding Americans would never dream of wearing their gun at a wedding, or a PTA meeting, or a decent restaurant. They would leave their weapon in the glove compartment of their car instead. (one friend of mine, a lanky Vietnam vet named Pete, always leaves his sidearm in his car before going into Waffle House to sit around and joke with the waitresses. “It wouldn’t be polite” he explains).
What the “pistol-packers” showing up at the town halls are doing on the other hand is the exact opposite – they are being intentionally provocative and deliberately seeking to offend. Their behavior has absolutely nothing to do with the second amendment or gun control. The “pistol-packers” know perfectly well that they are deliberately violating the norms and values of their communities and the code of behavior followed by the vast majority of responsible gun owners. Their second amendment rhetoric has no purpose other than to obscure this basic fact.
Dems should not let the pistol-packers hide behind legitimate gun owners. The simple fact is that normal law abiding citizens do not carry their weapons into settings where their presence is inappropriate. The pistol-packers are making a point of it.
Don’t confuse the two.