LIberty IS Scary

Expressing, even a little bit, that there's nothing inherently wrong with open carry is yanking hard on a trip wire.

The people who don't like open carry, and think that nobody should, come out of the woodwork to condemn the very idea.

They insult anyone who does it.

They linkspam without checking to see if their links actually support their position.

They link to people who linkspammed.

A lot of them claim to support the right, but not the act.  Then proceed to condemn the act.

If you condemn the act you are condemning the right.  It's one thing to say that someone has a right to do something, but that you will not be doing it yourself.  It's quite another to say that someone has a right to do something; and they are morons for doing it.

One way supports the right.  The other doesn't through condemning the act.

I've tread this path before over helmet laws.

When I rode, I always wore a helmet.  I think it's an important, and essential piece of safety equipment and tried my darnedest to get others to wear one too.

But I never wanted to see the wearing of one mandated by law.

We'd go to "Let those who ride decide" rallies and be mobbed by the local press who were expecting us to condemn going bare pate and demand helmet laws.

We would always say that it's a decision that a person has a right to make and they need to make for themselves.

Right or wrong, it's up to them.

That's the thing about liberty and freedom.  You're free to fuck up, even if it kills you.  Yes, that's scary.  But don't put your fears onto others at, literal, gunpoint.  Another thing about liberty is when someone has the right to fuck up, you have to let them.

If there are consequences, then they will bear them.

But notice the difference in the advocacy?

We wore helmets to the rally.  We vocally, and publicly, stated that it was their right to go without helmets and they they had to make their own decision.

We did not show up and say, "while these morons can decide for themselves what they're going to do; WE'RE wearing helmets; like all intelligent people should!"

One way supports the right while not exercising it; the other condemns the act and the right.

If you're going to be an advocate FOR freedom and liberty you're going to have to learn this lesson; and live it.