The irony of it all - open carry picnics.

During the recent Memorial Day weekend, there were picnics all over the state of Wisconsin.  Of course, picnics are very common this time of year.  Friends and families get together to celebrate Memorial Day and the unofficial start of summer.  The weather cooperated and many people were enjoying the first days outside.  However,  what made certain picnics over the weekend very unique was the fact that they were "open carry" picnics.  Keep in mind the term  "open carry" isn't referring  to alcoholic beverages.   Open carry in this instance meant that people all over our state were exercising their right to bear arms.  People were partying with guns on their belts - guns worn in plain sight!   Our own Attorney General, J.B. Van Hollen recently said that it is legal to openly carry a gun in Wisconsin.

Funny thing is, the media paid very little attention to these events. Does anyone recall seeing any story on these open carry picnics in the Milwaukee Journal/Sentinel?  There was a large gathering in Greenfield, and guess what?  With many people toting guns, no violence was reported.  Another open carry picnic was held in Onalaska.  Lots of guns out in the open.   Again, no violence.  Same goes for all the other towns and counties across our state that hosted such gatherings.  There were no "wild west" shoot-outs, which probably disappointed the anti-gun crowd and journalists everywhere.  Maybe that is why there were no stories on open carry picnics in the newspapers.  Greg Plautz, who organized the picnic in Greenfield summed it up nicely by stating "because you're carrying a firearm, you are not a threat to society."  Hubert Hoffman, who planned the Onalaska event said:  "Those who chose to open carry a firearm are not a danger to the public.  Those who chose to open carry are the general public."

Let's backpedal a little bit to the "Dan Jansen Family Fest" which was also held in Greenfield on Sunday, May 24th. Over the Memorial Day weekend.  This was not an "open carry" event.  No legal gun-toting citizens to be found.  Yet, what happened?  Well, according to many reports, violence broke out.  Gangs were present.  Someone was said to have been stabbed, which was later proven to be false.  Police arrested 40 people.  Fights spread from the festival, located at Konkel Park, into surrounding neighborhoods.  A police officer was punched in the face by an 18 year old Milwaukee man and suffered a split lip and bloody nose.  Tasers were used by law enforcement.  Additional squads had to be called in from Franklin and Greendale.  People in attendance said the fighting could have been called a riot.

Let's go back even further to another popular event held in downtown Milwaukee, RiverSplash.  Last years event is not remembered for the music or fun, but rather for the shooting and alcohol-induced brawls that broke out, as well as gang activities.  The person who shot a young man in the foot was never caught.   Milwaukee is bracing itself for another RiverSplash scheduled for the first week in June.  Mayor Barrett says that steps will be taken to ensure the safety of the crowds and curb the drinking.  RiverSplash is not an open carry event, nor was it last year, either.  Law-abiding citizens were not armed, but the hoodlums who shot up the place were.

Isn't it ironic that the out of all the events held over the Memorial Day weekend, the open carry picnics were safe and fun-filled, with no reports of violence or brawls?  No need for any police presence?  Yet, at other events - the ones where the only people with guns are the thugs who have no respect for the law or the lives of others - violence seems to be commonplace? 

Maybe we should make all summer events "open carry?"   Perhaps the criminal elements in our society would think twice before attending.  They'd realize that law-abiding citizens wouldn't be easy prey anymore, since they'd be armed, too.  Our festivals and events could actually become safer - with the dangerous thugs choosing to stay away.

For more information on open carry, check out:  http://www.opencarry.org