Someone posted a picture on Facebook of a Kansas man sitting on his front porch, holding a rifle. The caption claimed he was upset about people parking in front of his house. Kyle could have assumed a defensive posture by refusing to grant an interview. Refusing to go on camera used to be the prudent action. Many in the gun culture have had experience with an untrustworthy media. The Katie Couric lawsuit comes to mind. Progress in the culture wars has reached the point, though, where a confident and articulate speaker can push back against the prevailing narrative.
No matter what you think about his actions, in the interview above, Kyle comes off as normal, level-headed, and positive. From kwch.com:
The picture spread on social media, claiming the man had a problem with people parking by his driveway. But that man, who only wants to be identified as Kyle, said that’s not entirely true. He said parking is a problem in this neighborhood at times, but that’s not the reason he had his gun.
“Didn’t feel like I was bothering anybody,” Kyle said. “I am a hunter, I do like to hunt and I just wanted to sit on my front porch with my gun, I didn’t think that was a big deal.”
But Kyle said he’s had two people confront him, threatening him because he had a firearm.
“He said if I didn’t have that gun I’d cut you up real good,” Kyle said remembering something a man outside his house said to him this week.
Kyle said he’s just exercising his second amendment rights and is always responsible with guns. But parents said it still makes them uneasy with it being so close to a school.
My experience: local media reports are mostly honest. If you’re being interviewed on a gun-related topic, don’t give them ammunition. Dress reasonably, be soft-spoken, present yourself reasonably, and act knowing that exercising your rights is a positive, responsible thing to do. Kyle set a good example with his media demeanor. The entire event was capped with the last two lines of the kwch.com video and article:
Officials with the Wichita School District said they are aware of the situation and parent’s concerns, however, they have no reports of the man pointing the gun at anyone or making any threats. They also spoke with police who confirm the man has the right to carry the gun openly.
The old adage bears repeating; rights are like muscles; if you don’t use them you lose them. A hoplophobe tried to shame Kyle into refusing to exercise his rights. He didn’t cooperate, and the other side appeared small and petty. The gun culture is winning the war.
©2016 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included. Gun Watch
“The caption claimed he was upset about people parking in front of his house.”
Holding a gun because you’re upset about people parking in front of your house won’t meet a legal definition of brandishing… but it’s kinda brandishing. And it’s definitely kinda dumb when you’re across from the elementary school (I can think of at least 2-3 much better ways to stop people from parking there, including parking your own car there or calling a tow truck). And the line about “I’m a hunter and I wanted to sit on my porch with my gun I THOUGHT THIS WAS AMERICA”… is there not a Chipotle near this guy or something?
“But Kyle said he’s had two people confront him, threatening him because he had a firearm. ‘He said if I didn’t have that gun I’d cut you up real good,’ Kyle said remembering something a man outside his house said to him this week.”
Bullshit detector is now off the charts.
Can you prove he was doing it to be intimidating? No? Then any assumption of brandishing is just that. If the law says he can sit on his porch holding a gun, then by all means he can sit on his porch holding a gun. I’m not saying it’s smart, but otherwise this is just people stirring shit for the sake of stirring shit.
I sit on my porch with my edc on my hip all the time. What is the big concern?
I guess it kind of depends on if he is put the caption there – or if someone else did.
So a person, sitting on the front porch of a house they (and the bank own), with a firearm is kinda brandishing?
If he were sitting on his front porch with a pack of Camels and a lighter would he be kinda smoking?
I thought having cigarettes within view of an elementary school is definitely kinda dumb or illegal or something.
Sorry, my BS detector is starting to hit the peg.
Brandishing has a very specific definition. Much like holding a pack of cigarettes isn’t the same as smoking
People getting upset with other people openly and legally carrying (unloaded) handguns in public led California in short order to ban the practice. So exercising your rights can have negative consequences, if you live in the wrong state.
If exercising a right can negate the right, was it a right to begin with?
^ This !!!
Not always. In Texas, carrying long guns openly in public led to passage of open carry for handguns.
Sitting on the porch carressing his rifle…I would have just said “get off my lawn!”. But it works better if you’re an old curmudgeon?
No sane person would post a picture of anything on Facebook.
It’s the functional equivalent of taping a sexy picture of your girfriend on the wall of a bus station men’s room with her name and address attached.
Too bad they did not realize that having someone across the street from the school who might actually know how to use the rifle might also be an asset in the event of someone trying to shoot up the school. He’s a lot closer than the police will be in most cases.
“He said if I didn’t have that gun I’d cut you up real good,”
Rational people don’t say things like this. However the people who get pissed about you having a firearm generally are not rational.
My dad had a guy trespassing on his property with an unleashed dog that got aggressive with my dad (my parents live in a rural area outside Santa Fe NM). When my dad pulled his sidearm and held it at a low ready just in case the dog came after him the guy went absolutely ballistic in a barely intelligible NY accent (my dad’s originally from NJ so I guess he knows the accents and whatnot). When he finally left with his dog (now on a leash) he walked away talking shit. Then he called 911 to report a “crazy guy with a gun” who had “accosted” him. He played it like he was on public property and my dad rushed out and waved a gun at him. Fortunately the foot (and paw) prints in the dust told a different story and the grand jury declined to indict.
After that happened I say “Fuck those people” you pull that shit with me on my property you’re gonna be held for the authorities and charged with trespass. Good luck calling the cops first when you’re zip tied and lying on your chest. Get snippy about it and I’ll crack you in the grape with the stock until you’re nice and docile. Talk about a knife and be prepared to be looking down my barrel. Reach for something after that and the barrel will be the last thing you ever see. My property. Fuck you.
Yeah, I know that sounds a bit OTT but after what happened to my dad I’m calling the cops first or I’ll be the only one calling the cops because you got a hole blown in your face. I’m sure as hell not going to let some fucktard start shit and then wander off to call the cops and spin some yarn about how I left my property to threaten him/her.
If you have the opportunity to be the first caller, that is always preferred as the police and dispatchers always assume the first caller is the victim.
Yup. That’s how my dad ended up with a grand jury deciding if he should be prosecuted or not. Because the other guy called first.
It wasn’t an insignificant potential charge either: assault with a deadly weapon in the 1st degree.
So, as a result, did he end up in possession of the name and address of the asshole who brought the charges? I think I’d have to look him up.
Kyle is an idiot
While sitting there holding a rifle may be legal, it is certainly threatening
As others have said here you cannot use a gun to deal with parking violations
Winning a few battles, maybe. Winning the war? Not by a long shot. When the national “news” media all start reporting daily on the positive, i.e., defensive, uses of firearms and they start taking advertising from Smith & Wesson during prime-time tv or daytime soaps, I’ll take another look. Otherwise, there’s no real end to that “war” in sight.
I see commercials for Henry rifles on TV during prime time.
Hey, it’s a start.
I assume those are Henry lever-action rifles? I suppose you could claim it is progress when mainstream media allow advertising for 150 year old firearm technology.
I’m not inclined to take local media at face value.
Sitting on the front porch, holding your gun, makes you a whackadoo. It just does.
Bullshit. Anyone who can see me is either trespassing on my property or using a telescope. Either way, screw him.
Your case may be an exception.
I see no problem here. If he were sitting on his front steps whittling would all these morons be saying that he was brandishing a knife?
Oh, and as for the lady who thinks parents might “take things into their own hands”, what exactly is that supposed to mean? Without further clarification that statement sounds a hell of a lot more threatening than a random dude sitting on his porch with a rifle slung across his chest.