# Thread for Richmond Gun Rally Mon. Jan. 20 **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 18, 2020, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thread-for-richmond-gun-rally-mon-jan-20/846598 "2020-01-18T02:59:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2020, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thread-for-richmond-gun-rally-mon-jan-20/846598/61 "2020-01-20T21:57:12Z")
So far apparently one person arrested, for a masking offense \*after \*being warned, released on own recognizance. The 6,000 is apparently the tally of crossings of checkpoints into the restricted zone. So it is not necessarily of the maximum number of people in there at one single point. Similarly outside the perimeter with these sorts of events, police estimates tend to acount for flow and turnover as people come and go. Seems like between the authorities’ measures to intercept would-be extremists plus the different sides’ efforts to keep it focused and avoid gratuituous confrontation, things went well. \*However, \* there is always a risk in these situations that once the \*organized \*event is over, that’s when there’s the risk of the more, shall we say, feral factions deciding to act up. > [@running\_coach](#): > > So to protest the disarming of The American Patriot, they allowed themselves to be disarmed. > Brilliant. Well it does behoove them in arguing their case about how they are the “Law-Abiding” gun owners and wish to remain so as long as the law does not violate their rights. So they’d likely say they tolerate this applying only to those who voluntarily choose to enter a specific event site, and that what they object to are the laws that would restrict them at all times and in all places. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2020, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thread-for-richmond-gun-rally-mon-jan-20/846598/62 "2020-01-20T22:10:43Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > I mean, that’s setting the bar pretty low, but yeah, congrats to them for fairly earning their “We Didn’t Murder Anybody Today” merit badge. It is both setting the bar low, and where the bar was set. After Charlottesville, I was expecting today to be pretty goddamned awful. Having given them that credit, I’m fresh out of praise for this overwhelmingly white overwhelming male crowd of assholes who think that parading around with massive weaponry is a good way to spend MLK Day. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2020, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thread-for-richmond-gun-rally-mon-jan-20/846598/63 "2020-01-21T00:13:10Z")
> [@The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](#): > > To go a bit against the grain here, I think while there will be a turnout, it will not be as many as they think, and while there will be much bold talk and flourishing of weapons, there will be no significant violence in Richmond tomorrow. I’m very glad that you were right about this and I was wrong. And yes, the days and weeks of precautions and the earlier law-enforcement actions, no doubt, did serve to lessen the chances that violence would break out. > [@The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](#): > > … Because in the end they do not have what it takes to be revolutionaries. They are not that smart, they are not as organized as one thinks (despite the advantages of twitter and other social media), and despite their talk, they are not going to start an uprising where a large number of them are likely to be shot. The fact that so many of these guys chose to wear masks is significant. Clearly they are now less confident of their ability to dominate the culture, than they were back in 2017 at Charlottesville. Today’s rally isn’t going to help them in any recruitment efforts they may be contemplating, in aid of enforcing a pro-Trump result in November. Thank goodness. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2020, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thread-for-richmond-gun-rally-mon-jan-20/846598/64 "2020-01-21T01:12:27Z")
So things just fizzled out? That’s good. ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2020, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thread-for-richmond-gun-rally-mon-jan-20/846598/65 "2020-01-21T01:14:37Z")
I had also expected the worst today, and I’m glad to have been wrong. ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2020, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thread-for-richmond-gun-rally-mon-jan-20/846598/66 "2020-01-21T01:18:39Z")
I think law enforcement has taken these events more seriously and they’re making it clear to both the patriot types and the antifa that their shit’s not going to be tolerated, which is good. As I said earlier (or perhaps another thread), though, the danger is the handful of people who keep to themselves, stockpile weapons, and just go off at some event where no trouble is expected. In other words: terrorism. The FBI intercepted the terrorists who attempted to attend this rally, and in doing so likely scared off the rest of their ilk. But white nationalist terrorism, which itself takes different forms, is a growing danger. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2020, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thread-for-richmond-gun-rally-mon-jan-20/846598/67 "2020-01-21T01:54:37Z")
So! Shall we invite the entire six thousand over tomorrow afternoon for crumpets and a cream tea? ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2020, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thread-for-richmond-gun-rally-mon-jan-20/846598/68 "2020-01-21T03:03:45Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > All the headlines I’m seeing just say “thousands.” Is that three, 50, or 100 thousand? Big difference. [NYTimes](https://www.nytimes.com/?pid=Owned&c=App%20Sunsetting%20Web&referrer=af_tranid%3DQcQiqdu5d5vGn3OOuvTawg%26pid%3DOwned%26c%3DApp%20Sunsetting%20Web%26af_ios_url%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F%26af_android_url%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F%26af_web_id%3D4c1299fd-f8f6-4e81-bef6-30197da1695f) says 22,000 ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2020, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thread-for-richmond-gun-rally-mon-jan-20/846598/69 "2020-01-21T03:17:06Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > [NYTimes](https://www.nytimes.com/?pid=Owned&c=App%20Sunsetting%20Web&referrer=af_tranid%3DQcQiqdu5d5vGn3OOuvTawg%26pid%3DOwned%26c%3DApp%20Sunsetting%20Web%26af_ios_url%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F%26af_android_url%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F%26af_web_id%3D4c1299fd-f8f6-4e81-bef6-30197da1695f) says 22,000 Scooped by Richmond chanel 6 in post #59 ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2020, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thread-for-richmond-gun-rally-mon-jan-20/846598/70 "2020-01-21T04:10:31Z")
> **[Perspective | Marching around with guns on your chest? That’s all about fear.](https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/marching-around-with-guns-on-your-chest-thats-all-about-fear/2020/01/20/077f3af0-3bc2-11ea-baca-eb7ace0a3455_story.html)** > > But the folks at the gun rights rally are afraid of the wrong thing. > [@](#): > > And the fear is all about a loss of power. Pretty much. And a belief that they can intimidate everyone else. Like everyone who votes Dem or supports some gun control legislation is a pansy who has no idea how to use a firearm - lol. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Economist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c89c15/32.png) [@Evil\_Economist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Economist)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2020, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thread-for-richmond-gun-rally-mon-jan-20/846598/71 "2020-01-21T05:09:51Z")
> [@Sam\_Stone](#): > > And smart people notice that it’s oppressed minorities who need the right to self-defense the most. Smarter people notice that ownership of weapons by oppressed minorities has been used to justify atrocities against them. Expecting weapons ownership to do anything to prevent the oppression of minorities is naive to the point to full-on retardation. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2020, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thread-for-richmond-gun-rally-mon-jan-20/846598/72 "2020-01-21T05:29:22Z")
> [@Sam\_Stone](#): > > And smart people notice that it’s oppressed minorities who need the right to self-defense the most. From people like the ones who gathered in Richmond today. ---
**Author:** ![Lance\_Turbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lance_turbo/32/6156_2.png) [@Lance\_Turbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lance_Turbo)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2020, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thread-for-richmond-gun-rally-mon-jan-20/846598/73 "2020-01-21T08:03:30Z")
Many on the right wing side are bragging about how there were very few arrests today, but that just goes to show you that the cops like these guys and won’t arrest them even when the commit felonies in plain sight. [§ 18.2-422. Prohibition of wearing of masks in certain places; exceptions.](https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title18.2/chapter9/section18.2-422/) > [@](#): > > It shall be unlawful for any person over 16 years of age to, with the intent to conceal his identity, wear any mask, hood or other device whereby a substantial portion of the face is hidden or covered so as to conceal the identity of the wearer, to be or appear in any public place, or upon any private property in this Commonwealth without first having obtained from the owner or tenant thereof consent to do so in writing. However, the provisions of this section shall not apply to persons (i) wearing traditional holiday costumes; (ii) engaged in professions, trades, employment or other activities and wearing protective masks which are deemed necessary for the physical safety of the wearer or other persons; (iii) engaged in any bona fide theatrical production or masquerade ball; or (iv) wearing a mask, hood or other device for bona fide medical reasons upon (a) the advice of a licensed physician or osteopath and carrying on his person an affidavit from the physician or osteopath specifying the medical necessity for wearing the device and the date on which the wearing of the device will no longer be necessary and providing a brief description of the device, or (b) the declaration of a disaster or state of emergency by the Governor in response to a public health emergency where the emergency declaration expressly waives this section, defines the mask appropriate for the emergency, and provides for the duration of the waiver. The violation of any provisions of this section is a Class 6 felony. ---
**Author:** ![Isosleepy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/isosleepy/32/479_2.png) [@Isosleepy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isosleepy)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2020, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thread-for-richmond-gun-rally-mon-jan-20/846598/74 "2020-01-21T13:36:24Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > :dubious: > > “In common use” where? Define “common”. Define “use”. In the US. There are between 5 and 10 million AR-15 style weapons in the US, making them 2 to 5 times more common than satellite-dishes, say. ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2020, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thread-for-richmond-gun-rally-mon-jan-20/846598/75 "2020-01-21T13:56:19Z")
> [@Evil\_Economist](#): > > Smarter people notice that ownership of weapons by oppressed minorities has been used to justify atrocities against them. Expecting weapons ownership to do anything to prevent the oppression of minorities is naive to the point to full-on retardation. White people can parade around in public with weapons of war. But if you’re a black motorist with a gun you informed police you had or a black shopper trying to buy a BB gun or even a black kid playing with a toy gun, then you’re pretty much fucked. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2020, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thread-for-richmond-gun-rally-mon-jan-20/846598/76 "2020-01-21T14:17:25Z")
> [@](#): > > Elsewhere in the crowd, Justin Burns, 19, and his friend Spencer George, 30, flaunted their own arsenals: Both had strapped assault-style rifles across their chests Usually, if a guy needs to use a strap-on, he tries to keep it quiet, but you do you… ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2020, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thread-for-richmond-gun-rally-mon-jan-20/846598/77 "2020-01-21T14:18:55Z")
> [@Lance\_Turbo](#): > > Many on the right wing side are bragging about how there were very few arrests today, but that just goes to show you that the cops like these guys and won’t arrest them even when the commit felonies in plain sight. > > [§ 18.2-422. Prohibition of wearing of masks in certain places; exceptions.](https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title18.2/chapter9/section18.2-422/) From FB: The police could arrest the white supremacists, but that’s gonna make for some awkward moments when they run into them at work the next day. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2020, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thread-for-richmond-gun-rally-mon-jan-20/846598/78 "2020-01-21T14:39:57Z")
> [@Squink](#): > > Good to hear those rat turds got arrested. Who calls themselves “the base” anyway? What do they think they are anyway, a kilo of sodium hydroxide? Maybe it’s because their hero is the world’s biggest lye-er. For once cooler heads seemed to prevail and no major violence. Thank goodness for that. ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2020, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thread-for-richmond-gun-rally-mon-jan-20/846598/79 "2020-01-21T15:24:11Z")
> [@madmonk28](#): > > God look at those little weirdos playing dress up. No shit! What is with people that are apparently “adults” donning full body armor and walking around with 50 BMGs? And your celebrity appearance is Alex Dumbshit Jones? Gun NUTS is an apt description. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2020, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thread-for-richmond-gun-rally-mon-jan-20/846598/80 "2020-01-21T15:35:40Z")
> [@Squink](#): > > Good to hear those rat turds got arrested. Who calls themselves “the base” anyway? What do they think they are anyway, a kilo of sodium hydroxide? “The base” is the English translation of Al Qaeda. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thread-for-richmond-gun-rally-mon-jan-20/846598.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thread-for-richmond-gun-rally-mon-jan-20/846598.md?page=5)