Eleven-Year-Old Brings AR-15 To NH State House Rally

[proud2BlibKansan]

An 11-year-old boy brought an AR-15 and a white flag with the words "Come and Take It" to a rally at the New Hampshire State House Saturday, the Union Leader reported.

Organized by the Granite State Patriots Liberty PAC, the "Honor Your Oath" rally charged that lawmakers who voted to repeal the state's "Stand Your Ground" law last month violated their oaths of office and should be impeached, according to the Union Leader. The rally organizers said the event was not "gun rally."

But that didn't stop 11-year-old Hunter Cogswell of Concord from bringing an AR-15 and a big white flag with black lettering: "Come and Take It."

The boy said he was there to "stand up for gun rights."

"I believe in gun rights. It's our constitutional right," he said, adding the gun was real but "not loaded."

As TPM reported Saturday, the New Hampshire State House was closed due to a "threat relative to possible violence" received by police and an email sent out to lawmakers around 3 p.m., shortly after the rally ended.

more . . . http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entry/eleven-year-old-brings-ar-15-to-nh

[neverforget]

1. Another gun nut in the making

[jberryhill]

3. What Mighty Loons From Little Gun Nuts Grow!

[Coyotl]

65. Here is Little Timmy with his gun and flag

[tblue]

46. Just in time for puberty!

This gun nut is already made. That cake's been cooked.

Ugh. Would you really want your kid embarking on puberty to have an automatic weapon?

[neverforget]

50. I guess he was issued his man card

[FreeEmily]

61. Where is the Automatic weapon?

I have searched the photo's and the links and can't find the automatic weapon you speak of. Please show me where it is so I can feign outrage too.

[blackspade]

63. Fail.

See reply 5 below.

[LTX]

64. Ah, yes. The predictable hair-splitting.

I guess your point is, because it's not a fully "automatic" weapon, there's no reason to be outraged at all. Just a kid with a semi-automatic rifle at a public demonstration. What could possibly go wrong?

Which leads, I guess, to the next question -- if you are perfectly comfortable with an 11 year old wielding a weapon at a public demonstration, are you equally comfortable with him taking it to school? Or to the playground?

[FreeEmily]

68. TBlue said

he had an automatic weapon which this clearly is NOT. My daughter was number 1 in the school varsity shooting team. Her abilty translated to a scholarship to college where she continues to shoot on the school team. She had a rifle at her high school for 4 years. You know what? That rifle never once jumped out of its locker and hurt anyone. I guess it was a special and well behaved rifle compared to ones you all are scared of. To answer the other point, I would not let my children bring a gun to a playground unless it was equiped with a shooting range.

[LTX]

69. Your 11 year old daughter kept a rifle in her school locker?

Or did your high school age daughter shoot a rifle that was kept by the shooting team coach in "a" locker?

But that aside, was it your original point that an "automatic" weapon wielded by an 11 year old at a public demonstration would be cause for concern, but a semi-automatic weapon is fine?

[MichiganVote]

2. Now who's bullying........

[proud2BlibKansan]

9. Exactly.

[Electric Monk]

4. reading comprehension disabled, a new protected class?

[Tx4obama]

5. Gun was REAL but unloaded. Photo of the boy with the gun on link below...

Photo here: http://www.unionleader.com/article/20130413/NEWS06/130419539&template=mobileart

[SheilaT]

45. An awful lot of people have been killed by unloaded guns.

[tblue]

47. says the kid.

Did anybody check?

The intimidation factor was there just the same, as intended by this misguided child.

[Initech]

6. The only right they care about is to shoot first and ask questions later.

[valerief]

7. How can guns be a threat of violence? Guns make the world happy and smiley.

[mazzarro]

58. Why did the legislatures not "Stand Their Ground"?

How come they yielded their ground to the "threat of violence"? A whole bunch of hypocrites!

[mokawanis]

8. The right to frighten people in a public setting

And the kid has learned the violent rhetoric, the implied threat, so many like to use - "Come and Take It".

[TheCowsCameHome]

10. He's not doing the gun humpers any favors.

Crap like this only hurts their cause.

But they are slow to learn...........

[Skittles]

13. gun humpers

may I use that?

[TheCowsCameHome]

15. Frequently and freely.

[hack89]

19. While your language helps yours?

have you ever considered that you will not get what you want with out the support of gun owners?

[TheCowsCameHome]

20. Owners? maybe, humpers, no.

There is a difference.

Humpers live in a shallow, dark world. Let them stay there.

[hack89]

24. So what defines a humper? Besides disagreeing with you? nt

[waddirum]

56. what defines a humper?

The need to display your weaponry in public, instead of keeping it locked at home.

[hack89]

59. So a tiny percentage of gun owners.

I can accept that.

[sarisataka]

28. Today's assignment...

Read the following:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022643270

Compare and contrast language used to identify those who disagree with the author. Identify any self-righteous indignation and double standards applied in the debate.

Extra credit- using the words of the writers and replies determine who, if anyone, is interested in serious discussion.

[hack89]

30. She was definitely wrong to use that language.

I agree with you that inflammatory and insulting language has no place in a serious discussion.

[sarisataka]

31. I love irony...

when people take offense to a broad brush label but then turn around and do the same. The doubling down of defending the label because it is said to only apply to an undefined subset of the general group is just the cherry on the top.

[Drale]

27. Gun Humpers much like Tea Baggers

,most of the time they are one in the same, hurt they cause when they open their mouths.

[onehandle]

11. Pedophilia for basement dwellers. nt

[DiverDave]

49. Uh, I took it as a gun carrier

I never thought of anything else until someone else brought it up.
chill, got bigger things to get upset about.

[bluedigger]

12. Well, it's asking a lot of an 11 year old to be fluent in Greek...

Famously spoken by Leonidas to Xerxes. And then the Spartans died.

[davidpdx]

14. Hunter Cogswell

coming to a theater, mall, or school near you....

[perdita9]

16. The Constitution gives rights to PEOPLE...

...not guns.

Whatever parent gave the kid that gun needs to be arrested and charged with public endangerment.

[Euphoria]

60. As well as child endangerment

How come these people get away with this behavior?

[prole_for_peace]

17. I wish someone would have taken it.

Just walk right up and *joink*

[SCVDem]

25. Agreed!

He was asking, after all!

[sarisataka]

29. Are you advocating

assault and robbery of a child?

[SCVDem]

35. I feel threatened

And was standing my ground.

How do I know what this little terrorists intent is?

What if he was of Middle Eastern descent?

[sarisataka]

40. I'll take that as a yes

are you fearful enough to use lethal force as well?

How do I know what this little terrorists intent is?

Observation, though you are already judging him to be a terrorist

What if he was of Middle Eastern descent?

Then he would likely have darker skin and hair, unless he has red hair. Having dealt with people of Middle eastern descent, all genders and ages, I do not assume a person of that description is automatically a terrorist or out to kill me.

[caseymoz]

71. That gun can go off before I can observe.

Or the child can smile, wave, and then shoot me. Since the trigger doesn't care how good an act he puts on, and it only takes a third of a second to aim and pull the trigger.

I believe Middle-Eastern descent was used ironically. For example, African Americans have pointed out how different the response would be if they were taking advantage of the stand-your-ground law. There are strong racist overtones to SYG. The implication being that if Middle-Eastern people had a rally against discrimination and they brandished a gun or guns and armed their children with "unloaded" weapons, the general response from pro-gunners would be, to say it generously, somewhat less embracing. Hell, if the Occupiers carried unloaded rifles for "symbolism" police would have used something something stronger than mace and tear gas, and those protesters would be facing prison sentences after suffering considerably more police brutality.

In other words, it would have been understood as a threat with no ambiguity about it.

In fact, the only understandable reason to brandish a guns in public is to threaten or intimidate. Dictatorships understand that language, and tend to have their police carry guns quite prominently. You might say they're very pro-gun.

If you want to give the kid's protest any sanity or credibility, remove the trigger and the firing pin first. Then it could be called symbolic.

Still, it's beyond rude.

[sarisataka]

73. The removal of trigger and firing pin

would render the gun inoperable, but not obviously so. From what the picture shows he could have done that.

If for some reason a person wants to display a gun but clearly show it is not capable of firing, a flag safety and barrel blocking blank adapter would visibly show the weapon is inert.



I agree, carrying a gun in such fashion to make a statement is very rude. Using a child doubles the classlessness of the act.

[tblue]

48. Yeah. I feel threatened too.

I'm standing my ground. No guns around me, or I will consider you a threat and act accordingly.

[prole_for_peace]

42. Is it assault and robbery if someone just "takes" it?

his sign says "Try and take it". If someone just reached over and took it, no violence no force, just picks it out of his hands and says "you told me to try".

and what 11 year old should have this damn death machine anyway?

[sarisataka]

43. While I agree that

an 11 yro, or anyone, carrying a firearm to make a point is stupid, what is it called when a person takes your property? Is his sign refering to you specifically, giving permission to take it?

Just picking it out of his hands is force, however mild.

[They_Live]

54. "Come and Take It"

Is a command. He is commanding you to take it, yes? Or is it a dare?

[kimbutgar]

18. I wonder what they would think if it was a little black boy carrying that gun to the rally

I am black and I wonder about this. Making a child carrying a gun like this is child abuse imho.

[byeya]

21. A little black boy was shot to death by a cop - Philly I think - 15 or so years ago carrying a water

pistol that was looked like a gun and scared the cop.

[Mnpaul]

37. Call the FBI!!!!

When the Black Panthers started carrying guns, Ronald Reagan couldn't pass legislation fast enough to stop it. I would like to see what would happen at one of these rallies if a group of ten or more black people showed up toting AR-15s.

[Crepuscular]

22. One assumes

that those who are upset or find a child posing with a gun at a rally, for the purposes of promoting a particular activist point of view, will be equally upset and outraged over the pictures used in the PSA series that the mom's group is pushing, that portray young children holding assault weapons, for the purposes of promoting their activist point of view.

Equal opportunity outrage, and all.

[HockeyMom]

33. Where were his parents?

Did they take him, and the gun, to the courthouse? If not, they the PARENTS should be arrested for letting a minor take THEIR gun out in public, to a state courthouse, ALL ALONE.

Do you really believe 11 year olds should be walking around in public with guns ALONE?

[Crepuscular]

38. To a political rally?

In that setting, no I don't and it's very likely his parents were probably there and were supervising him.

In the appropriate setting? I have no problem with a responsible kid who has taken hunter safety being alone with a gun. I hunted small game, squirrels, rabbits, etc. by myself when I was that age all the time. Single barrel 20 ga shotgun, youth model. Still have it today. Spent many enjoyable hours as a kid by myself in the woods with that shotgun. Probably time better spent than hanging with friends at the mall or being connected to social media 24/7, as all too many of today's Yutes are.

[mac56]

55. AR-15.

Not a single barrel 20 ga. shotgun.

AR-15.

Which we only have the kid's word that it wasn't loaded.

"I have no problem with a responsible kid who has taken hunter safety being alone with a gun."

WASN'T "alone with a gun."

[LiberalFighter]

23. Does a non-license holder have a right to have in their possession a firearm in NH?

[caseymoz]

72. Never mind taking the gun.

NH Family Services (or whatever) should probably look into taking that kid away from his parents.

[DrDan]

26. some good parenting on display there

[DainBramaged]

34. So, they don't get their way and they show up with guns

What a great party the Republican/Tea Party/Nut Job parties are.

[zappaman]

36. wow.

[Turbineguy]

41. Child Soldiers of

America.

[blkmusclmachine]

44. What's that saying about a nut and its tree?

[TheCowsCameHome]

51. "Give a tree a gun and it will blow it's nuts off"

I forget who said that.

[Coyotl]

66. Every nut falls lower than its tree!

[krispos42]

52. That's disgusting

I hate it when parents drape their kids with this kind of controversial stuff. They're too young to understand what's going on.


I remember once, at a condo complex in Fairfield, I was driving past and there was a group of anti-abortion protesters on the sidewalk waving their "pro-life" signs. This was maybe 18 years ago. A doctor that performed abortions lived there, and they had found out his address and were protesting. Stalking would probably be a better word for it, or harassment.

There were a couple of little kids out with the adults, all of them waving pictures of aborted fetuses or whatever. It was absolutely disgusting, and I gave them all the finger as I drove on by.


And, of course, this was directly in front of an elementary school, the bastards.


An eleven year old should not be out there doing this kind of crap.

[proud2BlibKansan]

53. I agree. I never took my kids to rallies when they were little.

I just didn't think it was appropriate.

And no way would I have ever put a gun in their hands at a public gathering. That's insane.

[wonderbread_wizard]

57. Arm-Em Early...

[blackspade]

62. Obscene

There is no reason in the world to take firearms to rallies or out in public in general.
I was always taught that you didn't advertise the guns you owned and that you were supposed to be thoughtful and considerate about them.
The wingnuts have thrown that out the window.

[jimmil]

67. Just Curious...

I toted an M-16 around for a year and thought it was pretty crappy of a weapon. Now it (or AR15) is great?

Oh, the kid's father should have his nuts kicked up between his shoulders where his brains should be.

[cprise]

70. And I had just finished watching this...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1017112420