Michigan Militia To Have “Open Gun Carry” Tea Party

“Show, shoot, shout, then sip some tea with us,” is the motto of this weekend’s open carry tea party sponsored by the Michigan Militia.

“This event primarily tries to take the stigma out of the word ‘militia,’ and provide information on what we are and who we are,” [team leader Mike] Lackomar said. “It lets people meet us and see what we’re all about.”

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The group argues that there is nothing in Michigan law to prohibit the open carrying of handguns and pistols except in certain locations — banks, bars, nightclubs, federal buildings and schools, among others — but it’s an aspect of the law the group believes most Michigan residents are unfamiliar with.

Even the GOP county chair has a problem with this.

Mike Murphy, chairman of the Livingston County Republican Party and undersheriff of the Livingston County Sheriff’s Department, said he’s happy the militia members are expressing their Second Amendment rights — although, as an undersheriff, he said he doesn’t support the open carrying of handguns.

“I’m all for responsible gun ownership, but just because it’s legal, does that make it a good idea?” Murphy said. “I don’t understand some of the logic. If you want to carry a weapon, why not just get a concealed pistol license and be protected?”

Lackomar claims one of their goals is to distance themselves from the Hutaree Christian Militia whose members were arrested recently; however, as Think Progress notes, the two groups have had a close association, with the Michigan Militia bragging about their back-t0-back training sessions in 2007.

But lo, and behold, at 6pm, just as the Day Shift was wrapping up, The Hutaree showed up to relieve us, and to conduct training of their own.

For the first time, an entirely different unit was afield as we left. And left we did, with Camp Stasa in the more than capable hands of our friends in The Hutaree, we went home and had some fajitas.

By: Alan

Alan Colmes is the publisher of Liberaland.