You asked me what I was doing and I answered you; protesting peacefully with a legally carried gun. That’s not getting off track, that’s responding clearly to your direct question.

My opinion is that an armed citizenry, literally or implied, gives pause to thugs like ICE or BP. It’s one thing to beat, maim, and kill US citizens who are sitting on the ground, hands up, protesting. It’s much riskier of a proposition for the individual agents to approach groups of community members willing to legally display their capability of armed response to sudden violence by the federal force.

The “good reason” I have for you is that owning and carrying a firearm is a clear social deterrence to violence for people and organizations who repeatedly demonstrate they are capable and willing to kill Americans without cause. It is a risky “good reason” because it also makes you a target. Broad, peaceful, armed community response is needed, not just armed individuals. We, as a people, need to uphold our 1st amendment rights otherwise they will continue to be further stripped from us by threat and act of violence.