Gun show vendors

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12-34hom

New member
Saturday - I attended a gun show at the Five Sullivan Brothers convention center in Waterloo, Ia. Among the numerous firearms displayed was a vendor that sold books and memorabilia. His display tables took up one corner of the hall. On the tables he had used flags that draped over the fronts to display the particular symbols of each flag. These flags were not for sale - just for display purposes.

These flags were quite large - one was a Nazi flag - one a Confederate flag - there were others- I don't remember if an American flag was displayed in this manner. The literature he sold ran a gamut - firearms - WW1 & WW2 books - manuals of all types - videos - etc...

What bothered me was the prominent display of this Nazi flag & Confederate flags. Is this just a prop for sales of memorabilia? Or does this reflect on the gun culture as a whole that that type of symbolism can be displayed without offending common sensibilities of the many attendants of this show.

Any opinions? - or am i just making much about nothing.

There was also a petition for making Iowa a "Shall Issue state". I signed it and talked with the women who ran this exhibit. There were not alot of signatures endorsing this Bill - which is currently going thru our legislator for consideration. I found that odd considering the clientèle that frequents gun shows as a whole.

12-34hom.
 
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rapier144

New member
That's what make this country great. Its the freedom. You don't have to agree with what someone does. Some of the things people do i don't agree with same as some of the stuff i do people don't agree with but it's not my place to dictate what is acceptable and what isn't(within reason).I believe we in this country have started down a path of telling people what is acceptable. As apposed to what isn't. We are taking a way rights and replacing them with privileges. Just my 2 cents worth.
 
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Fremmer

New member
These flags were quite large - one was a Nazi flag
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1. Walk up to table.

2. Pull out wad of cash.

3. Tell vendor that although he has the gun you want to buy, and his prices seem reasonable, you won't spend a single cent on any of his guns because you don't like that flag. Be polite but firm.

4. Buy gun from another vendor.

5. Walk up to first vendor, show him the gun you just bought from someone else. Remind him about the stupid flag. Leave.

That is the best solution I can come up with. This vendor is making us gun owners look like idiots. Let your money do the talking for you!
 
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choochboost

New member
All the Nazi memorabilia is one of the things I don't like about gun shows. It doesn't reflect well on firearms enthusiasts.
 
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mtn. man

New member
Perhaps this vendor just liked old flags or maybe he was makeing a statement.
Anyhow i sure am glad he can still do so in the USA.
And i dont think his actions reflect on anyone but himself.
I would'nt mind haveing an actual Nazi flag to add to my collection. Its a part of history and collectable. That does'nt mean i agree with anything the Nazi's did.
As for the old stars and bars it represents alot of different things to alot of people.
And yep i love the USA but i still fly the stars and bars once in a while.
 
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garand_shooter

New member
All the Nazi memorabilia is one of the things I don't like about gun shows. It doesn't reflect well on firearms enthusiasts.
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A lot of firearm enthusiasts are also military/military history buffs. They collect military memorabilia, and historically significant items, of which Confederate and Nazi flags are legitimate examples. Collecting such pieces does not mean one agrees with what they were once used to represent. Employing that logic would lead me to believe the administrations of the various Holocaust Museums condone the holocaust. How absurd!!
 
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choochboost

New member
Employing that logic would lead me to believe the administrations of the various Holocaust Museums condone the holocaust. How absurd!!
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Are you serious? So Nazi collectors are on the same page as the Holocaust Museum? I'll give you a chance to let that one marinate in your head for bit. Who's being absurd now?

It just seems there is this strange fascination with Nazi memorabilia. Why the Nazi flag and uniforms specifically? Are there no other "interesting" war or history artifacts? Would you proudly display your Nazi flag if you had Jewish friends over for dinner? You'd probably keep it out of sight in order to be sensitive, and that would be the right thing to do as you would want your Jewish friends to be comfortable in your home. The group that puts on the gun shows in my area identifies these things as prohibited from displays: "Pornographic materials, drug paraphernalia, items glorifying Nazism, items offensive to the general public." Although this policy doesn't seem to be followed, I think its a good one. IMO, the Nazi stuff feeds into the stereotype and misconception of what makes a firearms enthusiast tick. Its exactly how the antis want to portray us. Being from Canada originally, I've seen how many Canadians stereotype Americans as gun loving rednecks. Although that is a misinformed view, I see the same thing happening in this country as the antis seek to misrepresent us. BTW, I'm not Jewish, if that matters. Just a white guy who's concerned about how we represent ourselves.
 
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Rimrock

Moderator
Yeah, what Fremmer said!:)
That's how we speak loudly and clearly in a captalistic society.
Works pretty darn well too!

Rimrock
 
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roy reali

New member
Re:12-34hom

I agree with you. We have the same thing here at our gunshows, here in California. This is a state were gun owners and hunters are making up a smaller and smaller percentage of the population. our voting block is diminishing. Then you have these fools displaying Nazi stuff at our gun shows.

I believe in the first ammendment as much as the second, third, and so on. I also believe that common sense needs to prevail. In a state were the few gun rights we have left are hanging on by a thread, the last thing we need to do is offend folks away from our sports.

This also adds fuel to the anti's. I know they will attack us any chance they get. But why give them any extra ammo. Going into bear country is dangerous. Rubbing Salmon sense all over oneself would be idiotic.
 
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RJay

New member
So if it was a WWII flag, so what, people complain about a flag and yet bragg about picking up a SS Marked 98?, post long postings about Lugers and P38s, rave about a Police Marked pre war PPK? A Confedrate flag from the 1860s offends someone, then don't buy any old Civil War guns, they may have been used by Rebels. Find a 1860 Colt used by Mosby, throw it away, you don't want any one to think you were against the Union: I spent 26 years insuring people could have this freedom. In your way of thinking no one should collect any Military items unless they are Union or Allies? I'm not trying to flame anyone, I just want people to stop and thing what thay are saying. Did you ask if it was a 1940s era flag? these were big items for GIs to bring home. My father brought home a blood stained German regimental battle flag . I don't think he was a Nazi, of couse he did like Saurkrout and Spareribs so maybe he was hiding something. I saw a collection of bullet riddled Confederate battle flags in the Smithsonian, they should burn these flags that brave men died for( right or wrong). People think what your saying and postings before you say and post it. If your eye offends thee, don't pluck it out' go buy somewhere else or else get all the facts first.
 
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roy reali

New member
Re:rjay

I see that you live in Arizona. I do believe your gun laws are a bit more lenient then ours. One reason our gun laws are becoming more numerous is that the voting block made up of hunters and shooters is shrinking here in the Golden State. A Nazi flag displayed at a gunshow does not help.

Common sense has to be employed.
 
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Majic

New member
What bothered me was the prominent display of this Nazi flag & Confederate flags. Is this just a prop for sales of memorabilia? Or does this reflect on the gun culture as a whole that that type of symbolism can be displayed without offending common sensibilities of the many attendants of this show.
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You only speak of what upsets you and fail to mention what other flags were displayed then ask us to give an opinion. Military history is a big part of gunshows whether you like it or not. Common sense would not single out a small portion of the display while ignoring the rest and add a personal agenda to it to show distaste.
 
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choochboost

New member
People think what your saying and postings before you say and post it.
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I am thinking about what I'm saying. And all I am saying is that, in my opinion, not only is it in poor taste to display Nazi memorabilia, but its also detrimental to our cause as responsible law abiding gun owners. I'm sure you'd agree that we should to do all we can to protect our gun rights.
 
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roy reali

New member
Re:choochboost

As a fellow Californian, I agree with you one hundred percent. I have had similar debates with other folks on this forum. I really think that shooters from other parts of the country do not understand the predicament we are in.

They probably think that the laws that apply to them are similar to ours. Here in California we need all the politcal muscle we can get before we become virtually unarmed. We can not afford to offend anyone with things like Nazi flags. Maybe folks in Arizona, Texas, and other states can get away with more, but we can't.

The funny part is that the folks in other states think what happens here won't affect them. It will, in bigger ways than they think.
 
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PSE

Moderator
yeah, we cant have people expressing their first ammentdment rights when they are selling guns. thats just crazy.
 
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blume357

New member
I never thought the nazi stuff

on display at these shows was promoting their ideals... then again I was raized in the South and never thought the Confederate battle flag was any more than a simble of many lost honarable men. Recently it has gotten a bad rap because of being used by hateful people and mis interpreted by others..

As for the U.S. flag... I would hope that no one would use it for decoration... I've seen this done and it does not sit well with me.
 
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roy reali

New member
The Rest Of You

It seems as though many of you outside of California think you are immune about our situation. Our happenings will eventually affect all of you.
 
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Leif

New member
The prominent display of both the Confederate flag and the Nazi flag seems a bit too coincidental.

At best, object fetish in poor taste. At worst ... :mad: :mad: :mad:

I barely understand why people would collect such things, and simply do not comprehend why people would display such things. It would be nice if people practiced some discretion when exercising their rights.
 
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