One Man’s “Outing”

By Jennifer Jacques, Guns and Curves

A Minnesota mother has taken it upon herself to “out” a fellow parent at her children’s Rochester elementary school… and for once, we’re not talking about sexual preference or gender affiliation. (insert purple penguin joke here)

Concealed carry permit holder Matthew Hallek is a father of two daughters in Harriet Bishop Elementary School. He (legally) carries his gun with him when he walks them to school each morning. After discovering this, fellow parent Kimberly Edson took it upon herself to post signs in her yard, which happens to be across from the school, bearing a picture of Matthew with a caption that reads “THIS MAN CARRIES A LOADED GUN AROUND YOUR CHILDREN EVERY DAY”.

Wow, think she’s trying to incite a little fear with that statement? Nevermind the fact that Mr. Hallek has gone through the appropriate legal channels to be approved of a concealed carry permit and is following the letter of the law by not stepping onto school property while carrying, but that he also happens to be a past president of the school’s PTSA and former candidate for the Rochester, MN school board!

This type of intolerance for our second amendment rights and our compliance to the law really riles me up!! Here’s a man who is actively choosing to carry, not for violence, but to defend himself and his children in the event that violence erupts and we have a gun grabbing shill of a woman trying to paint him as some monster.

People like Ms. Edson need to realize that those of us who choose to legally obtain a concealed carry permit are not only trained in avoidance and de-escalation, but that we use force ONLY in the most extreme situations that call for it when our (and other) lives are in danger.

Of course that isn’t enough for intolerant biddies like Kimberly Edson, who is claiming it’s her duty to bring attention to Mr. Hallek’s law abiding behavior; “I have a responsibility to help create the kind of community I want to see, and I don’t want to see a community where there are guns around schools.” she says.

Well what about the kind of community WE want to see, Ms. Edson? A community where children are protected by a trained, caring citizen who is not only within his legal rights to carry, but would undoubtedly go above and beyond his civic duties to protect his and other children with his own life. What about the common sense knowledge that signs declaring “No Guns Allowed” does not deter, but rather INVITES gun violence by announcing to criminals that they are free to use their illegal firearms (or other weapons) without the fear of being stopped?

Edson’s calls into the local police only confirmed that Hallek is not in violation of any law and he is free to carry as a citizen. “Since we don’t have a way to stop him, we felt it was important to notify the neighborhood and the parents that there is an armed man in their presence.” she said. 

This is just another example of the intolerance and ignorance of those who refuse to play by the rules. When gun grabbers don’t get their way (see Shannon Watts and Moms Demand Action) they scream and moan and make their signs with little to no regard for facts or consequences.Like petulant little children, screaming for attention.

What about the children walking past Edson’s yard on their way to school? How do they know Matthew Halleck is a “good guy” with a gun? All they see is his face on a post calling attention to the fact that he’s armed with a loaded gun, not that he’s also a parent, a former school official, and a law-abiding citizen with a legal permit to carry. Edson is inciting fear and confusion in other children with her little stunt to try to publicly shame Hallek and THAT is truly irresponsible.

While neither citizen is doing anything illegal; Edson being protected by the First Amendment, Hallek by the Second, I would encourage Matthew Hallek to go ahead with the civil suit he is considering against Ms. Edson. Her little stunt is nothing short of an attempt at public humiliation and character assassination of an upstanding citizen.

Shannon Watts would be proud, Ms. Edson, but as responsible adult and fellow parent, I am not amused.

Cross-posted from Guns and Curves