First and foremost, let me say that I am a member of the NRA, but I do not wave Confederate flags, nor am I particularly conservative. I definitely do not consider myself a Republican. The last time I looked, the NRA does not impose a litmus test of any sort on its members.
I do not, and did not, equate the Republicans of Lincoln’s times to those wearing the name today. I merely commented on the examples you cited.
By the same token, I don’t conflate the Dixiecrats of the Reconstruction with the Democratic Party of today. I wouldn’t even say that today’s Democrats are like those in the days of John F. Kennedy.
Police response in time of a civil uprising would most likely depend on the civil uprising. You postulated a peaceful demonstration in which there were armed participants and wondered about the outcome. I told you that given the current reality in West Virginia, the police would most likely not act at all unless the demonstration turned destructive, disorderly or violent. In other words, the police would try to restore civil order with no political implications at all.
In 32 states in the United States, citizens enjoy the right to openly carry a handgun without a government permit. In 16 of those states, citizens are not required to have a permit to carry a concealed handgun. Unless there is a citizen complaint, the police those states generally don’t bother people who are carrying a handgun except if there is another reason to stop the person. In some states, an warranted stop merely for carrying a handgun can trigger an action against the police for harassment.
Does it sound like the Republicans are trying to oppress the poor by taking away their right to keep and bear arms? They have been the drivers of the constitutional carry movement and the only significant limitations have been residency requirements in some states.
A look at the growing Second Amendment sanctuary trend might also provide some insight into why your thesis is flawed.
You used the example of a hypothetical peaceful demonstration of armed citizens in Charlotte. Let’s now imagine what would happen if a similar scenario played out in Albany, Baltimore, or Boston. We already know what happened in Sacramento.
As for the ruling in Roe v. Wade, I was quite happy. I would be happier if the federal government simply recused itself from the issue and deferred to the states. The reason I was glad to see the Supreme Court’s opinion in the case is that I am old enough to remember what things were like before Roe v. Wade and I don’t want to ever see a return to that time.