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GREENSBORO — In the crowd gathered opposite the monument to Gen. Nathanael Greene, there were a handful of “Don’t Tread on Me” T-shirts and dozens of hip-holstered handguns and rifles slung over shoulders.

On Saturday afternoon, about 175 people gathered at Guilford Courthouse National Military Park to celebrate their right to bear arms — and express a variety of conservative political viewpoints, such as discontent over immigration reform and a desire to give the boot to the Washington elite.

The “Restore the Constitution” rally was in recognition of a law that went into effect this year that allows people to carry guns at federal parks.
In the crowd and among the speakers, there was resounding frustration with the state of the federal government and a concern over a lack of respect for the U.S. Constitution.

Among those were Alan Mullenax, who traveled from southern Florida.

He came with his Colt AR and his Blackhawk chest rig stocked with 12 magazines holding a total of 360 rounds of ammunition.

“We’ve got a perfectly good set of documents written by people who are a lot smarter than those who are around now,” Mullenax said.

Speakers, such as Dan Eichenbaum, who ran for Congress in North Carolina’s 11th District, worried that personal freedoms are slipping away. He rallied the audience to demand that states fight unconstitutional laws and teach their children about the Constitution.

“If anyone ever questions your resolve, hold you weapon in the air and say, 'This is my insurance policy,’” Eichenbaum said, waving his pistol toward the sky.

Blogger Ross “Bubba” McDowell got wild applause and laughter as he chided the media (or the “press corpse”) for considering conservative advocates as racist, redneck, mentally unstable gun nuts.

He thanked those at the rally for carrying their guns. He urged them to do it every day, not just special days.

“The most important part of the Second Amendment is the period. Thou shall not infringe, period,” he said.

The sweltering afternoon also had its lighter moments. There was brief debate between two speakers about who was more controversial.

But between Tennessee gubernatorial candidate June Griffin, who donned a tri-corner hat, and John Ainsworth, self-proclaimed chief magistrate of the North-Carolina American Republic, which he considers the answer to the unlawful state created after reconstruction — Ainsworth claimed the prize.

Ron Woodard’s immigration reform talk was cut off twice by an ear-splitting blast of feedback.

“Where is that coming from?” Woodard asked an organizer, who was fiddling with the sound system.

“Democrats!” yelled a spectator, to peals of laughter from those nearby.

Contact Amanda Lehmert at 373-7075 or amanda.lehmert@news-record.com