A county commissioner in Michigan is taking heat after he held an AR-15 in front of his camera during a virtual board of commissioners meeting last week.
He picked up the rifle in response to a woman who was criticizing the board for allegedly allowing members of the Proud Boys to carry firearms into a meeting to make the county a Second Amendment sanctuary.
Keli MacIntosh took the virtual floor to ask the commissioners a series of questions related to the Proud Boys and Second Amendment advocates, which she conflated repeatedly throughout her statement. During her comments, Grand Traverse County Commission Vice Chair Ron Clous got up from his seat and came back holding an AR-15. He held it in front of the screen for several seconds before putting it aside.
Clous told GunsAmerica that he displayed the rifle to demonstrate his support of gun rights.
An attorney in the county wrote a letter calling for Clous’s resignation, which was signed by 500 other county residents.
“There needs to be consequences for this brazen attack against constitutionally protected free speech. I am calling on commissioner Ron Clous, who responded to a member of the public by displaying a firearm, to resign immediately,” the letter reads.
SEE ALSO: Michigan Commission Bans Open Carry Within State Capitol
The full context of Clous’s actions reveals a more complex picture than the 30-second clip that has been spread online.
MacIntosh accused the commission of encouraging the armed protest at the Michigan state capitol in which demonstrators carried semi-automatic rifles into the legislative chamber. She insinuated that the commission was encouraging that behavior by allowing Second Amendment advocates to carry rifles into an in-person commission meeting around the same time.
“I’m wondering if you realize that when he asked for a symbolic message to be sent out to the community to make our country a sanctuary for Second Amendment activists, did you intend to give him permission to have groups like the Proud Boys standing in the balcony of the Capitol and threatening the state legislature with their assault rifles?” she asked. “You actually allowed the weapons to be in the BOC chambers when he was speaking, and I guess was the symbolic message that he was asking to give to the state, a subtle encouragement for them to threaten Whitmer’s life?”
She also decried the fact that northern Michigan has changed from a “hunting culture” to a “gun culture.”
“It’s really hard to tell the difference between the Proud Boys and the message they want through our state, how that’s different from what’s happened in Washington,” she said. “Welcoming such a group and having that message go out has changed the environment in northern Michigan from a hunting culture to that of a gun culture.”
SEE ALSO: No Violence, No Looting as Gun Owners Descend on Michigan Capitol to Defend Gun Rights
In an interview with GunsAmerica, Clous explained that MacIntosh’s comment about “hunting culture” and “gun culture” prompted his actions. Clous is an avid hunter (as evidenced by the deer mounts in the background), and he wanted to show that he also supported the Second Amendment.
Clous made a similar argument in an interview with the Traverse City Record-Eagle last week.
“I was going to chime in as well,” Clous said. “I was just going to show the rifle and show that I fully support the Second Amendment, but then I opted not to … I was in my home,” he said.
Click here to watch MacIntosh’s full statement.
@Paul, According to the REAL NEWS VIDEOS, NO “rifles or AR-15” were seen at the Capital Building being carried by the LEGAL ACTING Protestors, on the EAST SIDE. The only weapons at the Capital Building were welded by the BLM police who “SHOT AND KILLED” a woman while RIOT DRESSED Police were standing BEHIND HER at the door.
Yes there were the DemoKKKrat’s “civilian army” destroying property on the West Side. There was a video showing “shields and bats” being handed out of a window of the Capital Building. That video has been CENSORED since and has never been shown again.
@Michael; I totally concur! One might as well be talking to a brick wall when trying to converse with these BRAINWASHED YELLOW BELLIED SHEEPLE. After talking and educating them in a long conversation, their usual response begins with “BUT”. How exasperating it is when a sheeple Listens but refuses to HEAR!
If I hit you will a bat, that bat becomes an Assault Bat. If I hit you with a hammer, then that hammer becomes an Assault Hammer. They same can be said of Any Weapon that is used to Commit Bodily Harm to Another. ‘Assault’ is a Verb. It denotes Action. It IS NOT an adjective. It IS NOT Descriptive. I so wish the Dems could/would use Proper Grammar. Alas, my attempts to educate them will only bring vitriol and hate, but it is My Speech that must be Restricted. What a sad state our Country is in.
Very nice taxidermy mounts on his wall!
” Waiter , another glass of ” Flavor-aid ” for my friend , Blue Dog , here .
Put it on my tab . “
” Waiter , another glass of Flavor-aid for the Blue Dog .
You can put it on my tab . “
Blue dog go diddle your sister
If he had dropped his pants and pulled out his junk, would she thought his intent was to rape her?
Virtual branding. Good luck with that.
AR-15 or assault weapon? These two things are not the same.
Get over being afraid of what things look like.
errrrrr…….. assault rifles in the capitol during the riots?????? Did not see that on any news reports???????
Blue Dog I didn’t see anything threatening with his actions, no interpreter is needed. I guess some people are just scared at the site or gesture of a gun. How pathetic to live in fear of Inanimate object.
This lady, Macintosh, was redressing her grievances to her local government, a right guaranteed by the first amendment – in fact, it was the right guaranteed by the first amendment that vaunted law genius Amy Coney Barrett could not think of during her illegitimate confirmation to the Supreme Court. This man Clous then makes the gesture of showing an AR-15 assault weapon. The intent of his gesture doesn’t really matter. Reasonable people can interpret this gesture as a threat. There were plenty of ways to make his statement of support for firearms over public safety without flashing a weapon of war in a manner that can be interpreted as threatening. Clous should resign! And if not, he should be removed from office. Impeach him too.
Yo, Blue Dog, you are a waste of perfectly good oxygen. Did you really try to insult Amy Coney Barrett? She is far smarter than you. Do society a favor and turn in your firearms.
Holding a firearm in a video is in no way threatening to anyone. Next we will have to wear masks on video so we don’t get others watching sick. LOL look at the eval gun mommy, I know Johnny run and hide so he can’t shoot you through the computer.
Just remember blue puppy without the second your ability to babble nonsense under the first will be gone too. I don’t want that, I will not have anything to laugh at then.
Blue dog, “weapons of war”? Anti-gunners description of a modern sporting rifles. A description based upon nothing other than appearance. I’m not sure if you know the difference or you are on GunsAmerica just spewing anti-2nd amendment hate. You sir, are a traitor to the United States of America.
Please show me the legal definition of an “AR-15 assault weapon”. I will make it easy on you there are none as it is a made up Left media term to scare its sheep. The military would laugh at you if you showed up with an AR15 to fight a war. The military utilizes automatic weapons while the civilian population is primarily comprised of semi-automatic weapons though if you have lots of money and can afford the licenses, permits, etc you can have a heavily regulated automatic weapon. Please stop repeating garbage just to promote something you do not like. If you have facts, please state them. Look at the CDC’s report on the top 117 causes of death in the USA two years ago. Firearm deaths were listed at #113 and they had to include suicides which accounted for almost half the total number to even get it on the list. Weird list being published as the top 117 causes? Why no the top 100? Oh right, because they would not have been able to even list firearms. Try doing your own research and not just attack.
Per the Merriam-Webster dictionary, “any of various automatic or semi-automatic firearms, especially: assault rifle.”
There is a fundamental flaw with your argument if it becomes necessary to explain how the Dictionary is in some conspiracy against you.
And look up the author of the definition as it was the media creating a common term in use. Do you even know that the AR does not stand for Assault Rifle? It stands for Armalite, the original manufacturer. Please research before attempting to look down upon others as ignorance with the resources available in this day and age just makes you look …………………..
Yes like the definition of “shall not be infringed”. Did Macintosh call up all movie producers of movies that show guns in them? Not likely. Vehicles kill more people in a year. Did she call the car manufacturers to stop showing cars on tv? She’s an idiot with an agenda. Someone should tell her to mind her own business when it comes to violating other people’s rights because of her feelings.
Wow blu dog the brainwashing is working on you, an AR 15 is not a weapon of war. It doesn’t have select fire or a fully automatic mode, it is a semiautomatic gun just like many other guns available for use by law abiding civilians.
Again AR stands for the original manufacturer Armolite, it does not stand for Automatic Rifle as the media and the Democrats are brainwashing people to believe.
*ahem* ArmaLite. You aren’t much of a disciple of Stoner, are you? 😉
Maybe I am being too harsh. Maybe it was spellcheck.
He/Him. All you need to know about this clown.
If you don’t know the difference between an AR-15 and an assault weapon or a weapon of war, don’t speak on the subject. Idiots trying to spout nonsense only show your low iq