In regards to the confusion on the term "Assault Rifle", what is more often than not misunderstood is that people think "assault rifles" are fully automatic weapons. This isn't necessarily true as every rifle can be used for assault. So what happens in the media is people misconstrue that term and it creates fear in people thinking there are all these men/women running around with fully automatic machine guns.
Needless to say in the very end a weapon such as a pistol/rifle used in open carry will cause fear. It's what it was designed to do. There are plenty of people who only use their guns for hunting and keep them at home and possess CONCEALED carry licenses for self defense so they don't scare the living stuff out of people.
What the man in the OP is doing is improper social etiquette and pushing a point the wrong way. The real winners are the people who exercise their rights the proper way and do it to keep the peace by keeping their personal defense weapons hidden. Very few people in an Airport of all places is going to point at that guy and say "good on him, he's exercising his rights."
While i practice open carry, i only carry a pistol and speak and act in a way that isn't threatening. You can't do that nearly as effectively with a high capacity magazine attached to a large rifle whether its on your back or sitting across your chest. This man wants to be seen, and because of that it challenges people. You DO NOT challenge people with your weapons no matter how much of a right you think you have to do it.
