AZ: Gun Friendly Rest Stops (and a snake)

Gun Watch ^ | 20 June, 2015 | Dean Weingarten

[marktwain]

I have been doing some traveling the last couple of days, so the output is down.  The scenery has been great, and in getting ready for the trip I encountered the snake pictured above.   I believe it is a red coachwhip, aptly named, as it is so long and slender.  This specimen was about four feet long.  It was sunning itself in a tire track on the way out to the ranch.

I find desert wildlife fascinating, and I try not to kill any without good reason.   I stopped, took some pictures, and intimidated the snake off the track before continuing on my way.

A short way into the trip, I stopped at the Sentinel rest area.  I had not stopped there in a while, and I wanted to check to see if they had the proper signs. They did.

If you read the list of prohibitions, you will not find any that involve guns or being armed.  Activists fought for that restoration of freedom back in the 1990's.   Someone in the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) had independently decided to ban guns at rest stops in Arizona.  I never found who made the decision to ban guns, but second amendment activists noticed, and forced replacement of the signs.  I intend to stop at each rest area along the way and see if the proper signs are in place.

Banning the carry of firearms at rest stops is an attempt to make the routine exercise of the Second Amendment inconvenient,frustrating, and legally hazardous. 

It is a direct infringement and attack on the Constitution.

©2015 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included.  Link to Gun Watch

[marktwain]

The stratey of making the routine exercise of the Second Amendment inconvenient,frustrating, and legally hazardous is a favorite of the left. It is the death of a thousand cuts. Make a right hard to exercise, and people will stop exercising it. Get them out of the habit long enough, and they will no longer value the right. It works Just look at New York City, California, and Chicago. They have made the exercise of the Second Amendment all but impossible there, and those are now the centers of opposition to Second Amendment Rights.

[Jewbacca]

Rest stops are pretty much the primary place I am really happy to have a firearm to which I have no choice but to go.

What a stupid idea it was to ban weapons.

[rktman]

Mornin’. LOL! So open carry might be a good thing to do when appropriate just to exercise them 2nd amend rights. Works for me.

[beaversmom]

If you read the list of prohibitions, you will not find any that involve guns or being armed.  Activists fought for that restoration of freedom back in the 1990's.   Someone in the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) had independently decided to ban guns at rest stops in Arizona.  I never found who made the decision to ban guns, but second amendment activists noticed, and forced replacement of the signs.  I intend to stop at each rest area along the way and see if the proper signs are in place.

Yay for the watchdogs!

[lacrew]

Many years ago, I went into an empty rest stop to do my business. When I opened the door to leave the building, I saw an additional car had entered the parking lot. It had four large guys in it. Nobody got out...and I walked to my car. I left, and they left too.

I’ve always believed that they saw a car, and were laying in wait, for its owner to come out. I was young and in shape then - in the military and had the look. So, I think they made a decision to leave me alone. Twenty five years later, if I were to leave that same rest stop bathroom, the group would probably get out and mug me.

Rest stops can be bad news.

[CPOSharky]

I believe it is a red coachwhip, aptly named, as it is so long and slender.

Also known as a red racer. And yes, they are fast.