Posted on 07/24/2004 7:01:58 AM PDT by Mulder
As horrifying as it is to contemplate, the next gunfight may not be at the O-K Corral; it might be in our own community. Shock and dismay are the emotions most often expressed at recent events either seen or read about in Reston of people walking our streets and dining in our restaurants with pistols on their hips. And it is perfectly legal.
In many of my columns I have talked about a rightward tilt of the Virginia General Assembly. In no area is that tilt to ultra-conservatism more evident than with gun control. The minimal laws that existed in the past at the state level have been stripped away, and local government has been denied the ability to pass gun control measures.
No one that I am aware of has ever proposed registration or limitation on ownership of guns in Virginia. The laws that have been repealed have been reasonable and would have in no way restricted gun ownership for hobbyists, collectors or hunters.
On July 31-Aug. 1, “The Nation's Gun Show” will be held at the Dulles Expo Center in Chantilly. The promoters expect 1,000 tables where guns will be sold. A promotional piece explains why the show is being held in Virginia: “This show has been in the planning stages for several years. However, very restrictive laws regulating the purchase of handguns prevented us going to this great area. This year, legislation was passed in Virginia's General Assembly that repealed all waiting periods and permit requirements in Virginia. (Virginia now has total pre-emption.)”
Apparently members of the Civil Defense League have decided to demonstrate their right by displaying their guns openly. Police have responded to calls about their presence but are powerless to do anything. How do you know if the person sitting at the next table at a restaurant, entering your place of business or walking on your street with a gun is an emotionally stable, law-abiding citizen or is a psychotic who is about to be the next mass murderer?
There is no way to tell. Hopefully, the police will continue to respond to calls about gun-toting citizens, and hopefully they will not arrive too late. The fanatical gun lover will tell you that is exactly why everyone should carry a gun—to defend himself. They may think it is too bad that the people who get shot are often innocent bystanders who unluckily find themselves in the area of gunfire.
None of our constitutional rights are absolute. Not being allowed to shout “Fire!” in a crowded theater is the most often cited limitation on free speech. And controls on your guns can be imposed that would protect the public but allow enthusiasts to collect guns and to hunt as a sport.
The U.S. Congress has let the ban on assault weapons expire. The pro-gun lobby will continue to push the limits. Reasonable people must make their views known as well. Let your outrage be heard by your congressional, state and local representatives. When reasonable voices are the strongest heard, we will return to reasonable gun control. That is what I continue to support. Let me know your views at kenplum@aol.com.
bang
I bet no one tries to rob that resturant.
Here I'm thinking; how do you make a gun without a trigger?
Instead it's just some girlie man got his panties in a knot over armed citizens.
How do you know if the person sitting at the next table at a Luby's Cafeteria . . .? 'Nuff said.
As horrifying as it is to contemplate, the next gunfight may not be at the O-K Corral; it might be in our own community.
Yes, I did take him up on his offer and expressed my opinion via his Email.
WHAAAA, BOO Hoo, Cry, Snivel, ETC.ETC.
So true, so true ..... BTW ....hello all from North Florida ....
I guess the author doesn't consider self defense to be a valid use for firearms.
I wonder what 'shall not be infringed' means, then?
Disarming ought to be optional.
Wow! There's so much wrong w/ this, and the rest of this article, I don't know where to start....
Thanks, idiot, for being willing to allow people to collect guns and to hunt. Hint: Collecting and hunting aren't what the 2nd Amendment is about.
Since anyone in the audience could easily yell "Fire!" in a crowded theater, why don't we duct-tape everyone's mouth before we let them watch a movie? As you said, you just never know how stable the person next to you is. This sounds perfectly reasonable to me.
*gasp* The horror of it! The next thing you know, they'll be praying in public.
I know what you mean.
DOJ don't they?
Sheesh.
5.56mm
True. I think it was written by a pro-gunner just to make the anti-gunners look stoooopid. Heh. He done a good job.
After reading your piece titled "Guns without controls", I decided to put in a job application for a company that is located in Western Virginia. I enjoy practicing open carry, and would like to do so in Virginia. Please see my posting titled "Is Open Carry Right for Illinois"
http://illinoiscarry.com/forum/index.php?s=0b4c9b3d386c6af02e769a7f08e458dd&showtopic=118
It may be surprising to some people that 33 states allow open carry with or without a license. While the majority of these states, such as Wisconsin, Missouri, and Kentucky allow open carry with no license required, other states such as Iowa and Indiana issue licenses that do not distinguish between concealed and open carry.
Manufacturers have gone to great extremes to design devices that can successfully conceal a handgun. However, in my own experience I have found it difficult and uncomfortable trying to conceal a full size handgun such as a .45 caliber 1911. In addition, a handgun in a side holster is much more easily and quickly retrieved in a critical moment when it is needed the most.
I recently decided to try open carry while on vacation this summer in several Midwestern and Western states. I checked www.packing.org and Traveler's Guide to the Firearm Laws of the Fifty States to determine which states on my itinerary allowed open carry. According to those two sources, South Dakota and Wyoming allow open carry with no license required. Minnesota allowed me to carry openly with my Utah license. In all three states I openly carried a Springfield 5" tactical XD 40 pistol in a Don Hume holster with a thumb-break snap. I carried in travel information centers, rest stops, gas stations, motels, grocery stores, retail stores, and a bank. Although I was somewhat apprehensive in the beginning that I would start a stampede of panicked people, I discovered that most people didn't seem to care, or even notice that I was carrying a gun in a side holster. Other than one instance in which a woman asked if I was a law enforcement officer, no one complained.
HB2821 and SB3132 are identical bills in the Illinois legislature that would establish statewide uniform standards for the issuance of permits to carry concealed firearms. These bills make no provision for open carry, and are currently assigned to the rules committee. However, it is likely that they will be introduced again in the next legislative session. Since this is the only bill currently introduced into the Illinois legislature that establishes a right-to-carry, an amendment to this bill is the best means of decriminalizing open carry.
Contact information for the sponsors of these bills.
Representative Art Tenhouse (Deputy Republican Leader): 217-782-8096
Representative Mike Bost (Assistant Republican Leader): 217-782-0387
Senator John O. Jones: 217-782-0471
Todd Vandermyde (NRA lobbyist): TVandermyd@aol.com
Unless they are in the "penumbra," right?
In any case, natural rights (self-defense, for example) are absolute.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.