The first time I was AZ looking for an apartment before moving here, I was in a local Safeway getting a few things to snack on and came upon a tall man in line packing a gun--full on holster and pistol. I freaked, stammered something about forgetting to get some yogurt, and stepped back. . . way back.
I simply could not believe what I was seeing, but no one else seemed concerned. I wandered around the store until he was gone, then got in line to purchase my stuff. When I got to the cashier I asked, in what I thought was a reasoned tone, "did you see that dude with a gun?!"
Unfortunately, once our fabulous former Gov, Janet Napolitano left office to become the head of Homeland Security, our new Gov, the too-coiffed Jan Brewer began turning the entire state into the set of a bad Deadwood remake. Our legislature has long been nuts, but Napolitano was able to keep them in line; instead of following Napolitano's lead (she vetoed two related bills in 2007), Brewer has supported the madness.
First, in 2008 Brewer signed into law a bill allowing a person with a permit to take a gun into a restaurant or bar serving alcohol as long as the establishment doesn't prohibit it and the person isn't drinking alcohol; thankfully most bars and restaurants have posted such signs so no one can enter with a gun. In 2005, Napolitano vetoed a similar bill.
Now, this passed Friday, Brewer signed a bill allowing people to carry a concealed weapon without requiring a permit--no permit and no training classes either. That's right folks, in eliminating the permit requirement, the law will allow people 21 or older to forego background checks and classes that are now required.
And with all the cuts to our education budget, those 21 and older will be even more undereducated, underemployed, and under-the-influence than they are currently. I know a whole lot of 21 year olds, and I would not want them to have access to a gun without knowing when, how, and why not to use it.
To quote Yosemite Sam, "When ah say, "Whoa!" ah mean "Whoa!" WTF are people thinking?
Welcome to the Wild, Wild, Stupid West. Whatever their position is on gun control laws, I simply cannot believe thoughtful people support the idea of people carrying a with no education about it and the laws governing its use.
I suppose the best I can do now is hope the angry folks at the next rally of 'patriots' shoot off each others teabags. "Great horney toads! A trespasser, gettin' footie prints all over my desert! Off with their teabags pardner!"
I simply could not believe what I was seeing, but no one else seemed concerned. I wandered around the store until he was gone, then got in line to purchase my stuff. When I got to the cashier I asked, in what I thought was a reasoned tone, "did you see that dude with a gun?!"
"Yeah," she said. "He comes in here all the time."It was then that I learned in my new state it was ok to pack heat in public. I can't say it's something I've ever managed to get used to, though. If I want to see old west reenactments, I can go to West World, but I'd prefer that notion of the west stay in the amusement park.
"Ah, with the gun," I asked. "I mean does he always have a gun"?
"Oh yeah," she says, "lots of people do."
Unfortunately, once our fabulous former Gov, Janet Napolitano left office to become the head of Homeland Security, our new Gov, the too-coiffed Jan Brewer began turning the entire state into the set of a bad Deadwood remake. Our legislature has long been nuts, but Napolitano was able to keep them in line; instead of following Napolitano's lead (she vetoed two related bills in 2007), Brewer has supported the madness.
First, in 2008 Brewer signed into law a bill allowing a person with a permit to take a gun into a restaurant or bar serving alcohol as long as the establishment doesn't prohibit it and the person isn't drinking alcohol; thankfully most bars and restaurants have posted such signs so no one can enter with a gun. In 2005, Napolitano vetoed a similar bill.
Now, this passed Friday, Brewer signed a bill allowing people to carry a concealed weapon without requiring a permit--no permit and no training classes either. That's right folks, in eliminating the permit requirement, the law will allow people 21 or older to forego background checks and classes that are now required.
To quote Yosemite Sam, "When ah say, "Whoa!" ah mean "Whoa!" WTF are people thinking?
Welcome to the Wild, Wild, Stupid West. Whatever their position is on gun control laws, I simply cannot believe thoughtful people support the idea of people carrying a with no education about it and the laws governing its use.
I suppose the best I can do now is hope the angry folks at the next rally of 'patriots' shoot off each others teabags. "Great horney toads! A trespasser, gettin' footie prints all over my desert! Off with their teabags pardner!"
"I hope they shoot off each other's teabags!" Best line of the week.
I've been thinking that now that I can buy an unlicensed, unregistered gun, as long as it is made in Arizona, and I can carry it around concealed, I might just hike on down to the legislature and see if I can shoot me an old white guy or two. Like Russell Pearce. Or maybe I'll run over to the jail and nail Joe Arpaio with my gun. Who would suspect a white-haired old lady of such heinous crimes? And they'd never be able to trace the weapon.
Posted by: Doc | Apr 20, 2010 at 04:09 PM