Joe...I thought you'd be interested in this small part of a Washington Post article. It just goes to show how different the laws can be in different states. It appears that Virginia respects the Constitution more than Maryland does...
On July 2, Fairfax County police received a 911 call from a Champps restaurant in Reston. Six men are seated at a table, the caller said. They're all armed. Dispatchers quickly sent four officers to the scene. The officers were "extremely polite" and were hoping that some of the men were in law enforcement, said Sgt. Richard Perez, a spokesman for the police department. None was.
The men told the officers "they were just exercising their rights as citizens of the commonwealth," Perez said.
Turns out, packing a pistol in public is perfectly legal in Virginia. And three times in the last month, including at Champps on Sunset Hills Road, residents have been spotted out and about in the county, with guns strapped to their hips, exercising that right.
In the first episode, at a Starbucks, Fairfax police wrongly confiscated weapons from two college students and charged them with a misdemeanor. Police realized their mistake, returned the guns and tore up the charges the next day. Police commanders have since issued a reminder to officers that "open carry" is the law of the land in the Old Dominion.
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
31 comments:
Now that's what I call progressive government. Not "interfering" with the rights of the citizen to defend him/her self from harm.
We have a right to a Permit here in Florida but the weapon must be concealed which makes more sense. I would think that open carry could create some problems especially with excitable people lol. Been too damn hot..... no where to conceal it lol jackkcharl@aol.com
I miss Champps in Reston. Good place for football Sunday.
Come on.
Only Cops and Military should be allowed to have guns.
Just look at past governments throughout history that have adhered to that philosophy.
One of the first things Hitler did was disarm the populace.
Every despotic, murdering, genocidal lunatic whom ever ran a government made his first order of business the eradication of firearms amongst the general population.
As a Japanese former officer said, attacking America would be futile because the attacking forces would find a gun behind every blade of grass.
You don't think that matters now more than ever?
We now have two to three guns behind every blade of grass and we will use them if we have to.
The Constitution is under attack from all the left, and some right wing lunatics.
We either stand together and fight, or fall on our knees and beg forgiveness from our masters.
I'd rather die on my feet, than live on my knees.
I carry anyway , better to get a fine rather than a bullet or a knife. Screw Maryland!
Thats why I moved from MD to VA, MD is the worst state ever for taxes and just liberalism in general (well, maybe NJ and CA are worse, but it's a close call). One thing is for sure, since I've been here I've noticed those liberal idiots seem to stay north of the Patomic!
It will take time for the public to get use to it for legal citizens. But how do citizens know if the person who is carrying is not prohibited because of a felony. The only way to determine is to have the cops check them out.
Would love that law in MD!!
The 2nd ammendment is necessary for Americans who wish to defend themselves against a criminal government.
Just got back from Chincoteague and was talking about this with one of their officers. Yes. Law of the land. Keep a loaded handgun on your dash or on the seat next to you if you want. No problem. Need a permit to carry concealed and no carrying concealed in a bar. You can, however carry open in a bar.
5:27 - no it is better to carry out in the open for several reasons. First, criminals don't want to go up against an armed person - remember, carrying a handgun levels the playing field. Criminals want victims. They don't want to go up against people who can defend themselves. Also, this isn't a new law for people to get used to. It has never been any different since the war for independence. People have ALWAYS been able to carry openly. Next, criminals (like convicted felons) won't carry openly. They will carry concealed because they are afraid law enforcement will challenge. And about law enforcement checking people out?....No way. Why should a citizen of the U.S. be subjected to being "checked out" for exercising their constitutional right to keep and bear arms.
But check this out......A Maryland man has just filed a lawsuit against the state of Maryland in the federal court because his handgun permit wasn't re-issued by the state. The state says that he hasn't given a good enough reason to need permission to carry a handgun. His lawsuit asserts that the 2nd amendment right to keep and bear arms is an individual right and that a citizen of the U.S. doesn't need to give a reason to exercise a constitutional right. That is an outright, in-your-face kind of common sense argument that will likely overturn the state laws requiring permits to carry concealed weapons of any type.
anon 924 va just passed a law to conceal carry in a bar!!
So, if I am reading all of you comments (and today's postings correctly,) this is how you love the Constitution:
-The Second Amendment can NEVER EVER EVER be touched. Ever. Double pinkie swear.
-The Fourteenth Amendment can be wiped from the Earth.
-The First Amendment needs to be chopped up a bit so those nasty liberals can not say whatever the hell comes into their panty-wearing mouths.
-We need to add amendments to ban flag burning an gays.
Other than that, the Consitution is perfect, just the way our Republican God wrote it.
Got it.
9:06 Hey Liberal, Go Pee up a Rope!
Oh, Don't forget to drink you Kool-Aid !
9:06 - get yourself some help. You validate the argument that liberals are nasty and hateful.
Yup, 9:06, that about sums it up. You have chosen the optimal argument of the libs, muddy the water with impertinent comments. Much of the venom you spouted was vile spew that had next to nothing to do with the comments made relative to the original blog post.
You have no issue with painting with a very broad brush your perception of the conservative elements of society, but you choose to take offense to any criticism of the liberal view.
And no, I have very little dissent with the Constitution as written, but let's remember, it is the law of the land, and should be rigorously enforced. The idea of selective enforcement and the manner in which some elements choose to walk around the law and turn a blind eye to it is reprehensible! I will resent the sitting government when they choose to follow the laws. Don't write law in the courts, don't write policy from the various czars and expect it to have the power of law, and don't try to legislate from the White House.
I bet 9:06 hasn't ever even read the Constitution.
And I'm darn sure, they haven't read any Amendments.
Typical liberal gobbly speak and a glaring example of how dangerous those that think that way are to our survival.
9:06 please do us all a favor and stay home on election day.
You're not informed enough to contribute.
Hateful? Liberal? The GOP wants to re-write the constitution in the way you think it should be (no one has disagreed with me on this point.)
I am sorry that you get insulted when someone points out your double-standard: "I love the Constitution so much, I want to change it!!"
Defend the ideas/policies and justify this or shut up.
9:24 - In your response to 5:27 you state, "Why should a citizen of the U.S. be subjected to being "checked out" for exercising their constitutional right to keep and bear arms."
I agree to a certain extent, but how do you "know" that someone is a U.S.citzen wihtout "checking them out?"
dude - you're an angry soul. Show us the evidence that we want the constitution re-written. Show us where we want to add amendments to ban gays and flag burning. Show us the evidence that we are trying to abolish the 14th amendment and change the First.
Put up or YOU do the shutting up. You're the one that started with the outrageous accusations.
Fear the government. We need to protect ourselves from the government.
12:30 - read the post from later today regarding "Lawmakers consitering Ending Citizenship for Children of Illegal Immigrants."
The 14th Amendment guarantees citizenship for anyone born here. That is in the Constitution that your side so rabildy wants to protect from freedom-hating libs. However, your side seems to believe that America would, in fact, be better off if we change the Constituion and get rid of that pesky part of it.
I am not arguing in favor of illegal immigration (something no Republican President has done a good job at fixing either.) I am just slack-jawed at the audacity of how your side argues this type of stuff, and does so with a straight face.
It is a simple double standard you guys live by: Argue both sides and get angry when anyone calls you on it.
Can we for once look an issue with common sense.... Does anyone need a gun strapped to their hip to walk into a bar or restaurant? Is this the old west saloon days? I work in the bar and restaurant industry, there is no way in hell I want to look out into the crowd and see a bunch of people drinking and packin'.
If you think you need a pistol to go to happy hour, I don't get it.
Rob S
Virginia has the right idea....proud to say it is my home state too.
If the Constitution is the law of the land and gives the states the right to exist then, tell me how the nanny state of Maryland can overide the Constitution. Give me liberty or ill take it !
12:47 - you're still not presenting any evidence. Show us a bill that has been drafted to absolve or change the Amendments that you accuse us of. You are the one throwing out wild accusations without the facts to back them up.
Your own words...
"The Fourteenth Amendment can be wiped from the Earth."
Your source said: "Such a move...would be a drastic reinterpretation of the U.S. Constitution's 14th Amendment."
A drastic reinterpretation is not wiping it from the face of the earth. A person born in the US of people here illegally should not be a citizen.
5:47, I'm not sure where you stand on other issues, but your opinion that "a person born in the US of people here illegally should not be a citizen" is the exact opposite of what the 14th Amendment says. The 14th Amendment guarantees citizenship to anyone born here, no exceptions.
I am against illegal immigration as much as anyone, but its frustrating to hear people often pick and choose which amendments they think should be used to govern. I'm not judging either political party or any person imparticular, but you can't say "the constitution says I can have my guns!", followed by "them fence-hoppers' babies shouldn't be citizens!".
Rob S
This is what I love about your Conservative a-holes. You referred to 9:06's comment as "hateful" and "vile", and then proceeded to ACTUALLY be hateful and vile. You guys have a glass jaw when it comes to debate. 9:06 was in no way hateful or vile, but any attempt to call you out for your hypocrisy makes you cringe like a bunch of wet pants conservative girly men. Good luck with that!
Allow me to be throw some truth your way. You Conservatives are useful idiots of the corporations that bought you your teabags. You serve no other purpose than to oppose policies that would benefit you and hurt big businesses. You are useful tools in being screwed over by the elites. And the worst part? You'll never realize it, and keep blaming those "dirty libruls!" for making your lives harder. All the while, the wealthy are pissing on you and telling you it's raining.
Sorry 5:47, but he's right. You want to change the meaning of the 14th amendment to fit your own ends. ANYONE born in the US is a citizen. PERIOD. Do you get that? If you want to change the meaning, then you want to change the amendment. It's not rocket science, and YOUR SIDE wants it changed. You're hypocrites, and you don't like be called out on it. I guess you're going to call me "hateful" and "vile" now, because I just broke your GLASS JAW.
We need the open carry law in Maryland. It would protect women from predators and drunks. Plus, it would end stalking and bullying of innocent women and children. I remember the famous quote: An armed society is a polite society.
I know the felony restriction is to encourage people to follow the law but I think it is too broad.
There are a lot of different felonies that are non-violent that would deny you the right to vote and own a firearm
They should re-write that law to be more specfic. Like murderers, kidnappers, and such.
Taking a car for a joyride is a felony. Does that warrant such extreme punishment?
Or is it just another way to take away rights?
There's a method to change the Constitution for a reason. Our founders didn't foresee the future. The drafters of the 14th amendment didn't think we'd become a third-world country. They didn't see socialism as the prevailing political philosophy amongst our young voters and our media. And they didn't see people sneaking across the border for the sole purpose of birthing a US citizen.
Now - you liberals still haven't produced a bill supported by the majority of conservatives that does any of what 9:06 claimed, have you? No, but as usual, don't let the facts stand in the way of your personal attacks, keep them coming.
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