Thursday, July 15, 2004

Quick Draw: Virginia, the state in which I reside, has just loosened many of its gun regulations. Now, any adult there is allowed to carry a gun openly in the streets and into many establishments.

People have begun exercising this right, and it has understandably freaked some people out. The police are still trying to get used to the changes, and have mistakenly confiscated guns from some adults who were within the law.

This really isn't that new. Virginia has always allowed open carry, but local laws, usually in urban areas, would prohibit it. But as of July 1, no local laws can prevent open carry. Guns, however, can still be prohibited on private property, in places of worship, government buildings, schools, and other such exceptions.

I'm a gun owner and I have a concealed-carry permit. I rarely have my gun on me, however, mostly because whenever I go anywhere, I'm usually headed to Maryland or Washington, DC, both of which have very strict gun laws. I may put my gun in the car for long trips, driving through the middle of nowhere in Virginia.

But I have no desire to carry my pistol on my hip like the days of the Wild West. And I get the feeling that the people who choose to do so are making a statement more than exercising the right of self-defense.

However, I can't help but recognize how bass-ackwards the Virginia laws are, because now there are more restrictions for carrying a concealed handgun than for carrying one in the open.

For starters, you need to take a gun safety course to get a concealed-handgun permit. I'm all for safety and training courses, but they aren't required at all for anyone who wants to walk around in the open with a gun. Without a permit, you can't put a gun in your glove compartment, but you can have it lying openly in the passenger seat.

Also, concealed-permit holders are prohibited from bringing their handgun into any establishment that serves alcohol -- which would be just about any restaurant -- even if the permit holder is not drinking. However, I'm perfectly allowed to wear my gun on the outside of my clothes and walk into a bar or any other place to have a beer, while scaring the hell out of everyone else around me.

Perhaps the few people who choose to openly carry their guns will help educate people about the law, and also teach others not to be so skittish about firearms. Then maybe we can make some laws that actually make sense.