Disappointing

Its pretty disappointing that while the Washington Post has run two better than average stories on open carry here in Virginia, the otherwise sensible Washington Times has what is perhaps the most biased and defamatory article on firearms I've seen in a long long long time.

In them thar hillbilly hills and suburban highways, law-abiding Virginians can carry a six-shooter openly in a hip holster or conceal a weapon in a designer purse, but they better not be caught toting a concealed machete.

Go figure. Which is worse while your family is dining on a "Grand Slam" breakfast at Denny's — sitting next to Quick Draw McGraw or Zorro? Well, the Virginia legislature obviously thinks that a machete is more dangerous than a firearm or an assault weapon. Why else would they have made it illegal, as of July 1, to carry a concealed machete, but barred local jurisdictions from enacting any legislation or ordinances limiting laws concerning concealed weapons or "open carry" options.

Besides completely getting the law wrong on this one (go figure), I am shocked that this rubbish is published in the Times. To make matters worse, the only people quoted are the director of the Virginia branch of the commie mommies (no surprise there) and Sgt. Richard Perez of the Fairfax Police who reports no problems as a result of the law (and is roundly criticized for this position).

Fine. I wonder how long that's going to last if folks have a mind to take the law in their own hands because they are carrying a gun on their hip? Doesn't the county have a growing gang problem? Are guns or machetes really their preferred weapon of choice? Mrs. Robinson is "shocked but not really surprised" by these latest incidents because "you see people carrying weapons in the General Assembly [and] where's the real danger there?" Last year she became "horribly alarmed" and uncomfortable when a man wearing a gun walked into a concert hall in colonial Yorktown while her son was practicing with a high school drum and fife corps.

Ummm, yeah. One problem, or two. The gang members are mostly illegal immigrants (not the type to try and call police attention), too young to legally possess handguns, and more often or not already convicted felons by the time they are 18. I would argue that no gang member in his right mind is going to open carry. None. Zero. Nuts. Not if they are trying to avoid being arrested.

And please, Suzie Robinson is "horribly alarmed" that someone is displaying a gun at Colonial Williamsburg, where the employees routinely walk around armed and engage in demonstrations of blackpowder firepower? Give it an F'ing break mam. Of course, their true intent quickly comes out. Yep, the so called assault weapons ban.

What really concerns Mrs. Robinson and an army of gun-control activists is the impending sunset of the federal assault-weapons ban. If the ban expires Sept. 13 as expected, there's a very real possibility in Virginia that someone "can put a Tech 9 in a holster and carry it around." The Tech 9, she noted, was the weapon of choice for one of the shooters in the Columbine High School massacre in Colorado.

It figures. I won't even bother de-fisking this one since my readers are bright enough to do it on their own.

What’s most surprising to me about the article though is that the same family that owns Kahr Arms and Auto Ordinance (they make Tommy guns) also owns the Washington Times. It seems that they would be particularly impacted by passage of the assault weapons ban. Of course, its possible that Kahr - a gun maker known for its concealed carry pieces doesn't want to see people openly carrying - since that leads to the purchase of non Kahr firearms (how’s that for a conspiracy theory).