A Virginia Delegate wants to ban firearms from the state Capitol and General Assembly building. Of course, it’s a knee-jerk reaction to the shooting of Rep. Giffords in Arizona.
“The tragedy this weekend in Tucson should cause all public officials to re-examine the safety and security of themselves, their staff, and visitors,” [Del. Patrick A. Hope (D-Arlington)] said in a statement.
I will agree with that statement, but I will differ upon the means to the end.
How is disarming the law-abiding citizenry going to improve things? Show me the concrete evidence that supports this as an actual solution that succeeds in meeting the desired goal.
If you ban firearms, fine. Is this going to stop a criminal or some crazy guy hell-bent on destruction? Nope. By definition those folks don’t obey the law, so how would such a law help prevent things like what happened to Rep. Giffords?
Hope, who is in his second year in the legislature, said he was taken aback last year when he first found himself riding the elevator with a man who had a gun strapped to his leg.
“I felt very uncomfortable and very uneasy,” he said in an interview.
Ah. I see. You felt uncomfortable. So your lack of understanding, your ignorance, is why we should all be subject to your viewpoint of the world. I see.
Hope continues:
He said he drafted the bill several weeks ago, before the events in Arizona, but said they illustrate why such a move would be smart.
“We’ve got take every prudent action to protect ourselves, our staff and the public,” he said. “Look at airports, look at Congress, look at federal courthouses. They’ve been able to pass these. Why are we any different?
But look at airports. They have some of the highest “security” measures in the world, but it doesn’t stop things from getting through nor “bad things” from happening. Look at Congress and courthouses. That they don’t permit it doesn’t stop criminals, it doesn’t stop crazy.
Hope said his bill would not make it a crime to bring a gun to the legislature but would direct Capitol Police to help gun owners check their weapons at the doors before entering. It would also exempt members of the legislature from the ban.
Oh, that’s even worse. First, they can still bring guns but then the guns have to be checked. That’s a bad idea. The more you fiddle with a loaded gun, the more you risk a negligent/accidental discharge. You load the gun, you put it into the holster, and you leave it there and don’t touch it. Any time you touch it you raise the chances of the gun going bang when you didn’t want it to go back. Case in point? just keep reading the article!
The most notable incident involving a gun at the General Assembly Building in recent memory did, in fact, come from a state delegate. In 2006, then-Del. Jack Reid (R-Henrico) accidentally shot a handgun in his General Assembly Building office, firing into a bullet proof vest he kept hanging on his door as a joke. He apologized profusely for the incident, which he said occurred as he was removing a clip from the gun which he carried to work each morning.
He was fiddling with this gun and boom… N.D..
*sigh*
But I also like Hope’s little slip in there: that members of the legislature would be exempted from the ban. Why? Oh I see, because you feel you and your type are more important than the general citizenry? That you can be trusted more? That you’re above all of this? I think not. You are a citizen like the rest of us. I see no reason why you should be allowed special privileges when the very people you are supposed to be serving are then thrust to a lower standard. However, the reality remains: trying to make some sort of little “safe zone” in which you think you can keep bad things out and you’ll be safe inside? it’s a false sense of security. Public schools are set up as these “safe zones” and look how well that’s worked out.
But you know what actually worked?
When Loughner started shooting, there were tough men and women willing to fight. They weren’t going to stand around and wait for someone else to come to their rescue. They dove in, they took charge. In fact, one of the men that directly stopped Loughner? He was carrying a concealed handgun.
That is what will improve things.
Allow people to stand strong. Allow people to fight. Realize the citizen that’s already there is the first-responder. Encourage people to become better equipped to handle such situations, be it having the right tools or (better) having the right mindset. Don’t neuter the law-abiding citizen, for it accomplishes nothing positive.
Stuff From Hsoi 
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Absolutely correct, Hsoi.