State travel tourism Boycott?

I find a one dimensional view of things through the lens of only 2A is both a flawed and exhausting way of viewing things.

The answer is no. I go where I want to in this country and follow the rules where I go. However, I live where I live mostly because this is where I ended up but I would never stay somewhere that was not 2A friendly.

Not me. I'd miss out on lots of great backpacking and hiking country if I did that, and the absence of my low budget ass wouldn't make the tiniest bit of difference to those places anyway.

I travel through Illinois with some regularity; a few times a year.

I spend no money there. No fuel stops, no overnight stays.

I have a choice about where I spend money. I will not voluntarily subsidize any political viewpoint with which I disagree.

Unlike some, I will not try to stop you from vocalizing your view, but I will not subsidize that view.

No, I don't let firearms laws affect my choice of where to visit. I live way too close to Massachusetts to do that. Taking an occasional trip to Boston is worth not carrying a gun, even if I have to go over my car with a fine-tooth comb to make sure I haven't let any loose ammo or large knives in it. And going to visit my brother in Virginia means passing through several states that would frown about 75% of my firearms collection. Plus I still owe a friend in New Jersey a visit, and she owes me a tour of New York City.

However, I have let my girlfriend know that there will be no permanent relocating to a state with restrictive gun laws. Which does rule out MA, NJ, NY, MD, CA, CT, RI and any number of other states I'm sure I've forgotten about.

Most of Europe -- and for that matter, the world -- is antigun (at least on paper). If you're going to boycott every place that is antigun, your horizons will be pretty limited. That's a head-in-the-sand, parochial mentality.

America's Right to Bear Arms is a worldwide anomaly.That's the first point to keep in mind.

The second point is that political boycotts never work. The main thing they do is make the boycotters feel good about themselves. Everybody else ignores them.

I do not intentionally travel to/through Maryland if I can avoid it. And that's only a concern because I work in the Norfolk, VA area and one of my older brothers and his wife used to live/work in the Manassas/DC area. If I have to travel through MD, I take appropriate precautions with respect to the federal law and don't stop unless I absolutely have to.

Other places/states...well, it's a balance act. We're come up on our 25th wedding anniversary in a few months, and Hawaii is the planned destination (COVID stuff permitting). Sorry, folks, but that's an instance where I'll make the sacrifice.

Same with a trip overseas, like to Ireland, that my wife wants to visit some day.

We drive on vacations, take guns, kids, and dogs with us.
Have not been on a plane or cruise in over 30 years and don't intend to change that.
Plenty to see that interest me (us) where I (we) am not required to disarm to be entertained.
Boarded our dogs once long time ago and we will not do it again I felt like a lowlife leaving them, rather not go on vacation that do it again.
Countries that don't allow their citizens gun ownership and concealed carry are not really free.

I don’t actively boycott those states, but it just naturally falls into my lifestyle as if I am boycotting them. Now I will not buy any NEW guns manufactured in those states, I’m not going to feed the enemy of the 2A.

Not the least bit interested in travelling to or visiting New York City, Chicago, Boston, Seattle, or anywhere in the entire state of California.

Plenty of other things to see and places to go in the rest of the country!

Seems rather petty and one dimensional. Especially since many of those states are absolutely worth traveling to.

Also, me boycotting them would be essentially just, as the kids say “playing myself” because me not traveling to and spending money there doesn’t hurt those states at all but definitely does limit my other opportunities for other things I like to do. So no.

Don’t get played, not even by yourself.

I live much too far from any of places to it to be a consideration at my age. However if I decided I wanted to visit one of them I would and just live with their laws while I was there. I seriously doubt that any would miss my meager spending while visiting as I'm rather thrifty. My wife has another word for it. I try to tune her out when she uses it but I believe it is tightwad.

I think it's a hollow boycott.

If you didn't go there before they won't miss you when you don't go there again.

Some in those states will actually claim victory that they kept you out.

Most if not all of the natonal hotel chains are anti. So unless you stay home or rent a motorhome, it's pretty difficult to boycott those.



I'd be more incline to go where I want and support rather than boycott.

In CA, for ex, there is over 15 million acres of (the original) BLM public land thats available to shooting and other outdoor activities; other state land as well. Free.

The beaches are free and if you park about a block away the parking is free too even at the most popular famous beaches.

Beautiful national parks.

You could spend weeks here and be active everyday with out spending much money other than food.

Food... if you wanted, you could patron more conservative places.... lots of independent restaurants.

There are ways you can visit with very little of your money spent go to state in taxes. If you have or rent an electronic car, no gas taxes (and boy are those high) are going to the state. Theres quite a few places that let you charge for free if you wanted to put in that effort.

Hawaii doesn't have to be expensive either. Beaches are free. I've gone 4 times and had some of the best food. I made it a rule when I went there the 1st time on my honeymoon to only eat at small local independently owned food places (except I like the Top of Wakiki cuz that was our fancy honeymoon dinner). That was one of the best decision I made there. Beautiful places you can hike/walk for free.

Hooda Thunkit said:

I travel through Illinois with some regularity; a few times a year.

I spend no money there. No fuel stops, no overnight stays.

I have a choice about where I spend money. I will not voluntarily subsidize any political viewpoint with which I disagree.

Unlike some, I will not try to stop you from vocalizing your view, but I will not subsidize that view.

Click to expand...

I don't travel through IL as much as I used to but I make it a point to not stop for anything in that state. I realize it doesn't impact the state at all but I get satisfaction for not spending my money there.

earlthegoat2 said:

I find a one dimensional view of things through the lens of only 2A is both a flawed and exhausting way of viewing things.

The answer is no. I go where I want to in this country and follow the rules where I go. However, I live where I live mostly because this is where I ended up but I would never stay somewhere that was not 2A friendly.

Click to expand...

I agree; there's a WHOLE lot more to life than whether or not I can carry a gun. I guess the OP is also ruling out traveling outside of the country to any of the other ~200 countries - that's a shame.

earlthegoat2 said:

I find a one dimensional view of things through the lens of only 2A is both a flawed and exhausting way of viewing things.

The answer is no. I go where I want to in this country and follow the rules where I go. However, I live where I live mostly because this is where I ended up but I would never stay somewhere that was not 2A friendly.

Click to expand...

Was just about to say something like this.

95% of planet Earth won’t let civilians carry guns. To tell my family, “Sorry, you don’t get to go to 95% of planet Earth because I disapprove of other states’ and nations’ criminal statutes,” would be very misplaced priorities (for us at least).

Also, boycotts are for the libs.

To miss out on NYC's cultural attractions, the Hudson Valley, the Catskills, the Adirondacks, and the Great Lakes region would be a great loss.

King's Canyon, Sequoia, and Yosemite Nat'l Parks and Big Sur in CA are all must sees.

HI, what state can match that?

Living and enjoying my life through travel would be more important than temporarily conforming to a state's rule.

A company making civilian guns is already 2A friendly, especially if they started long before the current political climate. Why would I want to boycott them and try and force them out of business just because they're in a state with a liberal legistlature?

I boycott discussions of this nature as they often result in hurt feelings...

No. Two summers ago we vacationed in the Adirondacks. We had a great time in a beautiful part of the country. I obviously would have preferred being able to carry but didn't let that stop what was a great vacation.

To the extent possible, I prefer spending my online sales tax dollars in states that do not use the money to hurt 2A. But as to travel, no, I've not made boycotting via travel plans, a thing.

And having the very fondest memories of wild camping in the Adirondacks when I was younger, I would not hesitate to go back for that purpose.

For business, I'll travel to any state and almost any country to make a living. My industry is too small to cut off customers that don't have the same beliefs as me. That would cut my paycheck nearly in half.

For pleasure? Pffft. Haven't been able to have a real vacation in years. Future travel for pleasure will be merely to visit family, and I'm not cutting off family just because the state they live in doesn't live up to my standards.

Bottom line is, I carry across state lines when it is legal for me to do so. I can't take guns with me all the time, same as when I travel onto a military base or into a prison for work, but work is work.