so, I live here in MN, as it happens, right across from the state fair grounds, and during the 'off season' many shows and convetions are held in the buildings and areas there. Back to the 60's carshows, horse shows, wilsons's leather, discount computer sales, quilting bee displays, you name it.
Anyways, this weekend is a gun show, so i decide to walk down there and check it out. It is probably a little less than a mile, and I can always use the excercize. There are 3 entrances, one from the south, one from the east, one from the north. It is a really big place, surrounded by parking lots etc.
So I am waking toward the north entrance, and I get to one of many partitioned and fenced off parking lots. turns out there is some small carshow going on there, with about 75 cars being shown. I am walking on the sidewalk and some lady asks to see my wristband, I say I don't have one, I am just passing through on my way to the fairgrounds. She says 'they'll stop you farther up!' so i keep on walking. I get a bit farther and two ticket people step up and ask me what I am doing (now remember, this is a public road and public sidewalks) I tell them just passing through on my way farther down. They say I cannot go farther down. I pull out my driver's licence, show them my address and point to the big brick apartment building behind me. I say 'see my address, that is where I live, I am on my way to the gun show at the education building at the state fair, of the 3 public roads going in, this is by far the closest. They still try and tell me I cannot.
So I say 'All right, I am going to need to see some ID' They look at me funny, and say 'whose ID?' I say "Yours, I don't know you from Adam, and you are standing here saying I cannot be on my way to transact business. If you are going to stop me from traveling down this public road, I want to know who you are and by what authority you can do so." Their eyes get big and one guy goes 'one second, stay right here.' and goes off to some guy sitting in a golf cart giving others instructions. They talk for a minute and golf cart guy drives over.
Golf cart guy asks me "Going to the gun show at the education building, huh? I say 'Yup' he says "Hop in I'll give you a lift down there" so I do and we sip through the maybe 2 blocks along the road that the car show is at, to the other side, and he lets me out. He tells me 'sorry about that, had I been close enough to see the conversation from the start, I would have just waved you through. I tell him thanks for the lift no problem, he laughs and says after making you stand there and wait the least I could do was drive you a couple hundred yards to the other entrance.
On the way back I get asked if I have a wrist band, I say no, coming from the gun show, show the guy my stamped hand, and point to my apartment building "That's home, just on my way back, I am going to cut through here. I came this way on the way down, and they just had someone come with me, make sure I don't steal any glances at the cars I guess" the guy laughs, na, just go ahead.
Just figured I'd share that story. Wonder how different it would have been if I had been carrying a cased rifle or something to sell, or carrying something back. Just goes to show you that there are both decent folk around still, as well as morons who get pumped up with a little bit of imaginary power.
Anyways, this weekend is a gun show, so i decide to walk down there and check it out. It is probably a little less than a mile, and I can always use the excercize. There are 3 entrances, one from the south, one from the east, one from the north. It is a really big place, surrounded by parking lots etc.
So I am waking toward the north entrance, and I get to one of many partitioned and fenced off parking lots. turns out there is some small carshow going on there, with about 75 cars being shown. I am walking on the sidewalk and some lady asks to see my wristband, I say I don't have one, I am just passing through on my way to the fairgrounds. She says 'they'll stop you farther up!' so i keep on walking. I get a bit farther and two ticket people step up and ask me what I am doing (now remember, this is a public road and public sidewalks) I tell them just passing through on my way farther down. They say I cannot go farther down. I pull out my driver's licence, show them my address and point to the big brick apartment building behind me. I say 'see my address, that is where I live, I am on my way to the gun show at the education building at the state fair, of the 3 public roads going in, this is by far the closest. They still try and tell me I cannot.
So I say 'All right, I am going to need to see some ID' They look at me funny, and say 'whose ID?' I say "Yours, I don't know you from Adam, and you are standing here saying I cannot be on my way to transact business. If you are going to stop me from traveling down this public road, I want to know who you are and by what authority you can do so." Their eyes get big and one guy goes 'one second, stay right here.' and goes off to some guy sitting in a golf cart giving others instructions. They talk for a minute and golf cart guy drives over.
Golf cart guy asks me "Going to the gun show at the education building, huh? I say 'Yup' he says "Hop in I'll give you a lift down there" so I do and we sip through the maybe 2 blocks along the road that the car show is at, to the other side, and he lets me out. He tells me 'sorry about that, had I been close enough to see the conversation from the start, I would have just waved you through. I tell him thanks for the lift no problem, he laughs and says after making you stand there and wait the least I could do was drive you a couple hundred yards to the other entrance.
On the way back I get asked if I have a wrist band, I say no, coming from the gun show, show the guy my stamped hand, and point to my apartment building "That's home, just on my way back, I am going to cut through here. I came this way on the way down, and they just had someone come with me, make sure I don't steal any glances at the cars I guess" the guy laughs, na, just go ahead.
Just figured I'd share that story. Wonder how different it would have been if I had been carrying a cased rifle or something to sell, or carrying something back. Just goes to show you that there are both decent folk around still, as well as morons who get pumped up with a little bit of imaginary power.
