As usual the editorial staff of the Va Pilot (Hampton Roads area - that's Norfolk, Va. Beach, Chesapeake, etc. for those who don't know) has come out hard against a change in law that would allow concealed carry in restaurants/bars serving alcohol (no matter the food-to-alcohol ratio).
This has been a real fight for some years to get this through and there is a good opportunity this year, but this editorial "opinion" is a pretty hard tack.
History and statistics show there have been no reported Concealed Carry offenses in all the years prior to the ban some 5 - 6 years or so back. Open carry is currently okay, but you can see that that is now in jeopardy too.
Virginia Citizens Defense League (VCDL) maintains a current tracking of all gun bills pending on its web site VCDL. This session there is an unusual number of gun bills in the hopper and VCDL members are writing, calling, and emailing as hard as we can to support many and to kill many anti measures.
The Restaurant bill we support heavily is Senate Bill (SB) 579 (listed in the Va Pilot editorial opinion (link follows). We oppose vigorously SB 552 (also listed) which would repeal open carry in restaurants/bars. Open carry has been around virtually forever.
The link: http://epilot.hamptonroads.com/Repository/ml.asp?Issue=VirginianPilot/2004/02/04&ID=Ar02601&Mode=Gif
Virginians have gained a bit of their liberties these past few years since the anxiety of the '90s over Columbine and other events swept the nation and scared pols into restrictive actions. Let us not lose any of these gains - let us continue the fight.
Please - go to the VCDL site, pick your bill(s) and let your pols know what you think. All the tools are there at VCDL to make it easy for you to send your (unranted) thoughts. You might even want to join the ALERT list to keep up on things (no membership required).
Thanks for your attention.
Andy Barr
Virginia Beach
[email protected]
This has been a real fight for some years to get this through and there is a good opportunity this year, but this editorial "opinion" is a pretty hard tack.
History and statistics show there have been no reported Concealed Carry offenses in all the years prior to the ban some 5 - 6 years or so back. Open carry is currently okay, but you can see that that is now in jeopardy too.
Virginia Citizens Defense League (VCDL) maintains a current tracking of all gun bills pending on its web site VCDL. This session there is an unusual number of gun bills in the hopper and VCDL members are writing, calling, and emailing as hard as we can to support many and to kill many anti measures.
The Restaurant bill we support heavily is Senate Bill (SB) 579 (listed in the Va Pilot editorial opinion (link follows). We oppose vigorously SB 552 (also listed) which would repeal open carry in restaurants/bars. Open carry has been around virtually forever.
The link: http://epilot.hamptonroads.com/Repository/ml.asp?Issue=VirginianPilot/2004/02/04&ID=Ar02601&Mode=Gif
Virginians have gained a bit of their liberties these past few years since the anxiety of the '90s over Columbine and other events swept the nation and scared pols into restrictive actions. Let us not lose any of these gains - let us continue the fight.
Please - go to the VCDL site, pick your bill(s) and let your pols know what you think. All the tools are there at VCDL to make it easy for you to send your (unranted) thoughts. You might even want to join the ALERT list to keep up on things (no membership required).
Thanks for your attention.
Andy Barr
Virginia Beach
[email protected]
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