Hey! Is That A Real Gun Or A Toy?

Any of you folks planning on attending the Republican National Convention this year in Tampa, Florida? Well if you're not a delegate, who will have to check their guns at the door, and you would like to carry your protection on your person while you wait outside for a sighting of your favorite politician, or if you plan on demonstrating outside the convention center, you'd better think again. That means no knives, billy clubs, shovels, hammers, pepper spray or even squirt guns. The only thing you will be allowed to carry is your handgun, shotgun, rifle, bazooka or, presumably, hand held rocket launcher. But don't get caught in possession of a slingshot, chains or chainsaw. I can understand the slingshot. David used it to down Goliath, but it'll take more than a slingshot to bring down the NRA. Ya see, the city can clap you in irons for carrying a paintgun, but not a colt 45. Or a Rugar blackhawk 44 magnum or a Smith & Wesson 38 special. You can even carry a blunderbuss or flintlock, all fully loaded. How about a WW11 era M1 rifle? Yes, but you may not fix bayonet. And no, you can't carry a cap gun. The deal is that you can't carry anything that resembles a firearm, but you can carry a real firearm. You can't even carry anything that can remotely be considered related to a weapon. That's the difference between the state law that permits carrying a firearm, anywhere you want, anytime you want and a city ordinance that wants to restrict firearms anywhere that it could present a real and present danger. But, the NRA will tell you that guns don't kill people, people kill people. The fact that, when aimed and fired at someone, the gun does in fact kill, is not being discussed. The NRA will also explain that if enough people are armed, then everyone is safer. Try telling that to our folks in Afghanistan. Armies have, since the beginning of the use of firearms, have operated on the idea that having everyone armed actually causes people to get killed. That's how war works. That's how the OK Corral got it's infamous reputation. It's not that I'm against owning or carrying a gun. I like to hunt and target shoot. So I carry a gun to do those things. But when I decide to go to church or grocery shopping, I'd rather not have to think about dodging stray bullets from the gun of some dope who doesn't know how to use it in a moment of extreme stress. That's what cops are for.