JayC

Just remember the law in TN now does not require you to walk away or flee if you're there legally and not committing a crime. Why it's always best to avoid an attack, we're not obligated to try to in TN anymore.

Maybe in Iowa, but here in TN, two or more attackers who attack you unprovoked... That is going to be seen as justifiable... doesn't matter if they are 15 or 25... Remember, it's a reasonable fear they might cause you serious bodily injury or death... 2 15 year olds attacking you almost always crosses the line into a reasonable fear.

+1 - Too many other businesses don't require you to disarm... why give business to the anti's? Also I'd double check the entrance between the anchor store and the mall and make sure they haven't placed signs there... it maybe that the anchor store isn't posted bu the 'mall' is... which would be clearly enforceable...

Guys just a heads up, from reading the law in Belize ... It appears as if you will have to be a citizen or permanent resident to get a license for a firearm there... And even with the permit to own, you'll have a very hard time importing a firearm from the US (and have to pay high import taxes if you do). BTW, just a FYI the reason for all of this is the Obama supported CIFTA treaty which if passed here would require gun registration and permits (ownership) for all citizens as well. Where do you plan on physically staying when you're back in the country? Is there a bedrooms at the church or do you plan on staying with your mother in law? It probably is illegal to use the church address as your residence if you're not physically staying there in some way shape or form. Maybe your mother in laws address would be a better choice?

You already know the answer... what good will it do to ask him privately? The entire point to ask publicly is to put him on the spot forcing him to answer the question or loose votes.

The government isn't there to protect the rights of the majority, but to protect the rights of the minority... We're not a democracy. Remember the story of 2 wolves and a sheep sitting down and deciding whats from dinner... How is your suggestion any different?

I think you should go read some of the news papers from Israel then... there is a very vocal right wing religious group in Israel who believes the Holy Land is there for them and they on a regular basis are violating Arab property rights, and have performed attacks on the Arabs living in the West Bank... Keep in mind not 10 years ago a 'right wing' religious member assassinated a presidential candidate over the issue of dealing with the Arabs in the region. Look at the 80's after the attacks on the Olympics... Israel as a country started a terrorist campaign including killing many innocent civilians to attack religious leaders of the PLO and members who had planned or funded the Olympic attacks. I'm not saying these folks are wrong in what they did, or how they do it... But there is a lot of information which does not get published in American news papers. In virtually every major religious branch there are crazy zealots willing to kill in the name of their religion... it doesn't take much digging to find them.

+1 In 2008 Muslim's made up 0.6% of the population... They just aren't the threat some people make them out to be.

So which government agency do you feel should be the one in charge of determining how many religious buildings of what type are allowed per city/town? Who exactly do you trust to make that call?

+1 - We're now a country of scared little sheep who want the 'government' to save us from the scary terrorists.

I'm all for not informing businesses they're improperly posted... but I just don't see the need to give my money to a business who doesn't respect my right to protect myself. How many places do you really go that you can't find another non-posted location instead? I kinda understand a Doctor's office, and work... government buildings where you have virtually no other alternative... but a store in the mall? What is in the mall that I can't buy online for less money? Virtually nothing. I'm surprised they're still in business, and even more surprised they want to chase off nearly 5% of their customers in this economy.

I'm a big boy... IWB is just uncomfortable, and I don't do it anymore unless I'm forced to... I've got to OWB for a compact or full size pistol (Glock 19 mostly). I'd suggest a Kydex style holster with a paddle or belt adapter (I prefer the belt adapter personally)... I'd make another suggestion find one that has a fixed 'cant' to the holster it will make concealing easier IMHO, and once you get use to it drawing faster. I'd suggest staying away from cheaper holsters which can 'rotate' to any cant you want.

The way I read the law, technically any knife carried by a college student, even if smaller than 4 inches is still illegal. I doubt it gets enforced, but anything that could get you arrested at a high school can get you arrested at college. This is what happens when we have a 1 size fits all law for all educational institutions from 4 years old to 100 years old.

Yeah, TN's wonderful one size fits all laws... a pocket knife no matter how small could result in a felony charge for a college student

Get a lock box, or something similar and bolt it to the vehicle... I've been considering going back to school, and the inability to carry is a big reason against it.

OhShoot, I think on this one you and I are in complete sync

My bad smith, I missed them... been a long day The talking head progressives have my blood pressure up, and I'm taking it out on you guys since screaming at the TV doesn't seem to work

I'm in agreement on everything else you said... but I think the terrorists have won... they managed to destroy our way of life... the country has been in irrational fear mode for 9+ years now, and it shows no sign of stopping... This is the second worse time for the trashing of the Constitution by the Federal government in the history of this country. I almost shed a tear when I think about all the liberties we've loss in the last 9 years for the sake of some limited 'security'. Freedoms my children will never enjoy because of the knee-jerk reaction we had as a country to that attack. If they're able to tear up religious freedom as well, then stick a fork in us, we're done.

Smith, You loose the argument when you have to resort to calling the opposition crackpot nut-jobs. We're not talking about some silly local ordinance... We're talking about the first amendment in the Bill of Rights... Something our founding fathers required in order to form the government we have today. So yeah the devil is in the detail... This is a simple question. Do you really want the GOVERNMENT to dictate where you can go to worship? That is exactly what you are advocating here... there is no slippery slope, you're at the bottom of the hill with this argument. If the government can block the building of this mosque they can block the building of any religious building. The INTENT of the 1st Amendment is pretty clear... have you read it recently? For the government to block this mosque it would violate at least 2 parts of the 1st Amendment. Nobody is suggesting that is a good thing, only that stopping it is out of the realm of the Government.

+10,000 I totally agree, the way to address this is by legal and nonviolent means which do not involve the government. There is a second building needed to construct this mosque... raise the money and buy it instead... $1 for every American outraged by this mosque will be plenty of money. Document the project and boycott any business that is involved... banks, builders, etc... But, the government stepping in and blocking this mosque is not a solution we should be calling for.. imho.

BTW I have read all 85 of the Federalist Papers, and a number of the Anti-Federalist papers by 'Cato' and 'Brutus'. It's my belief that by weakening Muslim's freedom of religion and the free exercise of that religion we put at risk over own religious freedoms down the road. Christians will be a minority in the United States if trends continue, and I suspect future Christians will look back and question why we so weakened our current religious freedoms... maybe I'm wrong... I'm all for stopping the mosque from being built... I was all for turning Afghanistan into a glass parking lot... and frankly I think that very well may be the best 'exit' strategy we have left I have no love for people trying to force their religion on others... nuke them until they glow and shoot them in the dark but US citizens have God given rights protected by the Constitution, and last time I checked we are a country of laws not a country of public outrage. I'm not blind to the dangerous radical religions present to myself and this country.... I just want to be very careful because the progressives are trying very hard to make Christians look just as evil and backwards as Muslim's... what are we to do in the future when we're labeled radical? And the government can start to interfere with our religious freedoms? If my choice is between weakening my religious freedom to stop this mosque, or running the risk that a homegrown terrorist becomes radicalized in this mosque and kills a bunch of people... I'm sorry I'm a bit too selfish to give up my freedoms for possible security. The risk from home grown terrorists is much lower than the risk of our own government IMHO.

I'm sorry David, but I'm an the most political incorrect person you would ever meet I'm not arguing for Muslims... only to keep the government away from my own religious beliefs and the freedom to exercise them as I wish. As for your argument that the 1st Amendment doesn't cover the building of churches, but only freedom of worship... I'd disagree and state that there are nearly 40-60 SCOTUS rulings which seem to disagree with your opinion on the matter. BTW freedom of worship is a progressive trap IMHO, it's freedom to exercise your religious beliefs which encompasses a lot more than just praying in your home. I agree that local zoning boards can have zoning laws, but according to very settled SCOTUS case law, they may not have special rules regarding religious institutions. I'd suggest reading Cantwell v CT 1940 : Obviously in my opinion any zoning ordinance which singled out religious projects would be unconstitutional, and surely in zoning board ruling that denied an application because of the religion of the applicants would clearly violate the 1st Amendment under current case law. So, yes government can regulate zoning... but can't require anything special because a site may or may not be used for religious activities. Or at least that is how I read the case law. So, yes we have a right to build churches, mosques and temples on private land as long as we meet the general zoning requirements of the site in question. Now, if citizens want to put a stop to this... I'm ALL for it... I'm just against the government getting involved.

Where I grew up as a kid, children of farmers got to take 2 weeks off during planting season and again some time off in the fall for the harvest. All you needed was a note from your parents that you were working on the family farm. It didn't seem fair to me then Fair is different than the government favoring one religion over another... I don't see that happening all that often.

So because most Christian holidays are already recognized by our government and taken off.. some Christians feel Muslims are getting more than them? Has any Christian at a government school been denied the ability to take off a legitimate religious holiday when they make the request? I'm sorry but you're describing the Government staying out of religion... Which is exactly what we should want them to do.

I think the truth is they'll have no trouble finding workers and suppliers... because people get mad but won't do anything constructive about it. All they tend to do is whine to the government and ask them to fix it... when it's not something the government can legally fix. This an a poor understanding of the consitution and freedom has caused the disaster we call home today. I'm happy to provide plenty of examples of this behavior by the public if you'd like