Trouble in Washington Co., VA

[Guest ChadW]

This was in the Sunday edition of the Bristol Herald-Courier. I figured since it happened in Abingdon, that it may be of interest to pepole in the Tri-Cities area.

VA: Harrassed while exercising my right to go armed at county fair

http://www.tricities.com/tristate/t...09-23-0005.html

Harrassed while exercising my right to go armed at county fair

Sunday, Sep 23, 2007 - 12:06 AM

BY TONY MCKENNA

SPECIAL TO THE HERALD COURIER

On a recent Saturday, I put on my "Jesus is my Boss" hat, my light jacket and a tight shirt. I wore my 38-caliber revolver outside my shirt and under my jacket, instead of under a loose shirt.

When my wife, three children and I arrived at the Washington County Fair, the weather turned very warm so I left my jacket in the car. After two hours at the fair, three sheriff’s deputies approached me about my holstered sidearm. They told me Sheriff Fred Newman sent them over to tell me not to wear my holstered gun because he received some complaints.

Evidently, this woman who was standing near us, while my wife and I laughed and smiled at our children as they rode the same ride three or four times, thought that this man wearing a Jesus hat and carrying a gun was blasphemy to the worshipers of political correctness, used her cell phone to call the sheriff’s department and complain.

The deputy, knowing I had a concealed carry permit and knowing there was no law against carrying a holstered gun in public, asked me to carry my gun inside my bag as a favor to him. So I did.

AFTER A WHILE, I realized that I could no longer ask the kids or my wife to hold the bag because there was a concealed weapon inside it. So I took the gun out of my bag, put it back into my holster and pulled my shirt out of my pants and just let it hang over my gun, although it was a tight shirt and you can see an obvious bulge.

From that point on, not 30 minutes passed when there weren’t a number of deputies within 15 feet of us for the rest of that afternoon. Like I said, the first two hours there was not one deputy to be seen. I know this because we were watching for them to open their trailer so my son could go and look at the things that they had to offer.

I am disabled. My wife is disabled. We have three small children.

Who’s to protect them if someone starts shooting the place up like at Virginia Tech a few months ago? Who’s to protect them if members of the notorious MS-13 gang that has taken up residence in Tennessee and Virginia, decide that for a new members initiation they are to take or kill a small child? The FBI considers MS-13 [from Mara Salvatrucha] to be the most violent gang in the United States with more than 6,000 members in Virginia.

POLICE ARE only a deterrent force and are under no legal obligation to protect us from crime. In 1982, the U.S. Court of Appeals, 7th Circuit said: "... there is no Constitutional right to be protected by the state against being murdered by criminals or madmen. It is monstrous if the state fails to protect its residents against such predators but it does not violate the due process clause of the 14th Amendment or, we suppose, any other provision of the Constitution. The Constitution is a charter of negative liberties: it tells the state to let the people alone; it does not require the federal government or the state to provide services, even so elementary a service as maintaining law and order."

Sheriff Newman should not have sent his deputies out to harass me, but should have told the people who called in to complain that I not only have that God-given right of the 2nd Amendment, but also the obligation to be diligent and protective of my family at all times.

The last election cycle I voted for Sheriff Newman; not this time. This time, I’m going to vote for the other guy, whoever that may be.

One more thing, I’ll wear my gun the way that is comfortable for me. And the loco anti-gun bleeding hearts club, just needs to get over it.

Tony McKenna lives in Abingdon, Va.

(Comments link at the bottom of the page)

Letters to the Editor go to both:

lbazner@bristolnews.com

ahopkins@bristolnews.com

[Guest Hyaloid]

Thanks for posting this.

[DaveTN]

They told me Sheriff Fred Newman sent them over to tell me not to wear my holstered gun because he received some complaints.

What happened when you went and talked to him?

[TGO David]

What happened when you went and talked to him?

I don't think the original poster is the author of that newspaper editorial. The author was a man by the name of Tony McKenna. Original poster is ChadW.

[Guest ChadW]

This did not happen to me. I just saw while reading the Sunday paper and thought it would of interest to some poeple.

[Guest Phantom6]

From that point on, not 30 minutes passed when there weren’t a number of deputies within 15 feet of us for the rest of that afternoon.

Sounds to me that carrying his firearm made standing next to him the safest place at the county fair... provided the deputies could shoot straight of course.

[Guest jackdog]

If your with in your legal rights when you carry then to hell with them. My safety and my loved ones safety means a hell of a lot more than pleasing some lady that has a phobia for guns.

[towerclimber37]

What Jackdog said!

[Mike.357]

provided the deputies could shoot straight of course

provided they weren't carrying Glocks!

Humor aside it is good to read about someone law-abiding and putting the law to use for their best interest.

But this brings the point that one has to decide whether to OC or CC, and is OCing to them so important that it is worth being forced to interact with the man.

[molonlabetn]

provided they weren't carrying Glocks!

Humor aside it is good to read about someone law-abiding and putting the law to use for their best interest.

But this brings the point that one has to decide whether to OC or CC, and is OCing to them so important that it is worth being forced to interact with the man.

Not having been hassled, myself, after OCing for several years now all over mid-tn... And not having been forced to use my weapon either. I can't honestly say that it is worth it or not.

Either of those things occurring is a big 'IF', and based on the publicized reports, the outcome is favorable to the the person OCing when there is misconduct by LEOs... and there is no evidence or reasonable suspicion that OCing would increase the risk of criminal activity.

There's no down-side. In the summer, I can carry and stay cool while carrying something bigger, more effective, and easier to quickly bring to bear. I don't OC in the winter much (unless I take my coat off)... it's mainly a convenience thing.

[DaveTN]

But this brings the point that one has to decide whether to OC or CC, and is OCing to them so important that it is worth being forced to interact with the man.

I wouldn’t open carry, but I’m pretty sure I could survive a stop without going to jail. If you talk with them reasonably and don’t cop an attitude about rights you don’t have; all may end well.

The guy makes it sound like the deputies were respectful of him and said the request came from the Sheriff. If I was upset enough about it to start writing letters to the paper; I think I would have first went to the Sheriff and ask to talk with him. I’m curious as to what he has to say about this.

[Guest Hyaloid]

Remember, this occurred in Virginia too... a little bit of a different ball game from TN.

But, I agree that even though OC is a legal activity, you have to be well prepared to handle an encounter with a LEO in a professional (hopefully on both sides) manner.