How Can I Protect Myself In This State?

[Guest sventvkg]

I moved here a year ago from Alaska where I could carry concealed almost anywhere and I felt safe. Here there are so many idiotic laws against carrying in posted places, parks around my town of Smyrna, etc etc..Seriously..I take classes at a college and I can't even take my firearm and keep it in my vehicle. Who are these politicians and how can we rout them out in favor of REAL 2nd amendment supporters???? There are so many rules and regulations governing where and how a law abiding citizen can carry that it's impossible to protect ourselves and this is absolutely NOT what our founders envisioned and I believe it's morally wrong. Are we going to have to make ourselves criminals, enemies of the state like our founding fathers to be able to protect ourselves? There are places I need to go where they say I can't take my gun but I can't morally go there without it...What to do? I'm very conflicted.

[daddyo]

And you didn't know this before you moved here?

[hornett22]

You think it's bad here? Move to southern New England!

Though not perfect, it's not that bad here.

[TMF]

Well, as you'll learn HCPers are a small sampling of the population here. An even smaller sample go so far to complain about it on the internet. A seemingly non-existent minority from that number will actually work to have things change, but will not succeed due to lack of motivation to follow through with the simplest of tasks involving an email to their elected representative. HCP holders deserve the stupid rules they have.

[Guest sventvkg]

Well I'm going to get proactive on this issue. If anyone has an advice as to where to start or would like me to join an existing lobby PM me. Thanks and yes, DaddyO I read the gun laws before I moved there but once I had boots on the ground the limitations kicked in:( And Hornett22, I'm ORIGINALLY from the PR of NJ so I know all about NE gun laws!! How anyone could live there.

[Guest bkelm18]

Other than school, I rarely encounted any place that I absolutely cannot carry. I encounter the very occaisional gunbuster but other than that, I feel I can protect myself perfectly fine in this state.

Edited July 30, 2012 by bkelm18

[Caster]

Kung Fu?

[RobertNashville]

I moved here a year ago from Alaska where I could carry concealed almost anywhere and I felt safe. Here there are so many idiotic laws against carrying in posted places, parks around my town of Smyrna, etc etc..Seriously..I take classes at a college and I can't even take my firearm and keep it in my vehicle. Who are these politicians and how can we rout them out in favor of REAL 2nd amendment supporters???? There are so many rules and regulations governing where and how a law abiding citizen can carry that it's impossible to protect ourselves and this is absolutely NOT what our founders envisioned and I believe it's morally wrong. Are we going to have to make ourselves criminals, enemies of the state like our founding fathers to be able to protect ourselves? There are places I need to go where they say I can't take my gun but I can't morally go there without it...What to do? I'm very conflicted.

We have it much better here than many states but you are absolutely correct, we need some major (and most would say common sense) changes to existing TN laws.

If you want to see things change - GET INVOLVED.

Join the NRA if you aren't already a member and the TFA (Tennessee Firearms Association) which does a lot of good work trying to improve our laws (including our ability to carry at all)...most importantly; learn about who is running and support the best, Constitutional conservative candidates. Things can't and won't change overnight but there are more of "us" than there are of "them" and the more of us that get involved the more we can accomplish.

[Guest sventvkg]

I plan to get involved for sure. Thanks for the heads up

[Guest 270win]

It could be worse. Go to Arkansas where there are TWENTY PLACES you can't legally carry a gun. If you carry in those twenty places, your license is absolutely no good and you can get a 'carrying a weapon' misdemeanor charge.

Conceal your gun and other people will not know you are carrying it. If we could get rid of the local option on parks making it an Class A Misdemeanor to carry WITH a permit, get rid of the 500 dollar fine signs, this state would be a lot better for carrying. I would like to see schools legal for permit holders, like in some states, but I doubt that will happen before the parks and signs are taken care of.

[Guest BungieCord]

If it eases your mind any, Tennessee has a handgun possession "safe harbor" statute:

TENNESSEE CODE ANNOTATED

© 2012 by The State of Tennessee

Title 39 Criminal Offenses

Chapter 17 Offenses Against Public Health, Safety and Welfare

Part 13 Weapons

Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-17-1322 (2012)

39-17-1322. Defenses.

A person shall not be charged with or convicted of a violation under this part if the person possessed, displayed or employed a handgun in justifiable self-defense or in justifiable defense of another during the commission of a crime in which that person or the other person defended was a victim.

HISTORY: Acts 1994, ch. 943, § 1.

Which means that so long as you only every use it justifiably (it was a "righteous" shoot), a Tennessee handgun permit is really only of use if you happen to get caught not using your weapon.