Politicians packing heat
Image via WikipediaWhen he's traveling to meet constituents, bumping along the back roads of central Utah in his Ford F-150 truck, it's not unusual for Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R) to have a handgun strapped to his hip.I don't have a problem with them carrying a weapon. If you can't trust your Congressman with a gun then you should not elect him. There maybe a situation where it might make a difference, but I do not think Gabby Giffords would have had a chance to use hers because of the nature of the attack which was at very close range and from behind. I doubt she ever saw the guy or his gun. What could have saved her is having more distance between where she was and the audience she was going to meet with. Doing it in a Safeway parking lot will probably be out in the future.
A longtime gun owner, Chaffetz said that in light of the attempt last weekend on the life of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.), he thinks it might be a good idea to bring his Glock 23 even more often when he heads out into the country.
"It's just that you never know when you might find yourself in a most unfortunate situation," he said Wednesday. "I'd hate to be in a situation where I don't have the tool to do what needs to be done, and I hope and pray I'm never in such a situation."
Chaffetz is among several lawmakers who have stated publicly that the Arizona incident persuaded them that they need to keep their guns at the ready more regularly, even when meeting with constituents. Rep. Heath Shuler (D-N.C.), a vice-chairman of the House sportsmen's caucus, told Politico that he would be carrying his gun more often in light of the incident.
Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.) told the Associated Press that he would reapply for his permit to carry a concealed weapon, though he is not sure he will carry his gun to public events. Freshman Rep. Morgan Griffith (R) said in an interview that he was thinking of applying for a permit because his new job as a congressman requires him to be away from his southern Virginia home more often.
It is but one way in which lawmakers are responding to heightened security concerns in the wake of the shooting, which took the lives of six people and injured at least 13 others. Despite the rarity of such incidents, it was a reminder to those who hold public office that their positions could put them at risk of similar attacks.
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As I noted in an earlier post the idea of restricting carrying a weapon within 1,000 feet of a Congress critter is not only impractical, but it never would have stopped someone bent on murder in the first place. There are already laws against murder and that did not stop this guy. Does anyone seriously think he would stop a 1,000 feet away? He maybe crazy, but he isn't stupid.
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