TTAG reader JackN read a previous Question of the Day – How Are Gun Rights In Your State? – and penned this, his first comment:
As a Michigan resident (life long) I can honestly say that the biggest gun control measure that’s most troublesome (and dangerous) is the Gun Free Zone. This I believe is also the biggest national problem because, it directly affects our freedom to travel and to be in place where we have every right to be -WITH the inalienable right to SELF DEFENSE!! Who are these yahoos who get to choose when/where I can defend myself or my children (or those of others)?? What gives them the authority to cancel OUR right to actively defend against attack (which can come at any time, anywhere)? Answer: they DO NOT HAVE that authority but, so far, we have been unable to topple this usurpation of an essential right . . .
If I am called to jury duty: I cannot bring my sidearm and just check it in with the deputies who guard the entrance to the court house. That would be acceptable to me but even that sensible provision is omitted. We are expected to either leave our gun in our car (if you have a car or need one to get to the courthouse) OR leave it at home where it cannot then be used ON THE WAY to the courthouse. Stupid, stupid, stupid – and a violation of rights.
Same story with schools: an adult cannot take their own child or (for example) a niece or nephew to school and be armed if you have reason to enter the school. Nor can an adult take a student of any school to in-school event like concerts and school plays.
Ann Arbor is where the University of Michigan is located. It’s a giant university with a large “main campus” a huge hospital and other properties taking up much of the eastside downtown area. If you want to WALK across that campus, you have to literally walk blocks out of your way to avoid U of M’s “gun free zone.” And U of M has it’s own police force so they can arrest you if you’re “detected” crossing with your sidearm.
We MUST have a national abolition of Gun Free Zones. We MUST have a national RECIPROCITY LAW mandating that states like California accept concealed carry licenses from other states – just like all states recognize drivers licenses from all other states.