Drinking while strapped
Under the proposed bills, a handgun carry permit holder still cannot drink alcohol when carrying. But HB0898 would allow police to carry their weapon while in places that serve alcohol. Via WizardPC who emails:
I was watching for the veto, and was surprised to learn about HB898, which removes the prohibition on off duty law enforcement carrying firearms in establishments that serve alcohol.
I’m sure that Gov Bredesen and Chief Serpas are vehemently opposed to this legislation, since guns and alcohol never mix.
Also, Rep Kelsey can be heard saying to the sponsor, “You and your special classes of people…”
Like you and me, only better.
June 3rd, 2009 at 11:31 am
When I was in Law enforcement in Tennessee there was a law that required off duty officers to take action if they saw a crime being committed. So it makes sense to be armed if you are going to be involved.
June 3rd, 2009 at 11:39 am
Police operate under “delegated powers” as do ALL government officials and agents. Those powers come DOWN from the people who have rights; that is, the greater (employer) delegates to the lesser (employee). SO, the law should apply at least equally so that ANYONE carrying a weapon should not be allowed to partake of alcohol while doing so.
June 3rd, 2009 at 11:44 am
I agree, it makes sense. But our press is telling us guns and alcohol should never be in the same room together.
June 3rd, 2009 at 12:07 pm
Hey Unc, the amended law still prohibits police (and judges) from carrying in a place that serves alcohol unless they are performing their official duties. I guess it’s time to get a video camera and call 911 to report a MWAG the next time I see a Metro cop eating his lunch in O’Charley’s while armed. After all, Serpas did tell us that no one could be trusted with a gun in there!
Regards,
Pol
June 3rd, 2009 at 12:13 pm
Since guns and alcohol are such a dangerous combination, I propose a scientific test of the anti-gun proposition that mayhem will ensue when guns and alcohol mix.
Let us take bottles of alcohol, representing a wide range of types and qualities (say, everything form single malt scotch to cheap tequila, and microbrew beer to Sam Adams to Carling Black Label, with a Coronoa and a Tsing Tao thrown in also, and a fine Champagne and a $3 bottle of wino red wine) in a gun safe.
Next place in the gun safe a selection of loaded, off-safe handguns, from expensive to cheap, high cap to derringers, semiauto and revolver and single shot hunting handguns.
If you want to go to extremes, pour alcohol over one handgun in a suitable container, to keep the mess from spreading. Place the container in the safe also.
Close and lock the safe. These tests control for the Brady campain, VPC, ASGV, etc. statements that guns and alcohol don’t mix, because mayhem ensues.
If mayhem ensues, and blood starts running down your street, your test has demonstrated that the anti-gunners are correct. Immediately stop the experiment before the riots spread in Dodge-city fashion. Do so safely, pehaps with a ten foot pole to remove the booze from the safe.
If no mayhem is observed, continue the experiment as follows: open the gun safe, remove all the guns from the room, and have a licensed-to-carry volunteer strap on his or her selection of handgun(s) in a concealed manner. Then have him sit at a table in the same room as the open safe, which is still of course full of alcohol bottles.
Have several other volunteers enter the room, and sit at tables around the volunteer. They should not know there is a concealed handgun carrier in the room. You may now serve food and non-alcoholic beverages to the “carrying” volunteer, and food and any beverage (alcoholic or non) to the others. See if mayhem ensues. Run the test for at least the duration of one meal, and if possible repeat it several times.
Again, stop the test immediately if mayhem is observed.
If no mayhem ensues, I conclude the anti-gunners are possibly incorrect in their presumption that guns concealed on a non-drinking, concealed handgun licensee will cause mayhem.
Of course, absence of evidence is not evidence of absence. So the test must be repeated quite often. But if we can have just one successful test of failure to cause mayhem inside TN to complement the dozens of other successes in other entire states that have conducted public “tests” of this issue, I will have hope hope that the anti-gunners are full of something other than “common sense” and that TN will survive without additional mayhem after this law is enacted.
June 3rd, 2009 at 12:19 pm
pol, the bill was presented otherwise on the floor. Wonder if there’s a new version?
June 3rd, 2009 at 1:07 pm
Disregard my last. I misread the amendment of June 3 (today) on the bill summary. It codified present law and then said it was modifying it to remove the current restriction on officers carrying into restaurants. That is currently illegal, but won’t be if this law passes.
If the veto override succeeds, then I see no harm in this bill. Then all this really does is extend to LEO’s the same carry ability as a permit holder. If the veto override fails, then I will be petitioning Bredesen to veto this bill on the grounds that TN law should not be codifying special classes of citizens into law.
Regards,
Pol
Regards,
Pol
June 3rd, 2009 at 6:21 pm
I can’t believe the timing of the passage of the special statute for law enforcement, immediately following their picture with the Governor exercixing his veto power, and before the passage of the statute which permits the rest of us to carry in restaurants.
This is really kind of surreal.
June 4th, 2009 at 6:45 am
This is an awesome opportunity for the Legislature and people of Tennessee to see if our Governor is going to live up to his words of believing that alcohol and firearms never mix.
June 4th, 2009 at 10:49 pm
My gun must be defective, I was wearing it in a bar while drinking a glass of beer and there was no mayhem. And I wasn’t even breaking the law here in MN I kept my blood alcohol level below .04%