I was in line at Walmart a while ago, and the checker said, "Gosh, everyone here today seems to be carrying a gun."
Then a customer replied with vitriol, "It's their constitutional right."
Well, that's a conversation stopper.
Under normal circumstances, I might have had a few questions for the gentleman, especially since I don't come from a family that owns guns: Is it necessary for a shopper to carry a weapon into a big-box store in Wyoming? How often do people carry their guns out in public? Does it make them feel safer when they do?
But frankly, his constitutional right to bear arms stomped on my constitutional right of free speech.
I really didn't feel safe to speak up.
Wyoming, in fact, is one of only four states that doesn't require background checks or training for concealed weapons permits.
For each person we see with a gun, how many guns are we not seeing?
That picture, by the way, is of Queen Elizabeth. The caption says, "Sometimes even royalty does it."
Weird -- I grew up in Wyoming and most of the guns around them were hunting rifles or rifles ranchers carried around in their trucks for shooting "varmints." I didn't know too many people outside of police officers who owned handguns. I've even shot 22s and 30-06s, but I could never shoot at anything but targets. Didn't want to take the chance on only wounding something -- that would probably have killed me emotionally. Things, they are a'changing.
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