Some congressmen to carry guns while in their home districts? Yes, according to this in the National Review. I find this both delightful and horrifying. Delightful because anyone in danger should be able to defend himself or herself in this country. Also delightful because if there were a visibly heavily armed Eric Cantor that would cause a lot of liberals to become dizzy from the general outrage. [Note: Cantor is NOT listed in that article – only Chaffetz of Utah and Schuler of NC. I suspect that as Majority Leader he has plenty of security now, which is appropriate for anyone holding that title]. Also delightful because… picture your congressman or -woman. Now picture that person with a serious firearm. In some cases, the picture alone is comedy gold.
Horrifying because – people, what? Have we turned into a Wild West movie? Will every home district meet and greet look like an episode of Gunsmoke? Will extremely gun-shy people [actually shy of guns, in this case] complain that they are afraid to go to such a meeting because they are made too uneasy by their armed congressman? What about people who normally carry – can they attend such a meeting?
“Armed congressman”? What on earth have we come to that that’s a phrase? Sure, if a congressman fancies firearms and likes to carry, fine, no problem. But for congresspeople to feel the need to do that? And what about ill-trained congressmen? What if a congressman that is inexperienced at personal self-defense decides to carry, goes to some meeting carrying, then some nutcase grabs the gun away from him and turns it on him?
In my opinion common sense would say:
1. Congressmen and -women who like to carry and are well-trained can and should do carry.
2. Those who would rather not carry can request some extra security (yes, I think it’s fair to pay some for that – how much from whose budget I don’t know).
3. Try harder to get treatment for those who seem scary-crazy – as in, psychotic, not “someone who disagrees with me politically but seems personally agreeable and peaceable.” This is not easy, but to me it makes sense.
Gun-toting congressmen? In America? In the 21st century? Not such a good sign, America!
