brandonrobison.net

Today in Las Vegas, a 5-year-old found a gun in his dad’s car’s glove compartment, pulled it out, and accidentally shot himself in the head. His dad was sitting in the car right next to him.

Oh and by the way, it’s the gun’s fault.

I didn’t even want to watch the “news coverage” on this one, but I’m almost sure that was the diagnosis.

In other news, I started to look up gun laws in Virginia. I found some gems of information.

For example, you are only permitted to buy one handgun per month (unless you’re a cop, or), unless given a Multiple Handgun Purchase Certificate, obtainable by filling out a Multiple Handgun Purchase Application. Naturally, you must justify needing to buy multiple hand guns, and there are no guidelines as to what constitutes justifiable.

Not that I’ll be buying multiple handguns anytime soon — we’re too poor. But it really makes me wonder what sort of illogical mind games people (ahem, politicians) must play with themselves for that to make any sense. What purpose does that serve?

Virginia has an “informal” agreement with the state of Utah to accept its CCWs (I have a Utah and Nevada CCW, so I’m ok, right?)… I wouldn’t count on being ok, though. Really, what is an informal agreement? What does that even mean? So, I’ll probably be getting a Virginia CCW as well. Wee!

On the plus side, I found out I can at least take my gun onto GMU campus… so long as I leave it in my car in the parking lot. It’s not that I’m worried about a crazy person shooting up a school in Virginia or anything, I just like to have my gun close to me at all times, if possible.

Anyone who has hung out with me enough knows that whenever I am asked to show ID, I flip out my CCW. (A CCW, for those of you not in the know, is a little piece of plastic which gives me the privilege of discretely carrying a deadly weapon.)

I do this not to “show off” my CCW, but because it regularly elicits interesting responses from people…

“Oh you’re a cop?”

“… you carry a gun?”

More frequently, though, it’s to test for common sense. The worst fails occur at places like Wal-Mart and movie theaters. A movie theater example follows:

Idiot: “I need to see some ID” (for admittance to an R-rated movie)

Me: *flips out CCW* (note: the CCW reads, in very large print, “CONCEALED FIREARMS PERMIT”)

Idiot: “Umm… this doesn’t have your birthday on it.”

Me: “No, but do you think I’d be allowed to carry a concealed weapon, but not be allowed to see an R-rated movie?”

At this point, the idiot usually responds with a confused look of perplexion, and then they start over with something like, “I need to see an ID that shows your birthday.” Of course, they would say something like birthday and not birth date, because they probably wouldn’t even know the difference between the two.

The other regular failure of common sense I get is like this (common at Wal-Mart and many convenience stores):

Idiot: “Can I see some ID?” (to check it against my credit card)

Me: *flips out CCW* (note: my name and picture and emblazoned on the front of the card, right under where the large-print “CONCEALED” etc. is printed)

Idiot: “Umm.. I need to see a state-issued ID.”

Me: “But this is a state-issued ID…” (as I point to the top of the CCW, where it reads “State of Nevada, Clark County”)

The idiot then looks at it for a moment, again offering nothing but a fallen countenance in exchange for their lack of understanding, and usually reiterates, “No… I mean… a STATE-issued ID.”

If no one is in line behind me, I’ll continue to argue with them, hoping that I can reach just one individual and instill into them a minute degree of common sense. Usually I just give up and flip over my wallet to show my driver’s license.

Ashley (and others) usually just feel really awkward when they’re with me and these situations arise. I can’t understand why, because I think it’s quite fun.