This editiorial ran in the Tennessean on Saturday, 12/27 at
In a state Republican legislative package meant to espouse a conservative agenda, one irresponsible proposal is a provision to let people tote guns in bars.
State law makes carrying a gun where alcohol is served a misdemeanor. House Republicans are promoting a measure that would allow permit holders to carry concealed weapons into bars and restaurants that sell alcohol, as long as the people carrying the guns don't drink in the place. This idea was brought up last year but never got out of committee in the House or Senate, nor should it.
Republicans do not have a lock on this ill-advised issue. The restaurant gunslinger measure was among those proposed unsuccessfully last year by Rep. Ben West Jr., a Democrat from Hermitage.
Proponents of the plan say it would protect people who have permits to carry weapons. They say permit holders are responsible citizens and they shouldn't be burdened with the inconvenience of leaving a gun in a vehicle.
One line of thinking says it's even more dangerous to leave a gun in the car, where it could be stolen. The danger is in exposing innocent people in restaurants and bars from gunplay. It turns modern-day restaurants into old-fashioned saloons. How anyone could view the proposal as a step toward a safer state is baffling.
The proposal is rightfully opposed by the Tennessee Restaurant Association, the Tennessee Sheriffs' Association and the Tennessee Chiefs of Police Association.
Passing such a law would mean any person in a bar or restaurant where alcohol is served could be in the line of fire of anyone who felt a need to draw a weapon. It's reckless, it's dangerous, and the legislature should reject it.