Frustration!

[RobertNashville]

A little over a week ago, I was with a few hundred thousand close friends in D.C. for the Restoring Honor Rally (8/28/10). Okay; maybe they weren’t all close friends. Actually, only two folks were close friends; a husband and wife who traveled with me…he is a 15 year Army veteran who just got back from his fourth tour in Iraq this past spring.

Both of us were armed for the entire trip through Tennessee and then Virginia and since our hotel was also in Virginia; were able to stay armed there as well.

Unfortunately, however, and as I’m sure most of you are all aware, we couldn’t be armed while actually in D.C.; even two years post the Supreme Court decision (Washington D.C v Heller) that overturned the D.C. gun ban.

I’ve been in D.C. often enough to know that if someone puts together a list of cities in this country where one needs to be armed for protection; D.C. would have to be near the top of the list yet I have to walk around without any meaningful way to protect myself.

I’m going back for the 9/11 and 9/12 activities in D.C this coming weekend and once again I’ll have to lock up my firearms in my safe deposit box at my hotel while I’m actually in the city.

It’s just monumentally frustrating.

It’s also a clear reminder of how fortunate we are to have groups like TFA and many legislators in Tennessee who support and respect our rights…while it’s a shame we have to fight for what the Constitution is supposed to guarantee; at least we have those who WILL fight.

[fl0at]

DC and Chicago would probably almost top my list of places I'd prefer to be armed in... and yet, funny enough, I can't be in either one. Odd how that happens. It seems, and I know I'm going out on a limb here, but it seems that just maybe banning guns makes things more unsafe. Could be a stretch, I know, but just throwing it out there.

[David Lewis]

Wonder just how much of an impact being unable to carry in cities like Washington, DC, and Chicago has on tourism?

I've been to DC...and shared the same frustrations Robert mentions. I think we only went into the city twice, in a week
of staying near there. Getting caught at the Lincoln Memorial after sundown, when we were parked at the Washington
Monument (about a mile away, more or less) made for a very dark, very intense, very brisk walk down what was a shady,
tree-lined walkway in daytime...but turned sinister after dark. (And no, we couldn't walk near the reflecting pools...they
were fenced off due to construction.)

We purposely chose not to go back more because we didn't feel safe there.

David

[RobertNashville]

What a shame that good people have to chose not to go to our nation's capital due to concerns about safety.

I love D.C.; or at least, I love what D.C. has to offer someone as interested in history as I am...I could spend two or three days in a single Smithsonian museum alone...then there are the monuments to our greatest leaders...the various buildings like the Capital, the White House, the Supreme Court building, the National Archives, the Library of Congress - I can't imagine not seeing them all as often as possible.

I first went to D.C. when I was 10 and I remember that trip like it was yesterday...I've been back since 5 times; this weekend will make my 6th trip but I could go every year and not get tired of it.

I don't expect we'll see any great changes in D.C.'s gun laws anytime soon but here is hoping that things are at least moving in the right direction!

[David Lewis]

Robert--

I'm fully aware of what DC has to offer, and of the history in the city (I have 2 degrees in History, & have taught it at the
college level). However, for us, for that trip, twice was enough. I may go back with my children one day...there are certainly a lot
of things I'd like to see, or see again, in some cases. Lord willing, we will...

But until then, I'm content to visit where I'm fully welcome--with my gun.

David

[benburke]

I've never been. I'd like to go, and see the history our fore fathers began, but until I'm able to go armed, I won't go.

[RobertNashville]

While I understand your sentiments I would really encourage to go anyway; whether you can ever carry in D.C.

While I detest most of the politicians and bureaucrats that inhabit our Nation's capital, I put those aside when I go to D.C. because Washington D.C. is much more than a politicians and bureaucrats (even though they think it's all about them)!

The history and the symbolism and the emotions D.C evokes is not something I can even describe...when you stand in the Lincoln Memorial or the Jefferson Memorial or at the top of the Washington Monument you realize that these men (and many more that they represent) were giants...you realize that the simple fact that this nation exists at all is miraculous.

You can't know the depth of emotions you have when you are at the Pentagon 9/11 memorial; especially on 9/11/xx.

When you see the ORIGINAL Constitution and the Declaration of Independence - you just want to cry out of gratitude that those men were there when this nation was formed.

It's just my opinion of course and I don't mean to disparage anyone's personal feelings on the matter but I really believe that if you are a true patriot and especially if you want to pass that patriotism to your children, you almost have an obligation to go to D.C. at least once.