24 Apr 12

Just got a note from an LEO friend in WY.

In uniform, and on normal patrol yesterday, he was enjoying lunch at a local café. While there, several IPSC competitors, openly armed with holstered pistols (condition not known), also walked in for lunch. There was apparently a pistol match going on nearby. They all sat at a table and quietly conversed among themselves. My friend sat by himself at another table.

The State of Wyoming passed “Constitutional Carry” last year, which allows any adult, state resident or not, who is otherwise legally permitted to own guns, to carry guns in public, openly or concealed. No permit required. Up until the law was passed and signed, the state did issue concealed-carry permits, as is the case now with most other states. Wyoming continues to issue CCW permits, as a courtesy to state residents who want to carry concealed in other states. However, within the state of WY, no permit is required for public carry. Vermont has a similar system, as does Arizona.

Open-carry is still not “common” in WY, at least in built-up areas, but one sees it now and then, and the practice typically generates scant attention. In some other states, there are “open-carry zealots,” who deliberately make a public display in order to draw attention to themselves and the issue. In WY, they would be largely ignored!

In any event, all were enjoying lunch normally, when another cafĂ© customer, a woman, approached my LEO friend and asked him if he was going to “… do something about those armed men over there?”

She was conspicuously agitated, so my friend calmly indicated to her that the openly-armed men to whom she was referring were (1) quietly minding their own business, (2) not creating a disturbance, and (3) not otherwise in violation of any law.

That explanation did not suffice! Becoming ever-more aroused, and loud, she said that she “felt assaulted” and that the armed men in question represented a “breach of public tranquility.” Again, my friend patiently explained to her that no law was being violated, and that the men in question were perfectly within their rights.

By this time, my friend and the woman were joined by the owner of the café, who also did his best to calm down the discussion. Once again, she would have none of it and would not leave the subject alone. The café owner then added,

“This is Wyoming dear. You may want to consider vacationing somewhere else.”

He then politely asked her to depart in peace, which she did.

The IPSC competitors in question never got involved in the discussion and may not have even been aware that they were at the center of the controversy!

My friend commented afterward, “Arrogant, self-righteous narcissists like this woman, typically hate cops and believe ‘law enforcement’ isn’t necessary unless it specifically serves some interest of theirs, and, of course, so long as it is never used to correct them!”

My comment: It is an election year, and incidents like these will be common, as everyone, it seems, will be trying to “make a statement.”

Conversely, the wise among us (armed or not) will continue to practice the “stealth existence,” quietly/invisibly going about our business, and leaving martyrdom to others!

“Desire for fame is the last infirmity cast off by the wise”

Tacitus

/John