After an incident two weeks ago at its Fountain City branch, the Knox County Public Library system has posted signs prohibiting handguns and any weapon at its branches.
Such a sign has been posted for decades at the Lawson McGhee Library in downtown Knoxville, but not at the 17 branch libraries, said Larry Frank, director of the library system.
Frank said he wrote a memo to Knox County Law Director Bill Lockett about the handgun policy in libraries after a man came into the Fountain City library with a “visibly holstered handgun.”
Gun free zones — aren’t.
I would caution librarians to think twice and avoid a knee-jerk response before following suit with this public library system.
I am a librarian and also a concealed carry permit holder. I admit, even *I* am not comfortable with “open carry” as detailed in this story, though if the gentleman in question had a permit, then he was merely exercising his legal right.
http://www.opencarry.org/tn.html
I am able to enter public libraries in my area carrying my concealed pistol and do so regularly, because I carry everywhere permitted by law. There is a legal sign a library can post to prevent me from doing so, but bear in mind that, sure, as a law-abiding citizen, yes, I will obey the sign. But do you think an armed criminal with violent intentions will be deterred by the same sign in the same manner? If you do, you are engaging in wishful thinking rather than dealing with reality.
I do not carry at work because state law prohibits it (I work for a state university, where my state-issued CHL does not apply). If campus carry were legalized, I would carry, but only with deep concealment methods.
In a video presented by our own campus police department, it states that most “active shooter” situations will be over before authorities arrive. It even advocates fighting back if you are cornered and unable to hide. But at the same time it is state law that robs us of the most effective tools we could wield in such a scenario, i.e. a concealed personal firearm.
There are different signs a library can post in my state specifically targeting those persons with *unlicensed* firearms, and this I have no problem with. Turning your library into a “Gun Free Zone” may feel good, but you are only disarming the law abiding who would otherwise provide you with an extra layer of security if allowed to exercise their full constitutional rights. Criminals will carry anywhere they want, any time they want–a mere weapons charge is the last thing on their minds and of no consequence to men prepared to commit armed robbery or worse.
open carry: bad for booze, bad for guns
I’m always mystified when people, even in open carry states, act surprised or pissy when people freak out upon seeing their .40 2nd Amendment Right in the ol’ shoulder holster.
So you never fired it or know what it’s for or know that people routinely get their Blackberries stolen let alone the prized Glock 17? Just a regular old tool, just like a stapler that is lethal up to several hundred yards.
Most disingenuous thing ever.
“Just because you can do something don’t mean it’s to be DONE.” – Chris Rock
library ban may be illegal
TN preempts localities from making up gun control laws – the posting of libraries to ban gun carry is probably illegal – also, I wonder what librarians would say if gun stores banned books??
open carry is legal in most states without any permit
Learn more at OpenCarry.org
Scranton Public Library recently…
… did the same thing after several people with openly carried handguns visited. They posted no guns signs. The Carriers came back however and informed the library that the sign was a violation of the law, and they cannot be told to leave or the library may face a civil rights lawsuit.
Hooray for Pennsylvania, where we still have all our rights. Ill have to go to the library and see if I can spot the Patriots browsing for a good book.
We’d better make our law
We’d better make our law system more strict to such kind of bustards. I wrote a custom essay about it and wrote to president asking for making law system more strong.
Security theater
Putting up a picture of a gun with a red circle and line through it is security theater.
Security theater consists of security countermeasures intended to provide the feeling of improved security while doing little or nothing to actually improve security. The term was coined by Bruce Schneier for his book Beyond Fear,but has gained currency in security circles, particularly for describing airport security measures.
I do not carry at work
I do not carry at work because state law prohibits it (I work for a state university, where my state-issued CHL does not apply). If campus carry were legalized, I would carry, but only with deep concealment methods.