The lack of an “open carry” law makes the protest in Arizona interesting
The state of Arizona does not have an “open carry” gun law. Therefore, anyone in Arizona can carry a gun in any public area, such as sidewalks and parks. Until recently, this was not a well-known fact, but it was highlighted by a man carrying an assault rifle at an organized protest outside a building where President Obama was speaking about health care. According to the police and the Secret Service, the president was never in any danger.
Police were tipped off to the man carrying the gun, but were unable to bring him in for a Phoenix-style private air conditioning. Although some protesters were concerned, the man was allowed to keep his gun slung over his shoulder during the protest. This may seem concerning because the man was with a large group of people and close to the president, but the police really believe that everyone was safe, including the president.
If the man had tried to enter the building where the president was speaking, he would not have enjoyed Arizona AC for long. Although the speech was taking place in the state of Arizona, the Arizona police were not in control. Places where a president speaks are temporarily controlled by the federal government, and the federal government does not allow unauthorized persons to carry weapons. In other words, the federal government has an “open carry” law and any unauthorized person carrying an assault rifle would have been arrested.
Some people argue that the federal law violates the right to bear arms guaranteed in Amendment 2 of the Bill of Rights. The Bill of Rights is the first ten amendments to the Constitution. The right to bear arms has its historical roots in colonial times, when the British denied the colonists the right to bear arms. The development of assault weapons and automatic pistols in the 1970s caused many to demand gun control laws. The man with the assault rifle really highlighted this debate in the same way that Mesa Air Conditioning highlights the need to reform our nation’s energy consumption.
Leave a Reply