I myself feel fairly comfortable that I'm not gonna need my loaded pistol while in the building perusing the wares at a WAC show ... Nor am I too concerned about the likelihood of being attacked leaving the fairgrounds, crossing Meridian and walking through the parking lot to my truck (well, we all know how dangerous Puyallup can be). Hey, call me overconfident. Just don't call me paranoid.
Sheesh. The excuses people come up with to not patronize WAC shows -- when WAC is one of the most active pro-gun organizations we have in our state. I'll see you guys there. Appreciate the work y'all are putting in.
Thanks for your comment Bo. While one reading your statement quite easily could agree with you without looking into it further, I do not. Not because I despise WAC or don’t believe in what they are doing,
I do support them.
As a citizen that carries his defensive weapon everywhere every day I am going to pull out a normal stance most everyone (including myself) uses when it comes to any other business:
My wallet is directly tied to my weapon. While I agree that WAC is a very active pro-gun organization, they are infringing my own right to self-defense. Yes, I agree they have the right to do so if they please. I have the right to spend my entry fee and money elsewhere as well.
You make it sound as if I am coming across as paranoid, I do not believe this is the case. The rules essentially make this a gun free zone, odd sounding being it a gun show I know but it has similarities.
- If I am a criminal looking to obtain a firearm, by stealing it, this sounds like a perfect location. Remember, criminals typically don’t follow rules or laws. Not only are there firearms inside for this criminal, no one has the right to carry self-defense weapons in a condition that they can actually defend themselves. One could easily slide in, steal a weapon off a table close to a door and slide out before someone can undo the zip tie and load there weapon. Or better yet, stroll in with a loaded weapon or full auto rifle and start shooting up everyone. Citizens there legally and following the rules would take valuable time returning there weapon to a condition to defend. Guests (in my case) would be s**t out of luck in this scenario because they can’t even go in zip-tied.
- If I am a criminal looking to rob someone they could easily case the location. Take note of who is clearing there weapons at the door and take note of ones that don’t (thus not having a weapon), when someone that did not clear a weapon leaves the event, they could rob them away from the event since they know they don’t have a weapon.
You may feel confident nothing will happen at the show or between the show and your car but you won’t ever need your weapon until you need it. Then you normally need it that instant, not 60 seconds later after you have unzip-tied your weapon and loaded your magazine (I thought I heard you can’t have loaded magazines at the event, this may be wrong). I personally am not as confident as you; one reason is I don’t know Puyallup, you seem to think it’s a good place but I also tend to think a
police station is
safe however I still carry there just because you never know.
In the end, everyone will choose as they see fit and feel comfortable with. I just think WAC rules could be reviewed. I still support what they do but likely won’t be attending myself.