It's The Little Differences

It's the little differences between California and Tennessee that really get you.

For example, we don't have any flaming squirrels, and if we did it would mean companionship or hunting for food.

Places You Can Take Guns

Tennessee is a state that issues Handgun Carry Permits to US Citizens or "Lawful Permanent Residents" who are 21 years of age. You can apply at your local Driver Service Center (the TN equivalent of the DMV), It costs $115, requires a handgun safety course and fingerprinting. WIth the 4-Year permits, one can carry any handgun the permittee legally owns or possesses. This however does not allow a permittee to carry the handgun anywhere (s)he chooses. One place you cannot take a handgun is into an establishment that serves alcohol.

The City Paper ran an article today about a bill introduced into the State Senate which would finally allow permit holders to carry their handguns into establishments that serve alcohol. It's about time, isn't it? There are 34 states that allow guns in bars. The bill passed the State Senate with a vote of 24-6. Similar bills have been defeated in the general assembly in the past.

The bill does specify that the permit holder may not consume alcohol while there. That should suffice to prevent any mishaps. Some quotes from the article:

Democratic State Senator Rosalind Kurita "I just don’t see a need to bring a gun into Pizza Hut or O’Charley’s" Honestly, though, when was the last time you got decent service from a Pizza Hut? Kurita again, "liquor and guns don’t mix." I think that's a subjective call, 'cause really it depends on what you're drinking.

Democratic State Senator Beverly Marrero: "there were times possibly when someone behaved in such a way where someone should have been shot. But I’m glad they weren’t." I know this is a tad confusing, but that's an argument against the bill.

Bill's sponsor, referring to the current ban on guns in bars asked “Who are we protecting?” Tough question. I think I'm going to have to say "People who don't want to get shot by drunken idiots."

Link to the Article