I am not a native of Tennessee but live here and have enjoyed living here. I am also aware that Tennessee is often the butt of jokes and often the jokes are “right on.”   The state lags in many economic and social areas and that is sad for the state’s citizenry. We enjoy very low taxes and when the efforts to raise taxes does come, not often, the cry from the citizenry is really sad.  

Ron Ramsey, state legislator and professed gun zealot wants to push, again, legislation that allows gun permit holders to keep their guns in the trunks of their cars while at work on, often, private property.  VW and others have said no to the idea and frankly it is an absurdity to even contemplate.   Let me share a story with the readers. It is a true story.

After a day of deer hunting and not a single deer spotted we headed back to the car.. We made sure our shotguns were unloaded and ammo and gun in different places. The guns went in the trunk. The trunk was closed and we were leaning against the trunk enjoying a smoke. Moments passed and we were talking about the day. Out of the corner of my eye I saw movement on the side of the road where a ravine was. Almost instantly the movement began crossing the road in front of us. We were down wind of this magnificent buck now casually crossing the dirt road right in front of us.    

A dilemma of huge proportions and any movement to get the trunk open; guns out; loaded.  Do you see where I am going? What is a gun in the trunk going to do for anyone and in a private lot perhaps hundreds of other cars spread in a huge parking complex?   

Again, Mr. Ramsey and his many followers blindly get led around on a leash by the NRA and folk are you aware that the NRA receives estimates of $35 million a year from gun manufacturers? Are you also aware that the NRA and it’s die hard followers want the public to buy more guns and more guns and where are we going with this?

Robert Brooks 

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Mr. Brooks, I believe the point is so you don't have to leave home without it. Some folks may commute through bad parts of town or work in them. This legislation would give them the freedom to defend themselves to and from work and securely store their firearm when they arrive, upon getting off work, they could pull off company property, retrieve their firearm and be protected on the way home.  

Guns left at home are useless. 

Matt Branum
East Ridge 

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Mr. Brooks, I certainly hope that you are not one of those hunters that give all hunters a bad name by shooting from the roadway, as that is what you described you and your hunting partners would have done had you been able to get to your weapons and ammunition. With such poor judgment, I certainly hope you do not have a carry permit, because I can imagine you firing indiscriminately when slightly provoked, based on your true hunting story. 

What some Tennessee legislators and the NRA are fighting for is a gun owner with a Concealed Carry Permit the right to carry their weapon for self defense to and from work. The idea is not to have an armed force at a job site, it is about the right to self defense as one travels back and forth from home to the work place. 

Dwayne Cales
Hixson