We had a spirited discussion in Gunblogger Conspiracy IRC the other day about whether you let your co-workers know about your hobby. It had to do with my bonus and my intended plans - rather than buy a new gun (or a portion thereof) I'm opting for a "Tech Toy" because I really don't feel comfortable handing in a receipt for a firearm at my place of employment. Julie over at Jigsaw's Thoughts was part of the discussion, and she was inspired to put up a post about the exchange and her thoughts on the matter.
Go, read - she has a very healthy attitude in a place that's not terrifically friendly to gun owners. Even worse than MA, if you can believe that!
The funny part is, I am not terrifically undercover at work. My truck is festooned with NRA, GOAL, and RKBA stickers. I wear a Smith & Wesson polo shirt in the summer. I've taken days off so I can go to the range - or hold bloggershoots. I've even talked to a co-worker or two about being a gun owner.
Recent events, like the arrest and continued incarceration of one Gregory Girard here in MA because he bought some questionable items at a gun show or the SWAT team takedown of David Pyles in OR over the legal acquisition of firearms, are part of the reason I'm reticent about being too open about my hobby. The biggest reason, though, is that MA has discretionary "may issue" gun laws. For any reason, at any time, the Chief of Police in your town (or his designated licensing agent) can decide that you are "not suitable" to have a permit.
With the permit gone, you cannot even own a firearm in MA. You can get an FID card, which allows the possession of low capacity rifles and shotguns, but pistols and magazine-fed semi-automatic rifles are right out. There was one town in MA that, in the wake of the Columbine shootings, the Chief of Police decided that she was no longer going to issue *any* permits whatsoever - no new LTCs, no renewals, nothing. Every single gun owner in that town had to turn in their guns, move, or become a felon.
All it takes is one spooked co-worker, one frantic PTA mom over for a meeting who sees a target hung with pride, one uptight neighbor who spots the gun cases and ammo cans going into the back of the car for a bloggershoot... One complaint to the Chief and the possibility exists that you could lose your permit - and your guns - and yet not have done anything wrong in the slightest. You can be stripped of your right to keep and bear arms on nothing more than rumor, innuendo, and feelings.
And that's why I'm reluctant to be completely open. I've got a good deal of money tied up in my guns, and I'd have to have to liquidate my entire armory because some stupid sheep baa'd to the chief. In fact, there are guns in the armory I won't part with, period - I'd be driven from my home before they take away my grandfather's service revolver, for instance. If I lived in NH, for example, where carry permits are "shall issue" and liberally granted, and there is nothing short of a clean record needed to own a gun, I'd be plenty open. Without the "suitability" sword of Damocles hanging over my head, there would be no reason to fear someone else's hoplophobia.
For now, I'll adhere to the truism that "discretion is the better part of valor".
That is all.
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13 comments:
Maybe that's one of the positives to my employment... Emergency services (at least around here) tends to draw more libertarian/conservative types. My truck, like yours, is none-too-subtle - a Gadsden Flag, a PTSF sticker, and a Sons of Liberty flag (recent addition). Our community magazine table generally has a copy of "American Rifleman" and/or "American Freedom", and a CTD catalog is not uncommon. I've discussed carry pieces with more than one co-worker, and had show'n'tell in the parking lot.
I think it helps that even though this is a liberal mecca, it's still a pretty rural corner of the world.
Must be tough not living in a free state. Word got out that I joined the local shooting range and that they allow guests.
I'm currently scheduled to take five different coworkers to the range. Three of those five have discussions with me at work in front of 20 other guys about what they should get for their first handgun. One of them is bringing his daughter along to shoot.
That's the one thing I like about MD over MA. Sure I can't get a CCW in my state, but they don't come and TAKE my pistols and rifles because some local constable didn't like the look of me one morning.
If you didn't own any guns, and lived in Massachusetts, and wanted to get a Garand or Springfield '03 from CMP... does the state of MA get involved in that?
cuz, ya know, CMP delivers it to your door. No local FFL involved.
And, in NH, your chief of police will apologize to you in person if it takes longer than ten days for your $10 no-photo-no-prints license to be issued.
Forget tolls on the MA border. We need Customs and Immigration booths.
T-bolt, you need at least an FID card for the Garand and a LTC B for the M1 carbine.
The only way to get a firearm without a permit is if the firearm in question was made before 1899.
And even then you can't buy ammo for it...
That's a very serious subject, I live in Seattle and work for a large insurance company (I also work part-time at an indoor gun range). I had an "anonymous" co-worker file a complaint with HR that I had pictures of firearms in my cubicle and that I "scared" her. I was asked to remove all firearm and given written warning about "violence in the work place policy". :)
I work for a large Telcom Company and although some of their policies are a bit anti-gun those are often ignored.
EVERYONE in my region know of me as the PNW gun guy. Last year in our big team meeting I was voted "most likely to use deadly force to get a contract signed" and this year after I took our EVP of sales out to shoot guns that were illegal where he lives; I was given the award for "most willing to take out the competition"
I even have liberals in my office that although we disagree on everything, they have admitted that they see no issue with ME owning the guns I own.... but they are afraid of those people they don't know.
I remind them that I feel the same way every-time i think of a liberal voting.
I'm in an odd place. One, like JTBolt, I voluntarily live in Maryland. One of the "seven sister" of gun control. Yet compared to MA, it is paradise. Despite being a lefty stronghold for decades, they haven't gone as far as your liberals and any attempts to do so have been stopped cold repeatedly.
I can own anything I want. Yes, I can't carry, there are annoying "peaceable journey" rules for certain guns and some guns are off-limits because they are on the approved handgun roster but the state, for the most part, is free.
BTW, I lived in Virginia where I had a carry permit and sky-was-the-limit on ownership. I still do almost all of my firearms transactions there specifically to stay off the radar of the MSP. They've done a few questionable things to law-abiding gun owners under the color of law that I'd sooner not give them ammunition for.
As to the work situation, my hobby is known. I've taken co-workers shooting and gone hunting with others. I generally feel someone out before letting it be known I could raise a neighborhood defense force out of my own personal stocks. I work in a conservative environment in general but I also don't advertised as you do. No NRA decals, firearm logos, clothing, etc. Mainly because while my co-workers are pretty level headed, I don't consider HR to be. I don't want that level of attention. I like my job.
Over a year ago, in my first A&P class, the teacher brought up the topic of concealed carry. She was adamant that all of us ladies should have a permit, buy a gun & learn to use it for our own protection.
What.a.can.of.worms she opened.
Several went off the deep end, saying we were training to be nurses- sworn to protect & save lives, not take them.
>,< They just couldn't see that protecting their own lives is more important than protecting/saving some scum hellbent on hurting them.
Thankfully, here in BFE, GA, having guns is common & looked on with favor. How long that will last is anybody's guess though.
Dang; that makes NJ look positively libertine as far as firearms laws go. The paperwork is all for ownership; once you own it legally you get to keep it legally. OTOH, there's no way to get an LTC, pretty much...
Very interesting post Jay, and the comments also made for interesting reading.
I don't believe that it is 'that easy' to lose your guns or right to own guns here - which makes me less cautious than you. If it was as easy as what you're faced with I too would be much more circumspect.
I work at a massive, household-name corporation and I outed myself on one of the company blogs as a shooter recently, but I'm ashamed to admit it was not me who broke the seal. Several of the company heads blog on topical matters, and "what'll you do this summer?" was the topic of a new thread last week. Someone said something like "I hope this doesn't scare anyone, but my wife and kids and I love to go to the range and shoot targets. It's relaxing and something we all enjoy equally." I decided to chime in. They moderate comments, and when mine appeared, there was a handful of other comments, but I did notice that I was one of only a few to use their full name rather than initials or "anonymous." Then again, I am in Texas. The company "celebrates diversity" so you can bet your bottom dollar I'll play that card if I ever get intercoursed with on the subject. So far, have heard nary a peep from my coworkers.
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