Only in Arizona (or perhaps Texas).
It is not illegal in Arizona to ride public transit while fully armed with an AR-15 assault rifle. This obviously has some people worried:
Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America is hosting a “stroller jam” protest on the light rail in Tempe on Saturday to bring attention to state gun laws. At 11 a.m., the mothers will ride the train from the station at Apache Boulevard and Price Road to the stop at Mill Avenue and Third Street.
The protest is in response to a passenger who was recently seen riding a Tucson bus and carrying an AR-15 rifle. It will be a plea to the state Legislature to consider toughening the laws, said Kara Pelletier, leader of the national group’s Arizona chapter.
“We don’t believe a mom on the light rail should have to be deciding whether the guy boarding with an AR-15 is going murder her and her children or is just on his way to his friend’s house,” Pelletier said.
Charles Heller, co-founder of the Arizona Citizens Defense League, called the concern over guns on public transportation ridiculous. His organization has crafted several of the state laws loosening gun restrictions over the years. “Why would anybody be concerned about a holstered weapon?” he said. “All these people with an irrational fear of weapons should seek treatment.”
Perhaps it is because of all those Charles Bronson movies, but there is this lingering perception that you risk getting mugged when riding public transit. Even though statistics show that attacks are extremely rare on public transit. The ones who need to seek treatment are those too paranoid to board public transit without a firearm.
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