How do you know when things have gone a little too far in wingnut land? When L. Brooks complains.
"These guys want to make a point and don't give a damn about the charities the festival supports," the Republican leader and festival founder told The Oakland Press. "I have a problem with these gun-toting zealots."
Patterson told the newspaper he's received dozens of calls from people who say they won't come to the festival for fear of safety and, in typical firebrand fashion, offered a bold suggestion: "If they want to carry guns, why don't they join the army and get their asses over to Afghanistan?"
Because that would require courage, Brooks. Much better to flash that faux machismo and intimidate families with children at an arts festival rather than face real men who have a definite purpose for carrying firearms in the open.
Royal Oak has its hands tied, this is a state law, and you know what that means...
Gov. Jennifer Granholm said Tuesday she is not planning to seek a change in state law, noting such an effort would not go over well in Lansing. "I could initiate it, but I'd get no support in the Legislature," she said during an appearance in Detroit, per The News.
First of all, that would require lawmakers actually doing some work, which we all should know by now won't happen, and second, it would require standing up to a predominately right-wing special interest group, which we all should know by now won't happen, even if it's simply to allow cities to set their own regulations on the subject.
I've always been rather neutral on guns. You want one? Fine. Understandable. Feel the need to flash it around in public at an arts festival? You've probably got some serious insecurity issues if you need to show the world what a badass you are - and those are the kind of people that probably should not be carrying guns in public.
But whatever. I doubt many people will show up with guns, and the ones that do are only looking to draw attention to themselves. Kinda like the guys who need to buy fancy sports cars to make up for other... uh... shortcomings.