- - George R. Pettit, Esq.

oday, licensed concealed carry permit holders remain unable to carry their firearms concealed in a restaurant, a right they enjoyed throughout most of Virginia's history.  As Governor and leader of the Republican Party, James Gilmore and the Republican leadership have remained indifferent or hostile to all efforts to restore legal concealed carry in restaurants and clubs.  This year, Republicans in the anti-gun Militia and Police Committee of the Virginia House of Delegates gutted the repeal portion of HB 2458, which would have restored this right and merged some of the non-controversial pro-gun portions of HB 2458 into HB 2332.
The thousands of post cards and letters to the Governor initiated by VCDL activists urging the Governor to amend HB 2332 to restore the repeal of the restaurant ban were ignored, and the Governor has signed HB 2332 into law.

The Governor's refusal to support the repeal of the restaurant ban is yet another milestone in a political career, which has sought to weaken the right of Virginians to carry a firearm for self-defense.
As Attorney General, Gilmore issued an opinion, which gave cover for local governments to ban the carrying of firearms in county facilities.  The anti-gun majority of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors promptly issued regulations that prohibited all citizens, including concealed carry permits holders, from carrying firearms in county facilities.  Fortunately, a Circuit Court judge ignored the shoddy legal scholarship of the ill conceived opinion, and threw out the regulations on a summary judgment motion brought by VCDL members.
This session of the General Assembly saw the overwhelming passage of yet another restriction on the rights of Virginians to transport firearms.  HB 1462, prohibits the out right transportation of firearms by young adults on school grounds.  Now, licensed hunters having a shotgun or rifle in the trunk of their car while parked on school grounds will be expelled from school.  Current law, which makes it a crime for anyone under the age of 18 to carry a loaded handgun in a public place, will not satisfy the anti-gunners.  Instead they need a law to punish some innocent hunter who forgets to take his shotgun or rifle from his car before leaving for school on Monday morning!
Governor Gilmore has proposed certain technical amendments to HB 1462, which

are intended to provide some relief for young hunters, thereby softening the impact of a bad bill.  Unfortunately, even with these amendments, and it is still a bad bill and some student will be expelled for doing nothing more than carrying an unloaded hunting firearm in the trunk of his car.
While these losses are bitter for the members of VCDL, we remain dedicated to restoring the Right to Keep and Bear Arms for our children, grandchildren, and all Virginians.  We ask that you continue with your help.
Here's what needs to be done.  Inform the Republican leadership that we do not approve of their antigun methods.  Clearly, emphatically, and politely inform them that we do not intend to sit idly by while they continue to sell out our Second Amendment Rights.  We need to ask Governor Gilmore to veto this bad legislation.
Here's what you can do.  Write to Governor Gilmore complaining about his lack of pro-gun leadership.  The Governor needs to understand that you do not approve of the Republican leadership using your Second Amendment Rights as a pawn for their political purposes and that you do not intend to allow them to continue to politicize our Constitution Rights with impunity.  You can also send this message to other key Republicans in the leadership.  Send them letters, faxes, and e-mail messages.  Demand your rights!
I wonder what would happen if Republican supporters decided to stay at home this coming Election Day!