Riverdance
Regular Member
imported post
I wasconfronted twice in two and a half hours by security ninjas armed withradios at the museumin Richmond; this is my email to them
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:
I am a retired military officer,concealed handgun permit holder, and NRA certified firearms instructor.
On Saturday, October 28, a small group of us had the pleasure of visiting your museum. Of those of us who were armed, all but I carried concealed. Fifteen minutes into our visit, a security-type person approached to ask me who I was, seemingly wanting to view some sort of credential that "authorized" my holstered handgun..
He was obviously unaware that state law strictly prohibits any government entity, department, agency, locality, or agent thereof from attempting to regulate anything regarding firearms other than discharge (see 15.2-915 at 1. below. § 18.2-308. lists those few areas where restrictions ARE expressly authorized, which are essentially K-12 schools, courthouses, airport terminals, detention facilities, services at places of worsihp (except with sufficient reason) and restaurants serving alcoholic drinks (concealed carry prohibited; open carry required).
I showed him my state concealed handgun permit (which was entirely irrelevant to my open carry of a holstered handgun) and he left satisfied. He was obviously unaware that only CONCEALED carry of firearms requires a state permit. There are no credentials or permission required for anyone to open carry in Virginia. I aquiesced to show him something, however irrelevant (which he didn't understand), as we had just arrived and I didn't want to spend the valuable time of my party in educating your employee as we only wanted to see the museum.
Why he even asked in the first place is a mystery since Museum Rules from your website (2. below) make no mention of restrictions on carry of firearms, as it would in fact be illegal for the museum to do so (per 1. below)
I would have let the matter drop at this point, except as we were exiting the building after our visit, the female security-type person who was sitting at the doorway noticed my holstered hangun (which she hadn't on the way in) and demanded to see a "permit." When I inforrmed her no permit was required, and denied her repeated demands to produce one, she called in the code for an emergency (EMERGENCY???!!!) to her supervisor as we left the building.
While it should be sufficient to simply instruct your personnel that they have no authority to challenge gun owners in any state or local government venue, should you deem it necessary that they receive specific guidance as to the various intricacies of the state code, I would be pleased to provide it. I and another instructor regularly teach courses both to qualify citizens for virginia concealed handgun permits and to provide them basic information on state gun laws.
In any case, I suggest that you provide your attorney a copy of this communication to validate my legal references, and I ask that you take some action to educate your staff on the matter, lest they embroil the museum in unintended legal consequences.
I look forward to hearing from you,
Sincerely,
XXXXX
1. § 15.2-915. Control of firearms; applicability to authorities and local governmental agencies.
A. No locality shall adopt or enforce any ordinance, resolution or motion, as permitted by § 15.2-1425, and no agent of such locality shall take any administrative action, governing the purchase, possession, transfer, ownership, carrying, storage or transporting of firearms, ammunition, or components or combination thereof other than those expressly authorized by statute. For purposes of this section, a statute that does not refer to firearms, ammunition, or components or combination thereof, shall not be construed to provide express authorization.
Nothing in this section shall prohibit a locality from adopting workplace rules relating to terms and conditions of employment of the workforce. Nothing in this section shall prohibit a law-enforcement officer, as defined in § 9.1-101 from acting within the scope of his duties.
The provisions of this section applicable to a locality shall also apply to any authority or to a local governmental entity, including a department or agency, but not including any local or regional jail or juvenile detention facility.
B. Any local ordinance, resolution or motion adopted prior to the effective date of this act governing the purchase, possession, transfer, ownership, carrying or transporting of firearms, ammunition, or components or combination thereof, other than those expressly authorized by statute, is invalid.
(1987, c. 629, § 15.1-29.15; 1988, c. 392; 1997, cc. 550, 587; 2002, c. 484; 2003, c. 943; 2004, cc. 837, 923.)
2.
Museum Rules
Please help us protect the art and make the museum a pleasant experience for all visitors by following these simple rules:
Cameras and videos are permitted in our permanent collection areas only. Sorry, no tripods, flash, or artificial light allowed. No photographs or video are permitted in special exhibition galleries.
Visitors, volunteers, and staff are not to touch any works of art in the museum. Even the slightest fingerprint contains destructive chemicals that endanger even the hardest surfaces.
Shopping bags, backpacks, baby back-carriers, umbrellas, and all purses, briefcases, or packages measuring greater than 8"x13"x16", must be checked at the Coat Room (off the Main Lobby) before entering the galleries.
Food, beverages, candy, and gum are not allowed in the galleries
I wasconfronted twice in two and a half hours by security ninjas armed withradios at the museumin Richmond; this is my email to them
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:
I am a retired military officer,concealed handgun permit holder, and NRA certified firearms instructor.
On Saturday, October 28, a small group of us had the pleasure of visiting your museum. Of those of us who were armed, all but I carried concealed. Fifteen minutes into our visit, a security-type person approached to ask me who I was, seemingly wanting to view some sort of credential that "authorized" my holstered handgun..
He was obviously unaware that state law strictly prohibits any government entity, department, agency, locality, or agent thereof from attempting to regulate anything regarding firearms other than discharge (see 15.2-915 at 1. below. § 18.2-308. lists those few areas where restrictions ARE expressly authorized, which are essentially K-12 schools, courthouses, airport terminals, detention facilities, services at places of worsihp (except with sufficient reason) and restaurants serving alcoholic drinks (concealed carry prohibited; open carry required).
I showed him my state concealed handgun permit (which was entirely irrelevant to my open carry of a holstered handgun) and he left satisfied. He was obviously unaware that only CONCEALED carry of firearms requires a state permit. There are no credentials or permission required for anyone to open carry in Virginia. I aquiesced to show him something, however irrelevant (which he didn't understand), as we had just arrived and I didn't want to spend the valuable time of my party in educating your employee as we only wanted to see the museum.
Why he even asked in the first place is a mystery since Museum Rules from your website (2. below) make no mention of restrictions on carry of firearms, as it would in fact be illegal for the museum to do so (per 1. below)
I would have let the matter drop at this point, except as we were exiting the building after our visit, the female security-type person who was sitting at the doorway noticed my holstered hangun (which she hadn't on the way in) and demanded to see a "permit." When I inforrmed her no permit was required, and denied her repeated demands to produce one, she called in the code for an emergency (EMERGENCY???!!!) to her supervisor as we left the building.
While it should be sufficient to simply instruct your personnel that they have no authority to challenge gun owners in any state or local government venue, should you deem it necessary that they receive specific guidance as to the various intricacies of the state code, I would be pleased to provide it. I and another instructor regularly teach courses both to qualify citizens for virginia concealed handgun permits and to provide them basic information on state gun laws.
In any case, I suggest that you provide your attorney a copy of this communication to validate my legal references, and I ask that you take some action to educate your staff on the matter, lest they embroil the museum in unintended legal consequences.
I look forward to hearing from you,
Sincerely,
XXXXX
1. § 15.2-915. Control of firearms; applicability to authorities and local governmental agencies.
A. No locality shall adopt or enforce any ordinance, resolution or motion, as permitted by § 15.2-1425, and no agent of such locality shall take any administrative action, governing the purchase, possession, transfer, ownership, carrying, storage or transporting of firearms, ammunition, or components or combination thereof other than those expressly authorized by statute. For purposes of this section, a statute that does not refer to firearms, ammunition, or components or combination thereof, shall not be construed to provide express authorization.
Nothing in this section shall prohibit a locality from adopting workplace rules relating to terms and conditions of employment of the workforce. Nothing in this section shall prohibit a law-enforcement officer, as defined in § 9.1-101 from acting within the scope of his duties.
The provisions of this section applicable to a locality shall also apply to any authority or to a local governmental entity, including a department or agency, but not including any local or regional jail or juvenile detention facility.
B. Any local ordinance, resolution or motion adopted prior to the effective date of this act governing the purchase, possession, transfer, ownership, carrying or transporting of firearms, ammunition, or components or combination thereof, other than those expressly authorized by statute, is invalid.
(1987, c. 629, § 15.1-29.15; 1988, c. 392; 1997, cc. 550, 587; 2002, c. 484; 2003, c. 943; 2004, cc. 837, 923.)
2.
Museum Rules
Please help us protect the art and make the museum a pleasant experience for all visitors by following these simple rules:
Cameras and videos are permitted in our permanent collection areas only. Sorry, no tripods, flash, or artificial light allowed. No photographs or video are permitted in special exhibition galleries.
Visitors, volunteers, and staff are not to touch any works of art in the museum. Even the slightest fingerprint contains destructive chemicals that endanger even the hardest surfaces.
Shopping bags, backpacks, baby back-carriers, umbrellas, and all purses, briefcases, or packages measuring greater than 8"x13"x16", must be checked at the Coat Room (off the Main Lobby) before entering the galleries.
Food, beverages, candy, and gum are not allowed in the galleries
