Because, according to Virginia law, we are prohibited from carrying concealed at events or places where alcohol is sold or served. The gentleman in question was acting in accordance with the law. What should he have done, not carried at all and left himself and his family unprotected? I guess it's been a while since you were in Norfolk, VA.
I live in Chesapeake, I go to Norfolk regularly to attend the festivals. The number of instances where anyone has needed a weapon, at these festivals, is zero. The police are everywhere, on foot, on bicycle, stationed at every corner. He should have left it in the car.
'zackly
My wife was in Norfolk on business a few weeks back and had a tire blow-out. Service truck came to repair it and told her, "This is a bad area. Stand over there by my truck. If anything happens to me while I'm fixing this, there's a gun on the front seat."
He wasn't joking.
I used to have an iron-clad rule to never consider moving to California, for any possible job offer. In the past two years...with various things occurring in Virginia...though there are countless job opportunities and the pay scale very inviting...I have added Virginia to my “never-move-to” list as well.
My best description of the state...it is a metro-urban-European style “county” where towns just continue on and on. The style of gov’t reminds me greatly of Europe with various taxes upon taxes, with the only evidence of something for your money are the roads. The representation and politicans that you see...are basically talking-dogs, and elected by support groups that pump up neighborhoods and towns. The crime? Whatever started in DC...has seeped over into Virginia and the cops are more worried about non-crime situations (like described in this topic) than real-crime. A retiree would have to be mighty foolish to settle upon the idea of moving or staying in the state, with a cost of living such as it is.