Gun Store Relocation in McLean, near elementary school - Thoughts? (Arlington: for sale, daycare)

[JD984]

Originally Posted by johnsonkk

Most news reports are saying this is Franklin- Sherman elementary and not Oakton.

You aren't following the thread.

The gun store is next door to Franklin Sherman ES. He's saying he'd welcome the same business near Oakton ES, his own neighborhood school.

[Carlingtonian]

Replies in bold below.

Originally Posted by JEB77

I think that's kind of a non-sequitur. The concern is not minors acquiring weapons directly from the store, but adults acquiring weapons in close proximity to an elementary school and, perhaps, some of those weapons finding their ways into the hands of minors.

Not a non-sequitur. You had said, "People don't like the fact that the store is physically is so close to an elementary school. It is literally adjacent to school property." You didn't state what exactly they were afraid of, so I had to guess. The idea that elementary-school kids could somehow get weapons from legal firearm purchasers is ludicrous. How exactly? Through force? Coersion? Where has this ever happened? Remember, all purchases from any gun shop (even from shops with tables at gun shows) require a criminal background check.

OK, haha. All I recall from some of your past posts is that you'd get really upset if they tried to eat and shoot, or eat and drive, or shoot and drive, at the same time.

OK, now THAT is a non-sequitur. What does distracted driving have to do with this? I suppose golfers might find that sign offensive, but that's life. We don't want kids seeing a picture of a man aiming a gun? Seriously?

The picture in question, however, was of a guy with a high-powered rifle in a field. Not clay pigeon stuff.

A guy with a gun in a field--OK. Still not seeing how that harms the tender young minds.

No. Belts and ropes have other, more socially beneficial uses than handguns, semi-automatics, and assault rifles.

"Assault rifle" means nothing other than appearance. I don't fault people for not knowing that, because the media repeats it as if it means something more substantive. Do look it up: It only refers to a combination of certain features that are all just matters of style: pistol grip and/or foldable stock, etc. I.e., it just looks mean. And those features DO make a gun look meaner than a hunting rifle. So people who don't know better assume it's somehow more lethal than a hunting rifle. As for semi-automatic, that term applies to all handguns other than revolvers--anything you don't have to cokc the hammer on before you pull the trigger each time you fire a round. An AR-15 is no more automatic than a 30.06.

That misses the point. The more attractive retail in Lyon Village has developed in spite of, not because of, the presence of the pawn shop. Arlington Magazine and others in Arlington are quite fond of pointing out any time they can how bad the retail in McLean supposedly is compared to Arlington. No one with a brain thinks that having a firearms store in the heart of McLean will spur the types of retail developments residents would like to see.

Either way, it proves that a store selling guns is not a deterrent to other, desirable businesses. Or are you saying that if the pawn shop were not there, we'd have a Tiffany's at Spout Run? For me, that's a good reason to be glad the pawn shop is there.

No, just that debates like these can go on indefinitely. There are over 1400 people who've signed a petition opposing this gun store's location in just a few days, but apparently I'm the only one posting on this particular forum. I've posted here just now in recognition of the time you spent responding to my post, but at a certain point it's clear that people disagree here and those of us who'd prefer not to have this store in this location spend our time more wisely by working with the local politicians (Foust, Murphy, Favola, Sullivan, Simon, Strauss, etc.) who want to see this store relocated than by arguing with people outside the community.

But what exactly are you all afraid will happen? Kids are not going to get shot; that's just silly. Kids are not going to wrestle guns from the customers or bribe them out of their guns with their lunch money.

And doesn't the owner have the right to open a legal business? He doesn't need to "warn" the community any more than someone opening a gas station. If he didn't have a sign out front, no one would know it was a gun shop. The customers will be disproportionately more law-abiding than those of other businesses--because you cannot buy a firearm from a gun retailer (FFL holder) if you have a felony.

Seriously, go check out The Gun Dude in Falls Church sometime. Very nice guys and gals. Nary a scrap of camo anywhere. It looks like an Apple Store. You will be surprised at how different it is from what you may be picturing. At least know what it is you're opposed to.

[JD984]

Originally Posted by johnsonkk

I may have misquoted the statement as yours. If the previous location was okay and three blocks away, and this is too close, who decides the acceptable and "decency" range for this store? Discretionary decisions that affect businesses are risky.

Discretionary decisions that affect businesses are made all the time.

Effectively, community residents are deciding what they consider acceptable and decent in this context, and conveying their opinions to their elected officials. Those officials agree and have stated that they will use their best efforts to effect the relocation of the business as promptly as practicable.

That could take any number of forms, including but not limited to having the Governor make some telephone calls to ask the landlord and tenant to reconsider their current arrangement, seeing whether the gun store owner is amenable to relocating, seeing whether the landlord is amenable to selling the property to a developer, or working to change state and local zoning laws to prevent businesses selling firearms this close to public schools.

[JD984]

Originally Posted by Carlingtonian

Kids are not going to get shot; that's just silly.

All I had to do was see this line from your post to confirm this isn't a discussion worth investing more time in here.

No, like that's never happened ("a report released Monday by Connecticut’s Attorney for the District of Danbury says all the guns and ammunition involved in the heinous crime at Sandy Hook Elementary were legally purchased by Nancy Lanza and then stolen by her son, Adam").

[spencgr]

Originally Posted by JEB77

No, like that's never happened.

i was wondering the same thing. Please provide the details around when children were shot in or in immediate proximity to a gun store.

[Bigfoot424]

I haven't read ahead so sorry if I bring up something someone else has.

Why does this concern anyone? This is a legal and licensed business. These guns can't just automatically jump up and run into the hands of the school kids. This is no different than the local 7-11 or stop and rob selling smokes, vaping material or chew. Is anyone protesting them?

[Bigfoot424]

Originally Posted by Forehead

Like I said in the first post, I can't really express any real reason why I don't like it, other than I don't like it being close to the school. I had no problem with their original location three blocks further away, but apparently they outgrew the place.

Oh, and for those wondering, my use of "degenerate gun buyers" in the first post was paraphrasing some comments I've seen elsewhere, not my personal opinion of gun owners.

Why did you feel the need to continue this description of a gun buyer? I've bought guns so I'm wondering if this makes me a degenerate?

[Bigfoot424]

Originally Posted by JEB77

I've noticed that no one has posted the names of the schools nearest their homes. When you've done so, I'll be happy to forward them to the appropriate folks and let them know that you would welcome NOVA Firearms adjacent to those schools. I know that our local county supervisor, school board member, state Senator, and House of Delegates member - all apparently "Donald Trumps of the left" - are working to help find them a new home, and they might appreciate some alternatives and the chance to get away from the NIMBYs.

Thanks!

I could not care any less about a gun store near a school near me. I'm sure lots of people feel the same way. Why do you feel you speak for the majority of people?

[Bigfoot424]

Originally Posted by TheWatchmen

They can't find anywhere else to open their gun store? Anywhere?

There are unsavory people and elements that are kept separated from schools. Convicted pedophiles, for instance. This isn't much ado about nothing.

What the hell are you trying to say?

[TheWatchmen]

Originally Posted by Bigfoot424

What the hell are you trying to say?

That while not entirely comparable, people will have strong reactions to certain things being located near schools.

I hope the neighborhood prevails on this one.