A bill written by a Indiana Rep. Robert Bischoff, D-Lawrenceburg to allow workers to keep guns in their vehicles while at work was approved in the state house 76-21. All the house members from Northern Indiana where I reside voted in favor of the bill except for two. The members that voted for the bill were split almost evenly between Democrats and Republicans. The two that voted no were David Niezgodski D- South Bend and Rep Vernon Smith D-Gary.
Niezgodski brought up a incident in South Bend several years ago of a work place shooting at Bertrand Products, a factory much like the place I work at. He stated that “It scares the heck out of me to think that this could bring about another situation where a Bertrand Products could happen again.
Well I can bet Bertrand Products already had a policy of no weapons in the work place and probably a no weapon policy on company property. It sure didn't help the incident he spoke of. Does anyone believe that a no gun policy in private vehicles on company property is going to stop a individual that wants to go on a shooting spree?
Most work place shootings are done by individuals that have been fired weeks, months, or years ago and hold a grudge. No written policy by any company is going to prevent these individuals from getting revenge. Can anyone imagine the shooter at Bertrand Products getting ready to enter the factory with his gun then stopping because he remembered there is a no gun policy of having guns in a private vehicle at work?
Rep Vernon Smith is a different matter. He embarrassed himself with his antics. This is the person who represents Gary, Indiana that was known at one time as the murder capital of the United States.
He mocked the bills supporters wearing a NRA hat backward on the house floor, clicking a toy gun and saying “ I as a member of the NRA support the wild west-- bang, bang, shoot'em up”
He also said that we need to put a gun in kid's lunch bags and make them a member of the NRA when they are born he continued sarcastically.
I'm wondering what his point was of wearing a NRA hat on backwards? Was he trying to stereotype people that own guns as backwards rednecks? Backwards in not being as enlightened as he is?
Let me tell you Vernon Smith, the people I work with that own guns are hardworking, honest individuals that work 10 to 12 hour shifts and we live in a area where hunting is popular. There is also a pistol range within minutes of my work. It is not uncommon for the people I work with to drive 20 or 30 miles to work so after 10 or 12 hours its not practical to go home and get your gun. Last time I was in Gary I didn't see much woods to hunt in though it would be nice to be able to have a gun in my car to protect myself with when I drive through Gary.
Maybe Vernon you should meet some of these people I describe instead of “shooting” off your mouth.
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