A couple of weeks ago the Georgia legislature, in its infinite and abiding wisdom, passed a measure which would allow concealed weapons in bars, parks and on mass transit.  Oddly enough, a number of Atlantans seem to think this is a bad idea - particularly restaurateurs, transit folks and the guy who runs the airport.

Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin and others have urged Governor Sonny Perdue to veto this measure on the grounds that it's sheer idiocy liable to encourage vigilantism, not to mention terribly difficult to enforce the honor system when drinking is involved.  I honestly don't know about the vigilantism argument, but I grok the drunken stupidity one completely.  We get enough club shootings in downtown ATL; I've no idea why the legislature would want to encourage more of them.

What is disturbing, aside from the idea of guns on the buses, or in the airport, or in the punch-drunk clubs at 3 AM, is the fact that it's terribly easy to get a CCW (concealed carry permit) in Georgia.  We're a shall-issue state, which means if you can buy a handgun, you can get a CCW.  You don't even have to take safety training or prove you know how to use the darned thing.

I'm not entirely anti-gun.  They have their places and their uses, but this proposal is a bad idea and Perdue needs to consider much more than his NRA street cred when deciding whether or not to sign this thing into law.