I ran across another story that makes me wonder what is going on in our country? Has everybody lost their minds?

A group of sheriffs in Oklahoma paid a visit to the the State Capitol last week as they do every year. However an unnamed State Senator complained because they were armed. So the sheriffs decided to leave. There is a differing story of course. The Oklahoman a paper based in Oklahoma City reported that the 'sergeant at arms' asked the sheriffs to take off their guns or leave the building.

Either way, whether it was the 'sergeant at arms' or a senator that asked guns be left at the door I feel this was a ridiculous request.

I'll admit most of the sheriffs I've dealt with over the years usually wore plain clothes but I bet for an official visit to the state capitol all of them wore uniforms which included sidearms.

As Wagoner County Sheriff Bob Colbert said,

If the state troopers are satisfied that we're OK in that building I'm pretty sure that the legislators should have something else to worry about such as the economy or something.

Sheriff Colbert makes sense to me. If you pay a man to wear a badge and carry a gun to protect human life you should not have qualms about him (or her) wearing the uniform with the associated gun.

If some crazed constituent ran into the capitol armed and ready for mischief would the 'sergeant at arms' ask him (or her) to leave their weapons at the door? Would the unnamed senator be the first to run into the line of fire to save everyone? I doubt either of these things would happen.

As Sheriff Colbert said, I think legislators have more to worry about than paid professionals dressed appropriately to carry out their duties. I really hope there is never a need for these same professionals to respond to the Oklahoma state capitol in an official capacity. They just might forget their weapons at the office and then where would the unnamed senator and 'sergeant at arms' be? Up a creek without the proverbial paddle.

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