The Johnson City Press interviewed several area gun shop owners and found that following the tragedy in Sandy Hook and the subsequent push for tighter gun control laws there was a significant surge in gun sales, particular of assault rifles and hand guns with high capacity magazines. Apparently this was not unique to the Tri-Cities area of upper east Tennessee (which those of you who don’t know Appalachia bears this name because of its three main cities, Johnson City, Kingsport and Bristol), but the ability of two citizens to use guns to protect themselves from unwanted intrusion by police may provide a degree of separation from other parts of the country.
According to an article by Johnson City Press reporter Sue Guinn Legg published on the front page of today’s paper (Jan. 4, 2013) Derrick Dakota Kitzmiller was denied the right to tailgate another car on I-81 during the night when the driver of that car called to complain to the Tennessee Highway Patrol. The complaint came as the two cars were approaching the THP station at the Fall Branch exit from I-81 and the driver was instructed to pull off at that exit. He did and Kitzmiller, a resident of nearby Gray, TN continued on I-81 where a THP trooper unfairly tried to impede his right to drive in excess of 100 mph. The ensuring chase ended on two lane Hog Hollow Road (yes that’s the name, I couldn’t make this up if I tried) when Kitzmiller fleeing from the harassment failed to negotiate a curve at a speed of 80 mph, Fortunately Kitzmiller and his passenger, Jennifer Russell of Bristol, were able to defend themselves after the crash. Kitzmiller, who has been convicted of attempts to obtain narcotics by fraud, misdemeanor assault and theft, and multiple counts of identification theft and fraudulent use of a credit card, turned his gun on the state trooper. Russell was also packing and after the trooper prevailed (probably due to an unfair advantage in training and experience) a third gun was found in the car.
I definitely feel safer when I visit Tennessee knowing that its legislature is working to allow citizens to carry guns to work in their cars, wants to arm teachers and will absolutely not restrict gun ownership. After, all an armed citizenry is necessary to stifle unwarranted interference by officer of the government in the expression of its rights.
I’m sort of sorry for the snotty rhetoric, but I had to get this off of my chest.