No, you were asked to leave because of the inanimate object you brought with you. You're not a special race of person who has an immutable characteristic that defines you. You can be removed from your profession, and remain who you are. Granted, citizens should be allowed to keep and bear arms because the law applies equally in a doctors office, as it does in a park, or a stadium, or a grocery store, or a school, or a workplace, etc...but none of this has anything to do with WHO you are, rather, what government and laws govern the land.Chief Philip Dupuis told The Courier he was wearing his badge on his belt in plain view next to his handgun, as well as his Conroe PD identification on a lanyard around his neck when he entered the doctor's office in the 3900 block of Pinecroft Drive around 4 p.m. and started to check in. A receptionist took his driver's license and insurance card before questioning him about the gun on his hip.
Dupuis said she asked him to take his gun out to his car. The 35-year law enforcement veteran, who never has had an accidental discharge, refused to disarm himself, reiterating that he is a police officer.
That's when he was asked to leave, Dupuis said.
"It's just bad," Dupuis said. "My badge is clearly displayed. I have my lanyard on with 'police' on my ID card hanging around my neck. I had handcuffs. The lobby was full of people, and they asked me to leave because of who I am."
Louis Armstrong plays in my head. Many of us would say the same about protecting self and loved ones. Welcome to the Pro-RKBA, Pro-liberty side of the argument. Amen and Amen."I didn't think twice about it because I can and do carry everywhere," Dupuis said. "I carry to protect myself and I carry to protect my family and the public."
"These people have the right to do what they did and refuse my service," he said. "Legally, they can ask me to leave because I'm not there on official business."
These people? Are they different from you in some way? Your service? How were you serving them? Patronage, yes. Service, no.
Oh, you poor, precious soul! The hardship is too much to (keep and) bear!But for Dupuis, the incident hit a little too close to home. He has two children who want to be police officers when they grow up.
"After a day like today, I want to come home and try and talk them out of it," Dupuis said. "I shouldn't have to talk my children out of being in a profession that I have loved for so long and has provided for me and my family a good life. When I see something like this, I don't want my kids going through this."
Try having people knock down your door with guns drawn, destroying your home, perhaps shooting your dog, and then saying that they had the wrong address?
Were officers so short sighted to think that if the society at large was allowed to whip up this fervor about guns and gun violence, that they wouldn't eventually become targets of the fervor? Did they really think that they'd be held aside as a special people who should have guns? When all people see is the inanimate object they fear, they don't care who wields it. How could this trend go any other way?
