State Sen. Lori Klein demonstrated her understanding of gun safety by pointing a loaded pistol at an Arizona Republic reporter’s chest:
“Oh, it’s so cute,” Klein said, as she unzipped the loaded Ruger from its carrying case to show a reporter and photographer. She was sitting on a leather couch in a lounge, just outside the Senate chamber.
She showed off the laser sighting by pointing the red beam at the reporter’s chest. The gun has no safety, she said, but there was no need to worry.
“I just didn’t have my hand on the trigger,” she said.
That doesn’t seem to mesh well with the Four Rules of Gun Safety that TW resident libertarian Jonathan Hoffman taught me:
Rule #1: Treat all guns as if they are loaded.
Rule #2: Never let the muzzle of a gun point at anything you do not want to destroy or kill.
Rule #3: Keep your finger straight and off the trigger.
Rule #4: Be absolutely sure of your target, and what is behind it.
We suppose Klein may want to destroy or kill the reporter she was talking to.
This article appears in Jul 7-13, 2011.
Another demonstration of how common sense does not apply to ellected officials. Another stupid as they come representative. How did he get a hand-gun into a government building in the first place? Great security but we strip-search people at air-ports – that appears to make sense – only to those who don’t have to be search when they travel. I wonder if an average everyday person can bring their hand-gun into a government building?
Will someone please explain to Sen. Klein that a firearm IS NOT A TOY. Gun ownership REQUIRES gun safety. And since we’re on the subject, what Sen. Klein did is considered aggravated assault in Arizona, and is a felony. I’m all for gun ownership, and concealed carry, but for pete’s sake, can you PLEASE at least be responsible with it already?
Like, seriously, if I walk my dog without a leash it’s ticket city for me, yet the people who make the laws by which I live can point LOADED guns at reporters and walk away free as a bird. Also: A gun without a safety? Why would anybody carry such a thing in public?
This exposes the kindergarten mentality of some of the elected officials in Arizona. Arizona needs to look very closely at the type of people they are electing to represent them. If this state senator is re-elected then that we know the problem is not this senator but the people who live in this state.
That’s called assault. What an idiot!
I agree. If that was not assalut with a deadly weapon, I don’t know what is. What if that gun had gone off? She would be guilty of at least manslaughter or negligent homicide. Why is she not arrested for this? Does the reporter actually have to press charges for this to be a crime? Had she done this in front of a police officer, I would think that she would have been arrested on the spot regardless of what the reporter thought about it. This is no joke. This woman should be arrested and duly charged. Just because she is (sadly) a public official does not give her a free pass on such a crime. Is this just ok behavior? Is it going to take her accidentally discharging her “cute” gun to stop this kind of irresponsible action? You seriously have to question the intelligence and judgment of a person like this. She has demonstrated that she has no business carrying a loaded gun, right to carry laws or not…
Sen Klein looks maniacal in the photo!
Isn’t that a felony?
Where i work here in arizona(a government building) there are signs posted everywhere on all doors that only law enforcement officials with a badge are allowed to enter the building with any weapons and its prohibited with fines or imprisonment to enter the building or premises with a weapon if youre not law enforcement.
In Arizona, those who make the laws, aren’t bound by them. So if you’re an elected official, feel free to beat the wife, kick the dog, drive drunk, or whatever.
Aside from ignoring the most basic of gun safety rules, I think she may have tried (and failed) to be intimidating. Or perhaps not. It did take 6 months for the story to break.