Gun-haters are like ex-smokers; pains in the ass. The only difference is most of them have never held a gun and wouldn’t know the business end from the butt…or their own for that matter.

Tennessee’s state legislature passed a law (overriding Gov. Phil Bredesen’s veto) recently allowing individuals with handgun carry permits to take their guns into restaurants that serve alcohol. The gun-haters went apeshit. Out marched a parade of straw men they hastily but lovingly put together.

“It will be like the wild west! Every hillbilly in the state will be toting their guns into the bars shooting everybody up!”

Some jackass even decided to file a lawsuit to stop the law from going into effect on July 14, 2009. Apparently his lawyer needed work. As a restaurateur, all you have to do is put up a sign at the door telling people that guns aren’t allowed in your establishment.

<insert whining gun hater voice> “Yeah, but that won’t stop someone from taking a gun into a bar!.<end whining gun hater voice.>

Uhhh…hey dummy…what’s to stop someone from toting a gun into a bar illegally NOW? Answer: nothing. The gun law isn’t designed to enable criminals to shoot up bars…it’s intended to allow law abiding citizens to protect themselves.

There won’t be an eruption of shootings by LAW ABIDING citizens in bars any more than there were an eruption of shootings when the handgun carry permit became law in the 1990’s. And just so you know, NINE states border Tennessee. SEVEN of them allow guns to be carried into restaurants that serve alcohol.

Where are the new reports of bar gunfights in those states…hmmm?!

Gun-hating ninnies, grow up. Whenever you decide to grow a sack and deal with the criminals carrying guns. Give me a shout. I’ll still be here.

Man Shot After Leaving Nashville Club (July 13…day before the law takes effect)

Shot Sergeant Moves To Rehab Center (Shot by criminal weeks ago…)

Steve McNair and Sahel Kazemi killed (remember this?)

And then there are the works of licensed handgun carriers:

Customer Shoots Suspect in Liquor Store Robbery (never point a gun at us and make us lie on the floor…we don’t like that)

Update: Lawsuit FAIL.