Arthur Frommer
This week Arizonans were shocked when iconic travel industry promoter Arthur Frommer blogged that
Mr. Frommer's comments, touched off a firestorm of criticism - so much so that as of publication of this column, Frommer's blog entry attracted 1,061 comments compared to the usual 8 comments or so for his other blog entries.
The crux of the criticism against Mr. Frommer's Arizona travel advisory (even by pro-gun folks like me who don't think that openly carrying long guns to oppose Obamacare is an effective means of expressive conduct even if such conduct is protected by the First Amendment) is that Mr. Frommer is basically telling Americans not to travel in, well, "most of America." I don't want to have an online "macaca moment" here and use the term "real America" but well, let's get real: outside of New York, Chicago, and Washington DC, us mere "civilians" (including the police, who are also civilians) can pretty much own and carry guns anywhere we want, sidewalks and all, from Pittsburgh to Seattle and most parts in between.
And why pick on Arizona? After all, Arizona is just like most states where folks can legally open carry guns without any permit, and can carry concealed guns if they hold the proper permit.
Is Mr. Frommer also going to urge a travel boycott of the entire inter-Mountain American West where folks can legally carry concealed guns in their vehicles without any permit from Canada to old Mexico?
What about Florida and the East Coast? Motorists on I-95 can freely carry guns in their vehicles from Virginia all the way down to the Conch Republic without any permit, and all of those states issue and recognize permits to conceal guns while on foot as well, meaning its highly unlikely that anyone can walk more than 20 paces even on Ocean Drive near Wet Willies or the South Beach promenade without brushing past a fellow American legally carrying a concealed handgun.
And then there's restaurants serving alcohol! Frommer better put out a warning on those darn things too as very few states ban gun carry in alcohol serving restaurants (even fewer next month when a new Arizona law takes effect to allow concealed handguns in restaurants serving alcohol).
How 'bout a travel advisory against visiting National Parks starting February 2010? Effective that month a new federal law de-criminalizes gun carry there too, finally making National Parks as gun friendly as federal National Forests and BLM lands have been for as far back as anyone can remember.
Well Mr. Frommer? Are you going to keep blogging against travel in your own country? Let us know.
In the meantime, please try to get out more.
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Comments
Mr Frommer is a dork for saying that. I'm an ex-hippie Boomer Libertarian. I've been to scary states like Texas (Austin's fun) and Arizona (step grandchildren) and I've lived to tell. I'm an elitist snob, in my own way, but Frommer is off the mark. He's living in his Own Private Idaho.
I write for examiner.com and suite101. Plug my article: Women's Travel Jewelry for Boho Chic. Mr. Stollenwerk (the author) is dead on, as the Brits would say.
Please have Mr Frommer add Iowa to his list of boycotted states. I have a pistol in my pocket right now and I carry it everywhere, as do thousands of Free American Iowans like me.
Mr. Frommer can add Tennessee to his list as well. We won't miss him.
Arthur,
Please add Alabama , Alaska , Arizona , Arkansas , California , Colorado , Connecticut , Delaware , Florida , Georgia , Hawaii , Idaho , Indiana , Iowa , Kansas , Kentucky , Louisiana , Maine , Maryland , Massachusetts , Michigan , Minnesota , Mississippi , Missouri , Montana , Nebraska , Nevada , New Hampshire , New Jersey , New Mexico , New York , North Carolina , North Dakota , Ohio , Oklahoma , Oregon , Pennsylvania , Rhode Island , South Carolina , South Dakota , Tennessee , Texas , Utah , Vermont , Virginia , Washington , West Virginia , Wisconsin , and Wyoming. to your list - ALL of these states have some law permitting the carry of guns - either open or concealed.
Perhaps you should do the research - THEN write your blog.
What about Switzerland? I bet Frommer has written about nice vacations there and never threatened to boycott, even though every home has a real (select fire) assault rifle that the government used to let retirees keep.
Yeah, I don't see his hoplophobic rant as a bad thing. I've got my pistol with me right now. Be nice to not have to put up with hoplophobic nuts any more. Figure we could herd them all into one place? Arizona oughta be thanking the old kook for encouraging the hoplophobes of the world to stay away.
I'm glad Mr. Frommer will not be traveling to our great state of AZ. We don't need losers coming to our state, nor his lame friends.
Arthur,
Please add Alabama , Alaska , Arizona , Arkansas , California , Colorado , Connecticut , Delaware , Florida , Georgia , Hawaii , Idaho , Indiana , Iowa , Kansas , Kentucky , Louisiana , Maine , Maryland , Massachusetts , Michigan , Minnesota , Mississippi , Missouri , Montana , Nebraska , Nevada , New Hampshire , New Jersey , New Mexico , New York , North Carolina , North Dakota , Ohio , Oklahoma , Oregon , Pennsylvania , Rhode Island , South Carolina , South Dakota , Tennessee , Texas , Utah , Vermont , Virginia , Washington , West Virginia , Wisconsin , and Wyoming. to your list - ALL of these states have some law permitting the carry of guns - either open or concealed.
Perhaps you should do the research - THEN write your blog.
Frommer: We'd really appreciate it if you'd stay the hell out of Colorado too PLEASE!
Dear Mssr. Frommer,
Have you looked into whether any U.S. carrier flies to Fantasyland?
Arthur,
Please add Alabama , Alaska , Arizona , Arkansas , California , Colorado , Connecticut , Delaware , Florida , Georgia , Hawaii , Idaho , Indiana , Iowa , Kansas , Kentucky , Louisiana , Maine , Maryland , Massachusetts , Michigan , Minnesota , Mississippi , Missouri , Montana , Nebraska , Nevada , New Hampshire , New Jersey , New Mexico , New York , North Carolina , North Dakota , Ohio , Oklahoma , Oregon , Pennsylvania , Rhode Island , South Carolina , South Dakota , Tennessee , Texas , Utah , Vermont , Virginia , Washington , West Virginia , Wisconsin , and Wyoming. to your list - ALL of these states have some law permitting the carry of guns - either open or concealed.
Perhaps you should do the research - THEN write your blog.
I'm sure Mr. Frommer would feel safer walking the streets of Harlem where only the bad guys have guns.
Mr Frommer,
Please add Iowa to your list of boycotted states. I am in Iowa and I am always armed, everywhere I go.
This is one of the reasons Iowa is such a safe and low crime state, thousands of Iowans are carrying right now, just as I am.
mr. frommer might as well add vermont to his list of states to not visit, we do not issue, or require "pistol permits" and open or concealed carry is left to the descretion of the individual as long as the person is minding his/her own business and keeping the peace. no one knows, or much cares who is or is not carrying a gun, not even the police unless a crime is being committed, and we generally enjoy living in peace and safety with our guns, or perhaps because of them.
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