Dear Editor,

I have had a concealed-carry permit for over 20 years, and not once in that time have I ever had need to pull my weapon. This past year, Alabama acknowledged the right of private citizens to openly carry their firearms in public barring a sign posted by the business/property owner to the contrary.

Twice, since this law has gone into effect, have I been asked to leave the premises because of my exercising my legal right to openly carry my pistol – once at Hobby Lobby in Homewood and once at Piggly Wiggly in Columbiana. Neither location had the required sign posted, nor has anything ever been said to me in the past. To the elation of some (from whispers overheard at the time) I will no longer shop in these establishments.

However, I would like to point out that, were I an actual threat to anyone’s safety, do you really think that I would have just left when asked to? No. Do you think that the shooter in Sandy Hook would have just walked out if he had been asked? No. Do you think the shooter at the Colorado movie theater would have just walked out had he been asked? Of course not.

But I promise you that the innocent citizens in those cases would have been happy to have someone there like me, and others like me. Someone legally carrying a weapon who could have done something to prevent the true criminal from committing those heinous crimes. God willing, a situation like that will never arise, but should it ever happen here… just remember those of us you viewed as threat and you will see what a TRUE threat looks like.

Derek Tombrello
Shelby