Virginia – -(AmmoLand.com)- Last Tuesday, those opposing a new shooting range in King George County, VA held a meeting in the local government parks & recreation building.
I attended the meeting so I can get some understanding of the opposition’s concerns. The meeting was announced on our VCDL VA-ALERT, so there were local gun owners present who support the range and their voices helped to make sure that BOTH sides of the argument were heard.
There were two sheets that one could fill in. One was a petition against the range and the other put a person’s email address on a list to be contacted with any further information.
Since this was organized by someone against the range, there was, naturally, no petition FOR the range. That’s OK – I don’t think we need one in order to fight back.
The Virginia Citizens Defense League members did an excellent job in explaining to the room full of people why the range should be supported.
Noise was the primary concern for the opposition, including those who are over TWO MILES away in this very rural area. One such distant person claimed that the noise could affect one’s health. A pastor from a church was concerned that people from other churches wouldn’t come to visit if they learned that there was a shooting range a mile or so away (oh, the horror!) Another person asked what if one hundred people came every day and were shooting all day and into the evening? It was tough just sitting there and not run off screaming into the night. 
One issue that the new range might be able to mollify – no shooting on Sunday before 12 noon (except rimfire or suppressed firearms).
Points made by our side:
- The only other public range in the County (Northern Virginia Gun Club) is booked up with a waiting list of 500 people!
- The range would bring in business to the County – food, shooting supplies, etc. That would include gun owners from nearby Maryland.
- The range would allow people to shoot safely, perhaps in a safer manner than they could on their own private property.
- Training opportunities could be offered to both the general public, as well as the local law enforcement (many of whom go to Maryland to practice currently).
- Tongue-in-cheek question: What if that 255-acre golf course were carved up into private residences instead and each of those had a shooting range in their backyard? Would that be better?
Once the range ownership has put something formally in front of the County, Virginia Citizens Defense League will get active. At that time I will ask not only Virginia Citizens Defense League members who live in King George County to contact the County, but also anyone else who would likely use that range. I will also see if Maryland Shall Issue would ask any of their interested members to contact the County.
Stay tuned!
About Virginia Citizens Defense League, Inc. (VCDL):
Virginia Citizens Defense League, Inc. (VCDL). VCDL is an all-volunteer, non-partisan grassroots organization dedicated to defending the human rights of all Virginians. The Right to Keep and Bear Arms is a fundamental human right.
For more information, visit: www.vcdl.org.