Gun Ban Legislators Continue Fight Against Gun Retailers

The Washington Post posted this report last night detailing the latest moves by seven state legislators in their war against firearms dealers.  Last year, NOVA Firearms wanted to move to a larger location since their business had outgrown their current location.  They found a location, had even begun to renovate the space for their needs when the landlord caved to pressure from other tenants and the community and broke the lease.  NOVA Firearms found another location, but this one ended up being near a school.  This sparked new protests and several of the legislators representing the area introduced legislation to restrict firearm dealers within a certain distance from a school.  The bills failed to be approved by the respective House and Senate committees and died.

Now a different business, NOVA Armory wants to open in Arlington County and Delgates Patrick Hope, Alfonso Lopez, Richard Sullivan and Mark Levine along with Senators Barbara Favola, Janet Howell and Adam Ebbin have written a letter to the property owner decrying the opening of the business.

The letter recalls the years in the 1990s when Virginia was known as the “gun-running capital of the East Coast” and warns that Nova Armory, the business that aims to locate at 2300 N. Pershing Dr., is “already marketing aggressively” to residents of other states.

Last week, the Arlington County Board also decried the plans of Nova Armory to open what the store described as a “high-end” retailer of sporting and self-defense weapons. Residents of the Lyon Park neighborhood, across Route 50 from Joint Base Ft. Myer-Henderson Hall, have raised objections to its opening. The store will be across the street from a private preschool and day care center.

The legislators think because the business is so close to Route 50 with easy access to Interstate 95 that this gives the potential for "nefarious and illegal activities." The letter echoes back to the so-called "iron pipeline" from Virginia to points north where criminals supposedly illegally pay Virginia residents to buy guns and create "black market to sell firearms for cash or drugs, or become a magnet for robbery as was recently the case in a firearms store in McLean, Virginia.”   But that appears to be cover for their anti-gun bigotry based on this line from the letter:

“The selling of firearms, while legal, does not reflect the Arlington community’s values,” the legislators said.

The Post reports that some residents from the Lyon Park community where the store will be located have started a petition opposing Nova Armory, supposedly collecting more than 3,000 signatures so far. A petition supporting the business has topped 500 signatures.  One of those supporters told the Post:

“As an Arlington resident and homeowner, I welcome this new business to the County,” wrote petition-signer Dan Alban. “A lawful firearms retailer poses no particular danger to nearby residents or businesses, and baseless hysteria about the proximity of guns is an inadequate justification for prohibiting a legitimate business from operating in the County. Legitimate businesses and other organizations should not be prevented from opening because they are unpopular or controversial.”

We'll keep you posted as more information becomes available.