# Ex-Mississippi Gov. and RNC chairman Haley Barbour arrested with gun at airport **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [January 31, 2018, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ex-mississippi-gov-and-rnc-chairman-haley-barbour-arrested-with-gun-at-airport/807856 "2018-01-31T02:58:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2018, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ex-mississippi-gov-and-rnc-chairman-haley-barbour-arrested-with-gun-at-airport/807856/41 "2018-01-31T19:20:32Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > It’s probably not reasonable to expect them, as a group, to be flawless / perfect, but look at the numbers. Last year, something like 16.996 million (out of 17 million) CCW permit holders did NOT carry their gun into a TSA checkpoint. Seems like a pretty reasonable expectation that the vast majority of them won’t do so this year either. But **CarnalK** ’s point was that that was hardly the only stupid thing that the 17 million do with their guns when they carry them around everywhere. Maybe the NRA should have an education campaign saying, “leave 'em home if you don’t need 'em with you.” The smaller a fraction of the 17 million that feel compelled to carry their lethal weapons everywhere, the smaller the likelihood that something lethal will happen by some cross of forgetfulness and stupidity. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2018, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ex-mississippi-gov-and-rnc-chairman-haley-barbour-arrested-with-gun-at-airport/807856/42 "2018-01-31T19:25:50Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > We don’t call them terrible, irresponsible parents if you have any clue about the subject, but yes many people do call them that. Well, many are not called parents anymore. I meant “terribly irresponsible”, but spellcheck had other ideas… > [@](#): > > hijack avoidance eta: here’s a long thread we had about it: > [People who "forget" their babies in the car on a hot day - The BBQ Pit - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=726468) That thread is about how it is not intentional that people leave their kids in the car. I don’t think that anyone in that thread called such parents responsible. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2018, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ex-mississippi-gov-and-rnc-chairman-haley-barbour-arrested-with-gun-at-airport/807856/43 "2018-01-31T19:29:38Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > It’s probably not reasonable to expect them, as a group, to be flawless / perfect, but look at the numbers. Last year, something like 16.996 million (out of 17 million) CCW permit holders did NOT carry their gun into a TSA checkpoint. Seems like a pretty reasonable expectation that the vast majority of them won’t do so this year either. That only counts the guns _found_ by the TSA. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2018, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ex-mississippi-gov-and-rnc-chairman-haley-barbour-arrested-with-gun-at-airport/807856/44 "2018-01-31T19:29:58Z")
> [@k9bfriender](#): > > That thread is about how it is not intentional that people leave their kids in the car. I don’t think that anyone in that thread called such parents responsible. No, they call them normal people. And a normal and responsible person can make a mistake. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2018, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ex-mississippi-gov-and-rnc-chairman-haley-barbour-arrested-with-gun-at-airport/807856/45 "2018-01-31T19:30:02Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > I disagree. I think most people are responsible enough to carry a gun in public. Some tiny fraction of gun owners misuse / mishandle their firearms, but it is a _tiny fraction_. Most adults can handle things like caring for a child, driving a vehicle, or carrying a gun without any major issues. When mistakes / abuses occur, appropriate measures should be taken, but that’s a long ways from “most people are not responsible enough”. I think that most (more than 50%, and optimistically much higher) people that currently have a CCW are probably responsible enough to carry a gun. I do not think that most members of the general public are. I do believe that mistakes and abuses should be pro-actively prevented, rather than just reacted to when they inevitably happen. This is from training and classes, but also in knowing that there are consequences for mistakes and abuses, even if they do no result in damage or injury. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2018, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ex-mississippi-gov-and-rnc-chairman-haley-barbour-arrested-with-gun-at-airport/807856/46 "2018-01-31T19:34:31Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > That only counts the guns _found_ by the TSA. True. There have been some really truly horrible results when they’ve been tested. “Close enough for government work” is definitely a thing with the TSA. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2018, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ex-mississippi-gov-and-rnc-chairman-haley-barbour-arrested-with-gun-at-airport/807856/47 "2018-01-31T19:39:38Z")
> [@k9bfriender](#): > > I think that most (more than 50%, and optimistically much higher) people that currently have a CCW are probably responsible enough to carry a gun. I do not think that most members of the general public are. > > I do believe that mistakes and abuses should be pro-actively prevented, rather than just reacted to when they inevitably happen. > > This is from training and classes, but also in knowing that there are consequences for mistakes and abuses, even if they do no result in damage or injury. I wonder if there’s been any measurable difference in Constitutional Carry states since their transition. Anyways, like I said, I’m not opposed to letting people know that there are consequences for mistakes, and I’m all for taking proactive steps to avoid incidents. For example, a simple sign outside of SLC Airport’s TSA checkpoint reminding people one last time to make sure they didn’t have their gun or ammo with them seems to have reduced the number of incidents significantly (this information came from a series of private meetings an organization I am a part of had with a representative of TSA about this very topic, so no publicly-available cite, sorry, I’m just going off of what he told us). ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2018, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ex-mississippi-gov-and-rnc-chairman-haley-barbour-arrested-with-gun-at-airport/807856/48 "2018-01-31T19:44:07Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > I wonder if there’s been any measurable difference in Constitutional Carry states since their transition. > > Anyways, like I said, I’m not opposed to letting people know that there are consequences for mistakes, and I’m all for taking proactive steps to avoid incidents. For example, a simple sign outside of SLC Airport’s TSA checkpoint reminding people one last time to make sure they didn’t have their gun or ammo with them seems to have reduced the number of incidents significantly (this information came from a series of private meetings an organization I am a part of had with a representative of TSA about this very topic, so no publicly-available cite, sorry, I’m just going off of what he told us). Considering I can’t get through a crowded movie without someone’s phone going off, I don’t know that I should be able to expect to be on a flight that no one forgot to leave their gun at home. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2018, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ex-mississippi-gov-and-rnc-chairman-haley-barbour-arrested-with-gun-at-airport/807856/49 "2018-01-31T19:48:22Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > That’s a decision for the local police / prosecutors. That does make sense. Thanks for clearing that up. ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2018, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ex-mississippi-gov-and-rnc-chairman-haley-barbour-arrested-with-gun-at-airport/807856/50 "2018-01-31T19:55:05Z")
> [@Superdude](#): > > How does one determine who is on “the list?” > > I’m not accusing you of anything, but it seems like you’re saying that, since Barbour is a white American, he couldn’t be a terrorist. Many of the recent acts of terror have been committed by people who are white and/or American. > > ETA: you may have been suggesting that it’s because they’re politicians or older. If so, then I misunderstood you at first read, and apologize. The second one. > [@Lance\_Turbo](#): > > You may have a point about Jay Rockefeller, but Barbour had a loaded gun in his carryon. Every second spent removing loaded guns from carryon luggage is a second well spent by the TSA. So, you think that had Haley Barbour not gotten stopped at the checkpoint and discovered, say, mid-flight that he had a gun in his briefcase that there would have been a mass shooting in the sky because Haley Barbour is just dangerous that way? I’m not saying that certain people should be allowed to have guns on the plane. I am saying that if Haley Barbour, Jay Rockefeller, or Joe Biden accidentally carried a gun on the plane, it would be a no harm no foul incident. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2018, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ex-mississippi-gov-and-rnc-chairman-haley-barbour-arrested-with-gun-at-airport/807856/51 "2018-01-31T20:09:14Z")
> [@UltraVires](#): > > The second one. > > So, you think that had Haley Barbour not gotten stopped at the checkpoint and discovered, say, mid-flight that he had a gun in his briefcase that there would have been a mass shooting in the sky because Haley Barbour is just dangerous that way? > > I’m not saying that certain people should be allowed to have guns on the plane. I am saying that if Haley Barbour, Jay Rockefeller, or Joe Biden accidentally carried a gun on the plane, it would be a no harm no foul incident. If I carried a gun onto a plane, there would be no harm. Does that mean that I am allowed to carry a gun on the plane now? ---
**Author:** ![Lance\_Turbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lance_turbo/32/6156_2.png) [@Lance\_Turbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lance_Turbo)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2018, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ex-mississippi-gov-and-rnc-chairman-haley-barbour-arrested-with-gun-at-airport/807856/52 "2018-01-31T20:17:52Z")
> [@UltraVires](#): > > I’m not saying that certain people should be allowed to have guns on the plane. I am saying that if Haley Barbour, Jay Rockefeller, or Joe Biden accidentally carried a gun on the plane, it would be a no harm no foul incident. I’m saying that allowing certain people to unknowingly bring firearms into the cabins of commercial aircraft and perhaps stow them in the overhead bins creates an exploitable security hole. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2018, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ex-mississippi-gov-and-rnc-chairman-haley-barbour-arrested-with-gun-at-airport/807856/53 "2018-01-31T20:22:04Z")
> [@Lance\_Turbo](#): > > I’m saying that allowing certain people to unknowingly bring firearms into the cabins of commercial aircraft and perhaps stow them in the overhead bins creates an exploitable security hole. Well … _certain_ people _are_ allowed to bring firearms into the cabins of commercial aircraft, but they’re usually federal LEOs. ETA: I think we’re all on the same page that we don’t want your average citizen to be able to carry-on a firearm. ---
**Author:** ![Lance\_Turbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lance_turbo/32/6156_2.png) [@Lance\_Turbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lance_Turbo)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2018, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ex-mississippi-gov-and-rnc-chairman-haley-barbour-arrested-with-gun-at-airport/807856/54 "2018-01-31T20:51:41Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > Well … _certain_ people _are_ allowed to bring firearms into the cabins of commercial aircraft, but they’re usually federal LEOs. > > ETA: I think we’re all on the same page that we don’t want your average citizen to be able to carry-on a firearm. And _no_ people are allowed to _unknowingly_ stow a loaded firearm in the overhead bin. As it should be. ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2018, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ex-mississippi-gov-and-rnc-chairman-haley-barbour-arrested-with-gun-at-airport/807856/55 "2018-01-31T21:19:18Z")
> [@elbows](#): > > Who believes if this had been a random black man he’d have been treated as politely and professionally by TSA? > [@elbows](#): > > It’s laughably transparent that if this was a brown guy named Mohammed, not only would this have gone down very differently, but there is NO way y’all would be this forgiving! (posts shortened) What about a yellow guy named Goldstein? Or a red man named Richard “Big Dick” Johnson? ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2018, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ex-mississippi-gov-and-rnc-chairman-haley-barbour-arrested-with-gun-at-airport/807856/56 "2018-01-31T21:25:39Z")
We have truly entered a colorblind age when even a secret Muslim Kenyan can become a terrible President. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2018, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ex-mississippi-gov-and-rnc-chairman-haley-barbour-arrested-with-gun-at-airport/807856/57 "2018-01-31T22:24:58Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > We have truly entered a colorblind age when even a secret Muslim Kenyan can become a terrible President. This reminds me of that [Obama tweet-reading video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOIqkf5eAzA): > [@](#): > > President Obama will go down as perhaps the worst president in the history of the United States! > > Well, @realDonaldTrump, at least I will go down as a president. ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2018, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ex-mississippi-gov-and-rnc-chairman-haley-barbour-arrested-with-gun-at-airport/807856/58 "2018-01-31T23:40:04Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > You know, I am sure you are good at keeping track but it’s kind of a more central focus of your life as a gun dealer and (IIRC) a former cop. It’s simply not a realistic expectation for the general population. If you carry a gun around all the time, you are going to forget it somewhere, forget to lock it up when you get home or some other stupid shit. It’s human nature. People forget their babies in their cars, ffs. This is nonsense. Millions of people carry every day and don’t forget they have a firearm or where it is. One of the reason I’m so incensed at Barbour is that these things make all gun owners look stupid and give people like **elbows** fodder to want to completely take that persons rights away. There is a movement at the federal level to strip people of their firearms rights if they forget to pay a traffic ticket for crying outloud. Forgetting one has a weapon in a briefcase one still controls is freaking stupid, but not on the same level as forgetting you left a gun behind a couch cushion where a kid finds it and blows his brains out. And just FYI, I am not a “former” cop. After 25 years as a Sheriffs Deputy I retired with full pension and started a second career with another agency, first part-time then when they offered to me full time. I am still a full time active LEO. Which is irrelevant to this thread. Multitudes of non-LEO’s carry handguns everyday without forgetting they have them or where they are! ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2018, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ex-mississippi-gov-and-rnc-chairman-haley-barbour-arrested-with-gun-at-airport/807856/59 "2018-02-01T00:21:06Z")
> [@pkbites](#): > > This is nonsense. Millions of people carry every day and don’t forget they have a firearm or where it is. With all due respect, how in the bloody hell do you know that? I mean to a degree, it’s probably true but in the same sense that millions of people manage to not lose their car keys or cell phone every day. Doesn’t change the fact that a whole bunch of people do. ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2018, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ex-mississippi-gov-and-rnc-chairman-haley-barbour-arrested-with-gun-at-airport/807856/60 "2018-02-01T00:53:14Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > With all due respect, how in the bloody hell do you know that? I mean to a degree, it’s probably true but in the same sense that millions of people manage to not lose their car keys or cell phone every day. Doesn’t change the fact that a whole bunch of people do. Because carrying your keys, cell phone, comb, etc. is not the same responsibility and conscious decision as carrying a deadly weapon. People who carry firearms tend to be far more aware of their surroundings and their own behavior. In fact, I was in an in-service training session that had to do with spotting people who were carrying concealed firearms. People who carry (consciously and/or subconsciously) adjust their stance and whether they are aware of it or not routinely place their hand in the area where their weapon is to check that it is there and seated correctly. This was a half day course so I’m not going to go over every aspect. But your contention that people routinely forget they have a firearm on them is ridiculous. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ex-mississippi-gov-and-rnc-chairman-haley-barbour-arrested-with-gun-at-airport/807856.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ex-mississippi-gov-and-rnc-chairman-haley-barbour-arrested-with-gun-at-airport/807856.md?page=4)