It is truly a shame that your Attorney General, backed by your Governor, has chosen to further restrict our Second Amendment right. During 2015, I took three trips to Virginia: two for pleasure, and one for business. One pleasure trip was to Richmond, where my significant other and I spent the day at several historical sites, as well as dining and shopping in the downtown area. Another pleasure trip was to Virginia Beach, where we spent the day shopping, dining, and traveling across the Chesapeake Bay bridge/tunnel. The business trip was to McLean, where I purchased a used printer. In total, I estimate that I spent $3,000 in your state, thereby contributing to your economy.

On each of these trips, I legally carried a concealed firearm in your state (I have a concealed carry permit from my state of North Carolina). I did not have any issues during either trip, but if I had, I was confident in my ability to protect the lives of both me and my significant other. Now, with this edict from Attorney General Herring, I can no longer feel secure traveling to or through your state. I'm sure the argument will be, "You can rely on Virginia law enforcement." What people who make that claim fail to realize is that if an incident occurs, it typically occurs in seconds, when the police are not around. As the saying goes, "When seconds count, police are only minutes away." That is not unique to Virginia; it is true everywhere. In fact, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that law enforcement does not have a duty to protect citizens. Therefore, I always consider myself my first line of defense. Thanks to your Attorney General, I am unable to lawfully be that first line of defense. Therefore, I regret that I can no longer visit your state until the law is changed.