Whoa there, pardner

After a veto by Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen, the Tennessee General Assembly is voting to override his decision in order to pass a law that will allow guns to be carried in restaurants (and bars) that serve alcohol, according to AP.

My question: why would you need to carry a gun into a restaurant anyway? What sort of violence or danger or threat to your safety do you expect to encounter? Maybe restaurants in Tennessee are shadier than ones in Georgia, but rarely do I ever feel endangered when I go out to get a bite at Chili's.

I picture the results of this sort of like an Old Western. Men piling into bars, pistols slung on their waists and engaging in competitions of who's got the bigger gun. I can practically see the saloon doors swinging.

Do I think people are going to die because of this law? Not necessarily. But I do think that the obvious presence of guns in public places sends out a message of paranoia and distrust in a time when we need to be joining hands.