Opus 2018-118: Firsts: NRA Convention

When my wife suggested getting out of town for a few days she had a number of items on her agenda.  The only one that materialized as planned was attending the NRA convention.  This was the first time I hazarded an appearance.  I do not like big crowds and long lines.  I assumed I would not be attending the events with big names and waiting lists.  My experience at conventions is that the sessions that are really worth going to are so crowded that the benefit is sucked out of the air as far as I am concerned.

I set my sights on not attending any of the big events and it seems my expectations were correct.  By the time I got around to checking things out everything was sold out.  My main interest was walking through the vender section and seeing what it was like.  We went on Friday afternoon hoping that would be the least crowded time.  Dallas traffic reminds me of L.A.  Every time we went somewhere in the area we ran into accidents and construction that snuffed out spontaneity.  That worked out well though.  We were able to listen to President Trump’s speech while we enjoyed the red tail lights in front of us. 

It was an overwhelming display of free enterprise and enthusiasm about the Second Amendment.  People were friendly and polite.  It was crowded but there was very little pushing and shoving.  My wife commented on how clean cut the crowd looked.  I guess she was expecting a Duck Dynasty style.  I don’t know if she was disappointed or encouraged.  There was a lot to look at and if you had to spend money you could find a lot of outlets.  I did not see any seedy gun hustlers.  I am sure that you could have purchased a gun but the general pattern was you placed an order.  Of course I did not have time to see everything so they may have been hiding some dark tunnel.

So I have been to an NRA Convention.  Will I do it again?  I don’t know.  Ask me next year.  It depends on how bored I am.

homo unius libri