Dept. Of Whaaat?: There Is No Doubt That The Pennsylvania Long Rifle Should Be Our Official State Gun
We know what you’re thinking: Sen. Pat Browne (R-Lehigh County) was probably only just sucking up to the NRA when he suggested that the state of PA should have an “official firearm.” You know, like a state bird (pigeon) or official beer (Lion’s Head Lite). After all, no state actually has an official firearm (only a matter of time before California claims the tazer), and Browne could probably count on NRA campaign contributions for life if he was somehow able to make this happen. And ordinarily, we’d just call this guy a hick (he most certainly is) and just be done with it, but the gun he has suggested for us is the legendary Pennsylvania Long Rifle (pictured), which some historians credit with being the principal tool in gaining independence from Britain (although, Brits, any time you want to reclaim us, we’d turn coat for sure). Look at this thing. It’s beautiful. It also reminds us of Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels, which we will watch on cable any time it comes on. We’d be proud to have these in our home. They’d be perfect for starting or ending any party, and just holding one would make us feel all kinds of Walt Whitman badass. So, yeah, sure. Better this than, say, the glock.
[Photo credit: Courtesy of the State Museum of Pennsylvania]
January 28th, 2010 at 6:33 pm
Firing one is a bitch.
February 1st, 2010 at 12:23 pm
Whitman was horrified by the consequences of the Civil War, which is why he volunteered as an army nurse.
I’m not sure why holding any rifle would make one “feel all kinds of Walt Whitman badass”, nor can I figure out what Whitman has to do with the American Revolution.