In Atlanta, during coverage of the NRA Annual Meeting in 2025, this correspondent had an interesting conversation with the manager of my motel. The motel was chosen for a low price and a reasonably close location to the Georgia World Congress Center in downtown Atlanta.
This correspondent has always pursued frugality as a virtue. Frugality can be taken too far. This correspondent may have been close to the edge in choosing a cut-rate motel a few miles from the city center in Atlanta. After registering with the NRA Annual Meeting and picking up press credentials for the event, it was a little before dark on Thursday night when I arrived at the reserved motel. The motel appeared to be a little “sketchy”. The manager, a middle-aged black man, was behind bulletproof glass. Parking was severely limited. In the lobby, a younger man appeared to be intoxicated and bewildered about where he should be or what he should be doing. Someone kept calling the manager and asking for a particular female employee who was not available.
During the conversation with the manager, this correspondent noticed a “tell” and a print indicating the manager was armed. When it was mentioned that the NRA Annual Meeting was going on, the manager said he supported the NRA.
As the conversation progressed, this correspondent asked for two of the plastic card keys so as to have a backup. The manager said he would like to oblige, but they were running short.
Talking about the NRA led to a conversation about the advantages of being armed. The manager noted he was much more careful about avoiding confrontations now that he was able to carry a weapon legally. He stated that when he had carried illegally in the past, he was more willing to take offense and be aggressive. Now, he wanted to preserve his legal status and avoid situations that could end badly.
We discussed the political landscape and global challenges, agreeing that while we can advocate for change—like equitable gun laws—the rest is in God’s hands. His enthusiasm reinforced my belief in finding common ground amid division. When this correspondent picked up his paperwork for the room and parking, two plastic keys were included!?
The motel parking lot seemed to attract young women. At least one was involved in a photo shoot. Social media?
When covering an intense event such as the NRA Annual Meeting, this correspondent starts early and returns late. For whatever reason, the original hotel manager was not seen again before the time came to leave. He was happy to hear the NRA and others are attempting to restore the right to arms for people with non-violent felonies.
Reports indicate that about 33% of Black men have felony records, often stemming from non-violent offenses like unlicensed carry, disproportionately due to systemic issues like unequal enforcement. Efforts by the NRA and others to restore rights for non-violent felons are crucial for true constitutional equity when it was nearly impossible for a Black man to carry for self-defense legally.
People, when treated with respect, will return the favor. It was difficult to argue that the Constitution was a working, legal document that could be enforced. Justice Thomas, the most respected conservative justice in the Supreme Court and a leading voice in the Court, has championed the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution.
Stories like this remind us that the Second Amendment is for all Americans, and respecting one another is key to protecting it.
About Dean Weingarten:
Dean Weingarten has been a peace officer, a military officer, was on the University of Wisconsin Pistol Team for four years, and was first certified to teach firearms safety in 1973. He taught the Arizona concealed carry course for fifteen years until the goal of Constitutional Carry was attained. He has degrees in meteorology and mining engineering, and retired from the Department of Defense after a 30 year career in Army Research, Development, Testing, and Evaluation.
