It’s October 26, 1881, in Tombstone, and Arizona is not yet a state. The O.K. Corral is quiet, and it’s had an unremarkable existence for the two years it’s been standing—although it’s about to become famous.
Marshall Virgil Earp, having deputized his brothers Wyatt and Morgan and his pal Doc Holliday, is having a gun control problem. Long-running tensions between the lawmen and a faction of cowboys – represented this morning by Billy Claiborne, the Clanton brothers, and the McLaury brothers – will come to a head over Tombstone’s gun law.
The laws of Tombstone at the time required visitors, upon entering town to disarm, either at a hotel or a lawman’s office. (Residents of many famed cattle towns, such as Dodge City, Abilene, and Deadwood, had similar restrictions.) But these cowboys had no intention of doing so as they strolled around town with Colt revolvers and Winchester rifles in plain sight. Earlier on this fateful day, Virgil had disarmed one cowboy forcefully, while Wyatt confronted another and county sheriff Johnny Behan […]
What a great historical article. Although I see that history isn’t really depicted correctly in the film industry. Personally, I don’t understand how anyone needs a military assault rifle for protection or hunting. I’d agree with Stephan Schwartz about the current interpretation of the 2nd Amendment, being misrepresented by the Republican Party. Especially after seeing a recent picture of R.Marjorie Taylor Greene, holding an assault rifle in the news. Although I’m sure that was a GOP crowd pleaser, I was quite surprised, that she wasn’t also wearing one of those trashy “Lets go Brandon” hats to complete her costume.