Open carry is legal in Washington too -- although we do have a "don't scare the Gun Fearing Woosies" statute.

Getting a Concealed Pistol License is easy also: if you are not a felon or a nut case you only have to come up with $55 and a set of finger prints -- no training, marksmanship, or any other bull. Jason considers the $55 and the finger prints to be an "impairment" of his right to bear arms and so carries open. I agree with the "impairment" assessment but gave the clowns their $55 just to avoid the type of hassles Jason gets. Being right isn't always enough :-(.

The "impairment" language comes from the Washington State Constitution; Article 1, Section 24, Right to Bear Arms:
The right of the individual citizen to bear arms in defense of himself, or the state, shall not be impaired, but nothing in this section shall be construed as authorizing individuals or corporations to organize, maintain or employ an armed body of men.

I posted a somewhat lenghty comment about the legal aspects of this (I am an engineer -- NOT a lawyer) at Kim Du Tiot's site.

Bob Reynolds