Travel writer Arthur Frommer, who name graces a best selling line of travel books (Full disclosure: I wrote the first edition of Frommer’s Las Vegas with Kids in 2003), wrote about Arizona on his website, frommers.com after a number of citizens showed near President Obama’s speech in Phoenix carrying guns. Obama who spoke in front of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, was in town, in part, to promote the state’s tourism industry. The New York Times, a partner site with frommer.com reports that Frommer wrote:

I am not yet certain whether I would advocate a travel boycott by others of the state of Arizona; I want to learn more about Arizona’s gun laws and how they compare with those of other states. But I am shocked beyond measure by reports that earlier this week, nearly a dozen persons, including one with an assault rifle strapped about his shoulders and others with pistols in their hands or holsters, were openly congregating outside a hall at which President Obama was speaking to the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

For myself, without yet suggesting that others follow me in an open boycott, I will not personally travel in a state where civilians carry loaded weapons onto the sidewalks and as a means of political protest. I not only believe such practices are a threat to the future of our democracy, but I am firmly convinced that they would also endanger my own personal safety there. And therefore I will cancel any plans to vacation or otherwise visit in Arizona until I learn more. And I will begin thinking about whether tourists should safeguard themselves by avoiding stays in Arizona.

Arizona has been boycotted before, most notably in 1987 when then Governor Meacham refused to make Martin Luther King Jr’s birthday a state holiday. Two years ago Tucson-based anti-immigration conservative crank Roy Warden called for a boycott of Arizona because:  

Pima County businessmen, backed by corrupt local public officials, have openly solicited Mexican Illegal labor to build economic infrastructure in southern Arizona, making Pima County "Ground Zero" when it comes to the subject of illegal immigration.

Arthur Frommer’s post drew immediate attention from the mayor of Phoenix Phil Gordon and Steve Moore, head of the Greater Phoenix Convention and Visitors Bureau.   The Arizona Republic reports the duo had a 20-minute phone conversation with the travel guru. Gordon said about the city:

It’s a great place to live, work, raise a family and particularly to visit. It’s unfortunate an individual expressing his beliefs (the man with the rifle) got the coverage he got because that’s not what Phoenix is about. Phoenix is one of the safest major cities in the United States.

 In his original post, Frommer tried to strike a non-partisan note:

I would feel as I do regardless of the political identity of the speaker whom these thugs attempted to intimidate. The continued tolerance of extremists carrying guns is a frightening development which strikes at the heart of the political process and endangers the ability to carry out a reasoned debate. Is there any responsible citizen of the United States who believes that people should carry guns to a public debate or speech?

but then brings up this point:

If Ronald Reagan were delivering a political talk in Phoenix, Arizona, would they have felt it was proper for protesters with guns to mill about outside the hall from which he would leave?

Frommer also overlooked that 11 states have open carry laws which allow guns to be carried without requiring the citizen to apply for any permit or license and 13 states permit open carry with restrictions.  And in 39 states guns can be carried with a permit, just like in our  national parks.

So should we boycott everywhere guns are allowed–even Yosemite or Yellowstone? Should states be penalized and loose tourism dollars because a dozen idiots show up with guns in public attempting to intimidate their fellows?