The only thing more bold than driving around town with a missile in the passenger seat is carrying a loaded semi-automatic rifle through the busiest airport in the world.

When he dropped off his daughter at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, Atlanta native Jim Cooley brought along his trusty AR-15. The firearm was fully loaded with the extended capacity of a 100-round drum, and its presence immediately alarmed people moving in and out of the bustling airport. Cooley told security guards that he brought the gun “for safety.”

Technically, Cooley was not breaking the law. It is legal in Georgia to carry a firearm into an airport as long as the carrier does not attempt to pass through security. While there is a debate to be had about whether the airport is the time and place for a fully loaded AR-15, Cooley felt the need to exercise his rights as a gun owner.

Cooley recorded all of his interactions with airport security, in which he informed them of his rights.

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