To the Beloit City Council:
Hello,
Thank you for letting me speak again Monday night about the city gun ban for law-abiding folks.
It was good to see that two of you saw the futility of banning weapons without providing means to ensure that the new law will be obeyed. I have a feeling that anyone who wants to do evil in the Council chamber will bring in anything he or she desires, with little thought of how much the fine is.
Having a graduated fine for subsequent violations sounds like a good idea - until you consider that you probably won't be able to collect even the first offense fine from the guy who decides, after reading the "NO WEAPONS" sign on the front door, that today is a good day for him to die and take a bunch of innocent people with him.
Columbine was mentioned - you do realize that the shooters violated not only federal laws on obtaining and possessing weapons, they also ignored a federal law prohibiting guns within 100 feet of a school. Do you really think a stick-on sign on the front door will prevent a crime?
The only people you will collect this fine on will be those who feel strongly enough about self-defense and their inalienable rights under our federal and state Constitutions that they would rather risk a civil forfeiture than injury or death. A lot of people believe in the old maxim - "better to be judged by twelve than carried by six".
"Municipal immunity" is a fine thing if all you care about is having to defend questionable ordinances in court. How will you feel if someone gets hurt in a city building after they lock their defense in their car? Will you have any different opinion after a few cars in the City Hall lot are burglarized for weapons? How do you feel about advertising that the City Hall parking lot is a good place for gang-bangers and such to obtain guns?
On another point - I heard no mention of whether or not self-defense was to be banned for those people forced by the economy to ride Beloit buses. Will this be in the city ordinance, or will it be left to some clerk at the transit authority to decide on "policy"? Also, will "municipal immunity" protect the bus system from lawsuits?
To Mr. Haynes and Mr. Van De Bogart, my thanks for your nay votes.
Regards.
Chuck Kuecker
The woman who spoke about the ban on city buses wasn't just "some clerk" (but nice sexist assumption though), but the manager. Perhaps you may not realize that the buses enter school premises, and on that basis alone it wouldn't be a good idea to bring guns on the buses. As an aside, what part of "a well regulated militia having the right to bear arms" don't gun nuts understand? That really doesn't read like "yup, Bubba and Cooder, you go right ahead and do what you want, since no one cares about that well regulated and militia thingy anyways."
ReplyDeleteHey, Anonymous! Long time no hear from! Happy Thanksgiving!
ReplyDeleteYou might have noticed that I said nothing connecting the woman who spoke out against concealed carry at the Council meeting with my comment about the buses. Nice job making up stuff! Why are YOU assuming a "clerk" is female, anyway?
What part of the PREAMBLE to the statement "the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.", don't YOU understand?
The people of America ARE the "militia" - NOT the National Guard, as you undoubtedly will try to argue. "Well regulated" refers to properly trained - not bound by bureaucratic rules - and let me assure you - my compatriots and myself are very well trained.
You know, we are all great believers in gun control - putting your shots where you want them to go.