Council moves forward on gun law (open carry ban, Casper WY)

[jpak]

http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/wyoming/article_df3cd10f-fa7b-52fe-8919-487d02548825.html

CASPER, Wyo — Citing threats of intimidation and reports of issues nationwide, the Casper City Council Monday informally approved making it illegal to “open carry” guns at public meetings.

The decision could be the first such in the state and may prompt lawsuits from Second Amendment advocacy groups or others.

The decision prompted Sen. Kit Jennings, R-Casper, to attend the meeting and express concern on behalf of constituents who had complained to him.

“There’s a movement in this state that’s big, and they’re not going to like it,” Jennings told council members.

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open carry at public meetings = political thuggery

yup

[ileus]

1. It's sad when irrational fear rules the day...

[We_Have_A_Problem]

2. Does WY

have state preemption?

[DonP]

3. Hope the Casper City Council has really, really deep pockets

They can get in line behind San Francisco, DC, Chicago, Oak Park Illinois and others that wound up being required to pay off the 7 figure legal bills for their opponents after fighting a losing cause.

[happyslug]

5. This will NEVER go beyond the local court

The issue is simple, can a municipality forbid the carrying of otherwise legal to carry firearms, ON ITS OWN PROPERTY AND ONLY IN REGARDS TO ITS OWN MEETINGS. That is the very narrow ban being suggested. Unless the State has preempted such a ban, every court will view it within the Police power of the Municipality. Thus no one will take any action, and if they do, even on appeal the Municipality will win.

This is NOT a general ban on the public streets, it is even on ban on property owned by the Municipality, but only a ban on such weapons when open meetings of that Municipality is occurring on property owned by that Municipality.

Then you have the standing argument, you have to show you wanted to show up at such a meeting, could get to that meeting, but could NOT attend do to the ban on carrying firearms. Thus unless a local objects, the court will dismiss any lawsuit based on a lack of standing.

Sorry, this has NOTHING to do with the Second amendment or similar state amendment and thus unless the State has an explicit preemption to such a ban, it will be upheld AND for that reason alone will NEVER go to court to run up any legal bills.

[DonP]

8. Correct, it's all about whether a state preemption in their carry laws now.

If it does have one, it may go beyond the local court, at least to the state supreme court.

If not, you're probably right.

But don't count on the legal bills being a barrier necessarily. Here in Chicago we're already up to about $5 million for McDonald, Ezell and others and Chicago still won't abide by the spirit and letter of the McDonald decision. At some point Rahm has to put out the word that they need to just drop it and get in line. But some places refuse to go along. DC is still trying to back door their loss in Heller too.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

4. fixed it

Council moves forward backward on gun law (open carry ban, Casper WY)

[iverglas]

6. it's the way of the right wing

Exercise one of those cherished rights (be it speech or gun-toting) for no purpose but to intimidate and then screech when somebody notices.

To the right wing, their rights are a club to batter the vulnerable over the head with and demonstrate their power to occupy the public spaces of the land at the expense of their victims.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

17. So you are back on your perch of determining what is the intent behind the actions of others

I thought you were the one claiming not to read into thing that which can not otherwise be supported

[dtexdem]

7. What? Some basic common sense in Wyoming?

Hey, I hope Casper makes it so.

[gejohnston]

10. common sense is still there

but is being burred out by assholes from California and New York going "hey look what I can do here." In other words, I am betting these guys are not real hicks, given that Casper is the big city.

[SteveM]

9. Not much either way, but Caspar cannot be in violation of state law.

Folks don't know the meaning of intimidation when half-a-dozen hippies, unwashed for 5 days, and feeding only on frijoles, stand around the opposition and break wind the whole time. Try it.

[Atypical Liberal]

11. I have no problem with that.

I'm not a fan of open carry anyway.

I'm also OK with restricting firearm possession in government buildings or other high-profile, controversial places where the high-profile, controversial people are sitting ducks for anyone with a grudge.

[PavePusher]

12. What are those "high-profile, controversial people" doing so wrong that they must be in such fear?

Anyway, if they uncomfortable with others Civil Rights, they can quit and get back to the real world at any time.

[Atypical Liberal]

13. Passing laws? Passing judgement?

What are those "high-profile, controversial people" doing so wrong that they must be in such fear?

Come on now. Hell, at the last court case I went to, the judge would not even render a verdict that day. They always wait now to issue verdicts because one time someone got mad after the court case and the verdict was read and the guy shot the judge.

People in government are making decisions, often hard decisions, that are bound to anger someone. They are in a known location where anyone can ambush them.

City councils, court rooms, senate houses, the White House, I have no problem with guns being off-limits in these places.

[PavePusher]

15. If there is effective security in place, sure.

Otherwise, it's merely bad theatre... and we have enough of that already.

[iverglas]

16. does that make twice now?

Time for one of those 21-gun salutes.



That one was actually for the new Governor General, but you can share it. ;)

[iverglas]

14. how about: what are the people they are afraid of doing?

Didya read the article? Does no one ever?

Why "must" any elected representative be in fear because of anything they do? You're the one saying they must, so do tell.

Twice after heated meeting discussions, Councilman Paul Meyers said he has been followed home by citizens who attended those meetings. “To go down my cul-de-sac, you have to be here on business,” Meyers said, adding that the vehicles followed him down the road and passed by his home. “They were trying to intimidate me.”

Meyers, who has held his Ward 2 office since January, cited those instances as reasons he is supporting the proposal.

Vice Mayor Kenyne Schlager said she feels uncomfortable when two particular individuals are in council chambers. “If one of those two came into the meeting carrying a weapon, I’d probably leave the meeting, crawling, under my desk,” Schlager, who did not name the individuals, said.

Why don't you investigate why?

They both appear to be Republicans (I think he's Meyer rather than Meyers), but hey, even Republicans have crazed / right-wing enemies. ;)

But you g'head and blame the victims, now.


I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that this one or a friend of his might be in issue:

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:eZ6sswEEitMJ:www.awrm.org/ubb/ultimatebb.php%3Fubb%3Dget_topic%3Bf%3D32%3Bt%3D000587+militia+casper+wyoming&cd=6&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=ca&source=www.google.ca

That's google's cached version; I didn't actually want to go to the site and others might not want to.

Then there's this one ...

http://www.adl.org/learn/extremism_in_the_news/Anti_Government/militia_wyoming4.07.htm?LEARN_Cat=Extremism&LEARN_SubCat=Extremism_in_the_News