Germantown park carry

[Guest Revelator]

Last night, at the request of fellow member David Waldrip, I attended a meeting of the Germantown mayor and aldermen to discuss the issue of carrying weapons in Germantown parks. Germantown is a suburb of Memphis, and as many of you probably know the state legislature has deferred the issue of carrying in local parks (not state parks) to each particular city. A couple weeks ago the Germantown Board got together and voted to take no position on this issue. This infuriated citizens, so the Board agreed to revisit it last night. Part of the meeting last night was for citizens to comment and be heard before the vote, so that was why I was there.

It was clear from the beginning that all of the Board members were against the idea of armed citizens in their parks. One of the aldermen actually made a motion to go ahead and vote on it without the public comments.

About 15 of us citizens got up and spoke, and we were each given three minutes. I was the only one in favor of allowing local park carry. The only one. Not everyone stated why they were against it, but for those who did it mostly came down to safety of the children. When it came my turn (I was the next to last one to speak, so there were about a dozen folks who'd gone ahead of me all saying no) I first kind of chuckled and said, "Well I feel like I'm the captain of the Titanic here." I pointed out that if they were so afraid of parents getting into gunfights in front of their children, those parents are going to be so hot-headed and irresponsible that a law wouldn't stop them from carrying anyway. I also said that the same was true for professional criminals and mass shooters--they aren't going to pay attention to the laws and in fact they would look for places that are gun-free. By taking the guns out of the hands of responsible, armed citizens, I told them, they were creating one more place where criminals could get easy victims.

These aren't new arguments. We all know them, but some folks still just don't see it.

One guy was nodding his head with what I was saying, but everyone else was pretty much looking at me like, "You baby-killer." I got the sense that these people had kind of a NIMBY mindset: Not in my backyard. They probably don't mind guns in other people's parks, they probably encourage it because of all the crime, but they don't want them where they live because it'll endanger the children. They seem to think that as long as they have laws like this then crime won't happen.

I didn't stay for the vote, but I see in today's paper that they all voted against allowing carry in local parks.

[Guest bkelm18]

Well, at least you tried, which is more than can be said about a lot of people.

[Guest medic66]

i grew up in germantown in the late 70s, and 80s. i was in germantown about a month ago, and oh boy it has changed. i used to drag race down germantown road and walnut grove road on the way to school on walnut grove. you made good points, but you weren't preaching to the choir.

[Guest nraforlife]

Oh well, carry DEEP concealed or don't carry or don't go to that park. It's BS but the sheeple rule...

[waynesan]

A+ on effort, F- on success, but it sounds like being made "captain of the Titanic" after the ship has nearly sunk isn't likely to produce good results no matter how hard you try.

Sounds like you did a good job and hit all the right buttons. Too bad their minds appeared to be made up already. Its hard to change minds like that.

[Guest justme]

it is almost as if we are living in the twilight zone...

when will people learn that criminals don't care how many laws they pass...we always lose when gun control is enacted...

why can't people learn? All they have to do is look at every place that has gun control--DC, Illinois, California--and what has it accomplished other than to make the citizens targets of the criminals?

[Guest 270win]

I hate to say it, but I think this is a big disaster the state requiring that a local entity allow something instead of making it illegal. Generally if it isn't illegal, it is allowed. This is in reverse of most criminal laws.

It is also my understanding that the park, civic center, playground law prohibits 39-17-1302 weapons, which are things like switchblades and machine guns. The law on its face and when referencing what it prohibits does not refer the reader to ordinary firearms, which are NOT in 39-17-1302.

I believe that in order to legally prohibit carry in a park, the govt. entity most properly post the park with 39-17-1359 signs or be grandfathered in.

The AG in Nashville doesn't think so, but he seems to have a habit of making up his own law instead of reading it. TN gun laws aren't terrible hard to understand like say California. Several lawyers are in agreement with me when they read the whole park statute.

I personally conceal a small handgun when in a park and keep my mouth shut. I do not drink when at the park, which also avoids attention. I do not play loud music. I just blend in. I don't care to debate with someone whether or not I can have a handgun in a park. I'd rather people walk by me and think I am a bed wetter just like them.

[Guest David Waldrip]

Thanks to Patrick for making time in his schedule on short notice. Was only alerted to this late Friday afternoon.

The article in the Commercial Appeal is here:

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2009/mar/10/gtown-seeks-to-limit-guns-in-parks/

Agree with Razorback about Amendment 1 to HB0960 to allow local municipal governments to decide "park carry".

You'll see a repeat of this in every town across the state.

And I haven't even yet posted Alderman Palazzolo's email alert to all the Germantown citizens to show up and speak out against guns in parks - "for the children".

This was an eye opener.

-David

[Fallguy]

I personally don't like carry being prohibited in local parks either. But it is against the law now (despite razorback and mine opinion). The bill was not going to pass with the state lifiting the ban on local park carry, it didn't even have the support of the sponsor on that issue. At least this way, if I understand it correctly (still have seen the wording of the amendment) carry will be allowed by state law in local parks, but local goverments can prohibit and to do so they MUST post signs. Larger cities may post signs if they feel the need to prohibit carry, but many smaller cities may not see it worth the effort. Also...if City X does ban carry in Park A...you only have to try and change the mind of the few people on your city council to allow carry instead of the entire state legislature.

Again...it's not perfect, but I think it's better then no carry at all across the board.

[-boatman-]

Again...it's not perfect, but I think it's better then no carry at all across the board.

I agree its better than nothing but I feel like they got it backwards. If I cold choose between carry in a state park or local/city park I would pick the local park anytime. I know they are doing what they have to do to get it passed but come on. I have been in many parks geocaching and I have never felt like I needed my weapon in a state park but I have had a uneasy feeling in city parks many times.

[eapking]

Once again, this is all about people (the sheep) thinking that folks who carry are potential criminals. And recent "bad shoots" in Memphis by two permit holders does not help our case. They don't get the idea that criminals, knowing there isn't likely to be a carrier present, will target those exact areas. More guns, in the hands of law-abiding critzens is the best deterrent.

Good try Patrick!

[Guest Seminole]

Patrick,

Thanks for your effort. It's too bad other Germantown residents with HCPs didn't also make their voices heard.

So much for for Germantown being more conservative than liberal, Democratic Memphis. . . .

[Guest Revelator]

Thanks. I actually don't even live in Germantown, though I am close by. I'm just a rabble-rouser.

[Guest db99wj]

Thanks for trying, I will put off moving to Gtown then. Or not. Anyway, I will carry on as usual.