VCDL Read N' Carry - Richmond Public Library, Main Branch 8/15/12 5PM-7PM

[ed]

THE ISSUE (from Philip Van Cleave)

As I reported a few days ago, the Richmond City libraries had a policy on their web site claiming that all concealed weapons were illegal under state law. (That, of course, has never been true.)

Upon contacting the person in charge, I was told the policy on the web was wrong and had mistakenly not been updated to match their current policy. She said they were going to fix the wording.

I explained that the entire item about guns should simply be removed, since the library has absolutely no control over whether a person lawfully carrying a firearm enters the library or not. The only thing such a policy would do is confuse and discourage citizens from carrying in a library. The purpose of government is not to "trick" citizens into giving up rights that government employees might not agree with.

She said the new wording, "Carrying concealed weapons is prohibited, except as permitted by law" was approved by the City Attorney. I said that while that wording was LEGAL, it is still reprehensible to use it.

I waited to see what the library was going to do. If they removed all mention of firearms, I figured we'd be done. If they didn't, then we would need to educate gun owners in central Virginia, much as we did with a protest picnic out in Roanoke County a few weeks. ago.

Well, they "fixed" the wording, but did not remove it.

It's time for a protest!

THE PLAN

As I see it, they are discouraging CONCEALED carry in the library with their confusing policy. So, I guess they want everyone to OPEN carry. So be it.

Let's have a "read-in," where we all show up at the main library and enjoy reading some books for an hour or two. A big turnout as always is a plus, so bring friends, family, and kids!

I expect media coverage of the event. FIVE gun owners sitting at a table reading books is not going to be as impressive as FIFTY doing so.

I plan to call the Richmond Police Department to give them the courtesy of a heads-up on our upcoming lawful assembly.

The protest is important so that we can get the word out to gun owners that carrying a gun in a library is perfectly legal, either openly with or without a CHP or concealed with a CHP.

WHEN AND WHERE

Time & date: Wednesday, August 15th, from 5 PM to 7 PM

Richmond Public Library, Main Branch
101 East Franklin Street
Richmond, VA 23219

If you plan on attending, respond to this alert and let me know so I can get a head count.

Let's roll!

[skidmark]

For those that cannot wait until 8 PM for supper, I will be at the 3rd Street Diner (218 E. Main Street - about 2 blocks from the back of the Public Library) starting at about 3PM. Come and get sustenance for the body and soul - who knows, we may have to wait till breakfast Thursday morning for our next meal. Watch out, as parking ends at 4 PM for the rush hour. There is public parking nearby - #27 here http://www.richmondfed.org/conferenc...king_guide.pdf which also has a list at the bottom of private lots.

stay safe.

[AbNo]

I don't have any way to get down there from Hburg, but if anyone's coming by way of Harrisonburg or Staunton, come get me, too.

Hell, I'm the one that found the listing.

[skidmark]

Kristen Green from the Times-Dispatch contacted me seeking an interview about the read-in. I'll give you three guesses which President of VCDL sic'd her on me.

Either it was reportologist technique or she just did not get why anybody would care if the Library decided to ignore preemption and write a policy, or why anybody would be upset at the weasel-wording they fell back on when their original egregiousness was called out.

Yes, she asked "Why would anybody need a gun at the library?" There is a chance that she had her eyes partially opened when informed of the crime one may encounter going to and returning from the Library as being more likely than some violence in the Library proper.

I have now been informed that "older than dirt" is not an acceptable response to a reportologist's inquiry as to my age. "Between the triassic and jurrasic" is also not an acceptable response to "When were you born?" Darned kids have no sense of humor these days! They also do not recognize personal boundaries - I do not care if everybody else she has spoken with has given not only their birthdate but theie Social Security number - I do not see any need for her to pin me down any more precisely than "between 60 and 80".

As long as she does not go digging in the archives and bring up my looming I think whatever she writes will be acceptable, or at least not downright slanderous.

See you on Wednesday. I will not be wearing a button that says "I was interviewed by RTD and did not even get a T-shirt".

stay safe.

[peter nap]

Isn't there parking next to 3rd Street Diner, Skid?

[skidmark]

Isn't there parking next to 3rd Street Diner, Skid?

On-street on 3rd street. As indicated, there is also public parking within 2 blocks.

stay safe.

[FPS]

Gun Owners to Stage Open Carry 'Read-in' to Protest Misleading Library Rules
Gun Laws, Self Defense, Politics & 2nd Amendment - 08.14.2012

Story by: dabneybailey
Past Articles (486)
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You could be the most hardcore advocate of the Second Amendment, and you’d still have to admit that there are some places where you aren’t allowed to carry guns. Private property is a good example. If there's a sign posted at a private business or restaurant then you either obey their rules and leave your gun, or go somewhere else.

However, the government (much to gun owners’ chagrin) has the authority to tell us where we can and can’t carry firearms. If they tell us that carrying a gun on school grounds is illegal, then there's not much that be done about it (outside of voting in different politicians or fighting the unjust law in court).

But what happens when the government tells you not to carry a firearm in a place where carrying a firearm is perfectly legal? And even worse – what if a government servant misinforms the public by saying that it is illegal when it’s not? Both of those questions were recently tackled by Philip Van Cleave, the president of Virginia Citizens Defense League.
It's Not Allowed, But Totally Legal


You see, the public library in Richmond, Virginia, has this long, extensive list detailing everything that isn’t allowed, and revealing just how much they love the word “prohibited.” Smoking is prohibited; soliciting services is prohibited; misuse of restrooms is prohibited; carrying concealed weapons of any type is "prohibited by state law."

Ooh, they really beefed up that last one, didn’t they? Guns are prohibited by state law. But, as it turns out, they aren't. In fact, in January 2012 the Virginia General Assembly looked at a bill that would give libraries the authority to prohibits firearms, but it failed.

So Van Cleave, nice guy that he is, called up the library and explained that the wording was incorrect. He reminded them that the library has no authority to tell people that they can’t carry weapons into a public library when the law allows it.

But the library folks didn’t take down the restriction, but they did shuffle around the wording a bit. Van Cleave said that the new terminology is “Carrying concealed weapons is prohibited, except as permitted by law," which glosses over the fact that concealed carry weapons are permitted by law, but the implication will probably intimidate or confuse gun owners into leaving their firearms at home.

You'd think that a bunch of librarians would be more precise with their terminology.
We're Not Breaking Any Laws!

Van Cleave wants to clear up any confusion about the misleading wording by holding a public read-in at the Richmond Public Library tomorrow and he invites as many Virginians with guns as possible to participate in this perfectly legal peaceful assembly.



Van Cleave announced in a mass email, “As I see it, they are discouraging concealed carry in the library with their confusing policy. So, I guess they want everyone to open carry. So be it.”

The read-in will take place Aug. 15, from 5pm to 7pm at the Richmond Public Library on 101 East Franklin Street. Van Cleave said he will kindly give heads up to the local police to warn them about the event, and anticipates that this story will gain the attention of more gun rights advocates and local media.

This event should send a strong message to the people of Richmond, Virginia. To the government the read-in will say, “You can’t trick us into compliance just because you don’t like guns.” To fellow citizens the read-in will say, “Don’t be intimidated by the library’s misleading rules; they can’t stop you from exercising your right to defend yourselves.”

Tomorrow should be a great moment in the history of personal freedom. You may take our library cards, but you can never take our freedom!

[ed]

good luck tomorrow guys, sorry I will miss it.

[riverrat10k]

I will probably make it, but closer to 5:30/6:00

[skidmark]

I will be holding down a seat at the 3rd Street Diner starting at about 3 PM today (Wednesday). Anybody who would like to collect before the read-in^(c) on their free (non-alcoholic) drink for carrying a sign saying anything along the lines of "I'm wearing a concealed weapon as permitted by law" should see me there. Cutting open a paper shopping bag (a "tote" or "sack" to some of you) gives you a wonderful surface for magic marker art, and if it comes from one of those upscale grocers it also has a convenient carrying handle.

We may also return to the 3rd Street Diner to debrief afterwards but that has not been decided yet.

On-street parking is available (you need to find an empty space) during rush hour on 3rd. 2nd, and 1st Streets. Some spaces have meters, some do not.

3rd Street diner is two blocks over and one street down from the Library's entrance on Franklin Street, in case some of you are concerned about moving from one parking spot to another.

See you there.

stay safe.

[T Dubya]

Title says it all. Go to work.

http://www2.timesdispatch.com/news/n...ri-ar-2131548/

[peter nap]

Title says it all. Go to work.

http://www2.timesdispatch.com/news/n...ri-ar-2131548/

Yep///the soccer moms are up in arms.

[Grapeshot]

The city attorney should reread this - Reading Comprehension 101 is a required course in law school, is it not?

§ 15.2-915. Control of firearms; applicability to authorities and local governmental agencies.
A. No locality shall adopt or enforce any ordinance, resolution or motion, as permitted by § 15.2-1425, and no agent of such locality shall take any administrative action, governing the purchase, possession, transfer, ownership, carrying, storage or transporting of firearms, ammunition, or components or combination thereof other than those expressly authorized by statute. For purposes of this section, a statute that does not refer to firearms, ammunition, or components or combination thereof, shall not be construed to provide express authorization.


Virginia is a Dillon Rule state and the General Assembly did not authorize any signs regarding guns = therefore the signage is illegal, even if it were not misleading to the average reader.

[peter nap]

A pretty good response from Ed.
No one has mentioned the sewer one has to walk through to get to the library though.

[Tanner]

so how many people are going to this?

[skidmark]

so how many people are going to this?

Come on out and take a head count yourself.

(Seriously, I read your question as trying to decide a) if there will be enough folks to make the event "worth your while" or b) if you will be conspicuous should you show up. Option a) would make me very upset, and option b) makes me believe you need a backbone infusion. Hopefully you will be able to provide clarification on-site this afternoon.)

stay safe.

[peter nap]

Come on out and take a head count yourself.

(Seriously, I read your question as trying to decide a) if there will be enough folks to make the event "worth your while" or b) if you will be conspicuous should you show up. Option a) would make me very upset, and option b) makes me believe you need a backbone infusion. Hopefully you will be able to provide clarification on-site this afternoon.)

stay safe.

It will be what it will be Tanner!
I'll be there, Skidmark will be there, Grapeshot will be there and River Rat will be there.

That's 4 to start with. Come out and participate!

[skidmark]

This is one of the times I seriously reconsider my decision to terminate my Facepage/Mybook account. The count of anti vs pro comments appears to have swung back to the pro side as of 1:15 PM 8/15, but the anti comments are so pitiful that both my head and my heart hurt.

Unlike Phil, who is going to carry a handgun openly because, apparently, there is no library policy against doing that, I will be carrying concealed and wearing a large sign (for as long as the library will not make a fuss over it) that reads "I am wearing a concealed weapon as permitted by law". That way everybody will know I am carrying concealed.

stay safe.

[VCDL President]

This is one of the times I seriously reconsider my decision to terminate my Facepage/Mybook account. The count of anti vs pro comments appears to have swung back to the pro side as of 1:15 PM 8/15, but the anti comments are so pitiful that both my head and my heart hurt.

Unlike Phil, who is going to carry a handgun openly because, apparently, there is no library policy against doing that, I will be carrying concealed and wearing a large sign (for as long as the library will not make a fuss over it) that reads "I am wearing a concealed weapon as permitted by law". That way everybody will know I am carrying concealed.

stay safe.

That will work nicely, Skid.

[Grapeshot]

It will be what it will be Tanner!
I'll be there, Skidmark will be there, Grapeshot will be there and River Rat will be there.

That's 4 to start with. Come out and participate!

Plus Philip is collecting email responses - that and there will likely be a camera or two there so smile a lot.

[Tanner]

Come on out and take a head count yourself.

(Seriously, I read your question as trying to decide a) if there will be enough folks to make the event "worth your while" or b) if you will be conspicuous should you show up. Option a) would make me very upset, and option b) makes me believe you need a backbone infusion. Hopefully you will be able to provide clarification on-site this afternoon.)

stay safe.

Yikes! a bit harsh but really it is option "C" as in I would cancel what I was planing to do this evening if there were only going to be a few people. Thus being at least 6 people becasue its more than 5. And I only asked because I saw a post from Grapeshot about how a few people sitting at a table OC wasent as impressive as a full library of OC.

[Grapeshot]

Yikes! a bit harsh but really it is option "C" as in I would cancel what I was planing to do this evening if there were only going to be a few people. Thus being at least 6 people becasue its more than 5. And I only asked because I saw a post from Grapeshot about how a few people sitting at a table OC wasent as impressive as a full library of OC.

Either way makes a statement.

[paramedic70002]

While I'm not a frequent 'gun event' attendee due to circumstances often beyond my control, I would have made a special trip for this one. Unfortunately, here I sit at work missing the party. I'm looking forward to some news coverage though.

[Tanner]

Either way makes a statement.

agreed.

[DrMark]

...I will be carrying concealed and wearing a large sign (for as long as the library will not make a fuss over it) that reads "I am wearing a concealed weapon as permitted by law". That way everybody will know I am carrying concealed.