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Shelton Alderman proposes weapon free zones

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Shawn Mitola

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Shelton
Alderman Jack Flinn of Shelton has put up a proposal for the town to create weapon free zones around all city owned buildings, parks, open space, and schools. Trampling on our 2nd amendment rights and his basis for this? he is unhappy that a gun safety class was taught at the public library after it received permission and permits to do so. he also sites a 1988 case where someone entered one of our schools and killed some people.

http://valley.newhavenindependent.org/archives/entry/shelton_alderman_proposes_weapons-free_zones#.UXbPzZur3rg.email

Alderman Jack Finn's contact info is below please help me to educate this man before this proposal gains traction.

Phone# (203) 929-0786
http://www.cityofshelton.org/index.php/contacts/electedappointed-officials/board-of-aldermen/category/94-board-of-aldermen/285-finn?view=contact
 
S

Shawn Mitola

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Shelton
his response to my letter condemning the new ordinance.

Shawn,
Thank you for taking the time to contact me with your concerns on the proposed ordinance and sharing with me your thoughs.

The City of Shelton already has a ordinance (# 833 )approved by the Board of Alderman on December 14, 2007 which does prohibit various weapons. This ordinance at the public hearing in 2007 had no one form the public was opposed to that ordinance.
The Shelton Open Space Ordinance #833 (found here) already prohibits much of what is discussed: "Hunting, trapping, archery, discharging firearms, paintball guns, air guns or use of any weapon on or into any city Open Space area is prohibited. Hunters crossing City Open Space areas to gain access to private or state property may proceed through City Open Space areas only with an unloaded firearm." This ordinance at the public hearing in 2007 as I already stated had no one from the public who was opposed to that ordinance. I was not the author of #833
CT state Statute 53a-217b is already a class D felony. That state statute pertains to Possession of a weapon on School grounds.
Really the only thing at issue is the public buildings
Jack Finn
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My Follow up email.

This ordinance say nothing about the rights of CT state pistol permit holders from being able to carry their licensed firearms on Shelton public spaces. The paragraph you have quoted pertains to the discharging of firearms, and specifically calls out hunters "Crossing" public land but says nothing about the rights or CT state pistol permit holders carrying their holstered firearm on Shelton public spaces. In the strictest interpretation of Ord #833 I think you'd have a hard time convincing a judge that someone violated the ordinance since it does not specifically call out permit holders. Hunting licenses hold much fewer restrictions than permit holders. Is it your belief that Ord #833 restricts the right of citizens in possession of a CT state pistol permit from carrying their licensed firearms on Shelton public lands? If so then Perhaps you should reexamine that thought. The wording certainly does not lend to that belief. I believe that no one apposed Ord #833 because of what I have stated earlier no lawyer or judge would be expected to believe that the wording of this ordinance was meant to extend to CT pistol permit holders since it specifically calls out hunting only and or the discharging of firearms. I wasn't aware Shelton had a serious problem with people running around shooting guns for no reason. Ord #833 was obviously meant to restrict hunting on Shelton land and as such I find no fault with the Ordinance. I do find fault when you attempt to apply it to legal gun owners carrying licensed, permitted, and holstered firearms for self defense. This kind of interpretation is a clear violation of the 2nd amendment and should Ord #833 be applied in that manner then it will be challenged in court as well.

I also have to ask again for an answer to my question of what benefit does this ordinance serve the public? Who will stand to be protected by it? Is it your belief that if some mad man decided to bring a firearm or other deadly weapon into one of these weapon free zones that he would be deterred by the fact that he was breaking the law? I restate my opinion that ordinances like these do nothing to protect anyone and only serve to disarm law abiding citizens and restrict our 2nd amendment rights.
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S

Shawn Mitola

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So I found out why he wanted my name and address. It turns out the article was published a few weeks ago and the public hearing turned out to be tonight so I ran down to town hall and put my statements on the record and called out the alderman for things he said in his email. there were quite a few people there speaking out against the ordinance so we'll have to wait and see I guess.
 
papa bear

papa bear

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actually i would love to see this. i would especially love to see this in say, in the alderman neighborhood. i wonder how long it would be till it was unlivable.

somebody write to him and suggest that
 
S

Shawn Mitola

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Messages
138
Location
Shelton
I received this tonight after the meeting had ended. It's difficult to understand what he is saying but it sounds like he is gonna ask the attorney if the Ord is worded so that it affects pistol permit holders and if it does they will amend the wording to exclude permit holders from the restrictions

Shawn,

I will be sending a email to our City Attorney and have him render his opinion on Ord.331. to determine about if anyone's rights under the CT state pistol permit holders from being able to carry their licensed firearms on Shelton public spaces. Should the City Attorney determine that your correct the Ord should be amended to include that it is allowed on City open space.

Jack
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motoxmann

motoxmann

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^sounds like someone needs to go back to middle school and learn basic spelling and grammar and punctuation^ lol
 
Rich B

Rich B

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Considering I don't carry a 'licensed firearm' and neither do any of you (at least for now), you might recommend that he sit down with someone who actually understands the specific laws. Connecticut Carry can provide those resources directly.

There is a conflict when you start by trying to argue about such a narrow carve-out. You don't need a permit to carry a shotgun or rifle openly or concealed right now (although SB 1160 does prohibit carrying an 'Assault weapon' concealed now), so why spend the time making sure you can carry a pistol with a permit?

You need to attack the essence of what he is trying to do. Ask him if he is trying to ensure that the public is safe on public land through a duplicate and useless ordinance, why he doesn't just make an ordinance making it a crime to murder people on public property?

Instead, he is attacking gun safety training which is ludicrous and makes him sound like he is for gun violence or gun accidents.


Stop pretending that a pistol permit means anything and that we have some special power because of it. It only legitimizes their appetite for control.
 
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motoxmann

motoxmann

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Rich B said:
Instead, he is attacking gun safety training which is ludicrous and makes him sound like he is for gun violence or gun accidents.


Stop pretending that a pistol permit means anything and that we have some special power because of it. It only legitimizes their appetite for control.
Click to expand...

this is a vid of two testimonies at the hearing, the first is directly related to that:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1f8Dj_dtRzg&feature=youtu.be
 
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