imported post
I just sent this email to Councilwoman Swenson with a cc to the Chief of Police:
Councilwoman Swenson,
I've been following the recent hoo-haw regarding the municipal vs state laws regarding the open carrying of firearms in both the local media and on the opencarry.org discussion site. If I'm not mistaken, it appears that you might be moving that issue further back in time. I'd like to suggest that to the police officers of this city, it'd be better moved forward as it puts them into a very real conundrum on how, or whether, to enforce conflicting laws. To which have they sworn the greater oath? The national and state regulations are at odds with the city, which is the entity that proffers their paychecks. In this very fundamental and strongly viewed subject, "officer discretion" perhaps becomes based only on the personal view or whim of each officer. And if the citizens can't count on consistent application of a law then, well, you get the drift.
Whether of not people "like" an act is beside the point of whether it is an act which is fundamental to the rights of mankind; the right to own and carry that which defends and protects oneself and others from ne'er-do-well's.
Oh, and some argue that a man peacefully carrying a firearm becomes a target. If so, then every police officer is such. But I've yet to meet a lawbreaker who'll begin a bad act when there's an officer within sight. It'd have to be ditto for any citizen with means in clear view also. Seems to me that more open carriers would abut and augment an already generally peaceful community, not the reverse.
Please do not put off resolution of the contradiction. Citizens and officers all need full clarity as soon as possible.
Sincerely,
Walt Appel