T Dubya
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http://www.richmondfreepress.com/news/currentPageA.pdf
[align=left]“It’s unsettling” to have citizens bring guns into City Hall, Mayor Dwight C. Jones said this week. Like members of City Council, he finds it dismaying that pro-gun advocates openly wore their guns to a recent council meeting. He said the group faced no threat and had no reason “to wear guns” that only served to raise anxiety as the council members deliberated.[/align]
[align=left]Despite the concern about gun toting, the mayor, currently chairman of the Virginia Chapter of Mayors Against Illegal Guns, said in the telephone interview that he is unlikely to rush to the General Assembly to seek authority for a weapons ban.[/align]
[align=left]The former state legislator said, “It would be extremely difficult, if not impossible” to win passage, even if it were just for a city like Richmond that is afflicted by gun violence. The state’s capital city and other local governments are barred from passing laws involving the sale or carrying of guns.[/align]
[align=left]The mayor, who served in the legislature for 14 years and also chaired the Legislative Black Caucus, said in a state “where people have a love affair with guns,” past efforts to restrict guns in public places have been repeatedly shot down by the lobbying firepower of pro-gun groups like the National Rifle Association.[/align]
[align=left]The Free Press spotlighted the issue of guns at City Hall in a front-page story last week. The story focused on a visit by members of the Virginia Citizens Defense League who openly wore handguns on their belts and in shoulder holsters at the Nov. 23 council meeting when they came to lobby against council’s support for legislation to restrict gun sales. [/align]
[align=left]Despite the worry their weapons caused, their actions were legal. State law allows adults to openly carry weapons in public places except for courthouses, school property, airports and places of worship while a service is under way. But private property owners can ban weapons. Mayor Jones said he would rather keep his attention focused on the fight to close the gun show loophole in state law — the issue that brought the armed group to the council meeting. Led by their president, Philip Van Cleave, the group came to urge council to back off its support for closing the loophole, which allows individuals to freely sell weapons at gun shows without doing background checks on buyers as licensed dealers must.[/align]
[align=left]Backed by council, the mayor said he will be supporting efforts by several area legislators, including state Sen. Henry L. Marsh III of Richmond and Delegate Joseph D. Morrissey of Henrico, to close the loophole. “We came within two votes last year” of closing the loophole, the mayor said, “and we hope to do even better this year.”[/align]
http://www.richmondfreepress.com/news/currentPageA.pdf
[align=left]“It’s unsettling” to have citizens bring guns into City Hall, Mayor Dwight C. Jones said this week. Like members of City Council, he finds it dismaying that pro-gun advocates openly wore their guns to a recent council meeting. He said the group faced no threat and had no reason “to wear guns” that only served to raise anxiety as the council members deliberated.[/align]
[align=left]Despite the concern about gun toting, the mayor, currently chairman of the Virginia Chapter of Mayors Against Illegal Guns, said in the telephone interview that he is unlikely to rush to the General Assembly to seek authority for a weapons ban.[/align]
[align=left]The former state legislator said, “It would be extremely difficult, if not impossible” to win passage, even if it were just for a city like Richmond that is afflicted by gun violence. The state’s capital city and other local governments are barred from passing laws involving the sale or carrying of guns.[/align]
[align=left]The mayor, who served in the legislature for 14 years and also chaired the Legislative Black Caucus, said in a state “where people have a love affair with guns,” past efforts to restrict guns in public places have been repeatedly shot down by the lobbying firepower of pro-gun groups like the National Rifle Association.[/align]
[align=left]The Free Press spotlighted the issue of guns at City Hall in a front-page story last week. The story focused on a visit by members of the Virginia Citizens Defense League who openly wore handguns on their belts and in shoulder holsters at the Nov. 23 council meeting when they came to lobby against council’s support for legislation to restrict gun sales. [/align]
[align=left]Despite the worry their weapons caused, their actions were legal. State law allows adults to openly carry weapons in public places except for courthouses, school property, airports and places of worship while a service is under way. But private property owners can ban weapons. Mayor Jones said he would rather keep his attention focused on the fight to close the gun show loophole in state law — the issue that brought the armed group to the council meeting. Led by their president, Philip Van Cleave, the group came to urge council to back off its support for closing the loophole, which allows individuals to freely sell weapons at gun shows without doing background checks on buyers as licensed dealers must.[/align]
[align=left]Backed by council, the mayor said he will be supporting efforts by several area legislators, including state Sen. Henry L. Marsh III of Richmond and Delegate Joseph D. Morrissey of Henrico, to close the loophole. “We came within two votes last year” of closing the loophole, the mayor said, “and we hope to do even better this year.”[/align]
