Birmingham City Council Meeting Tuesdays at 9:30am

imported post

For whoever's interested in attending, Tim and I will again be at the City Council Meeting tomorrow morning at 9am.

We hope to get there to sign up first to speak so we can get out earlier.

I don't think it would really get anything done to try to enter armed again, but we're still doing the empty holster thing.

I'll be the only one speaking so if you're worried about having to publicly speak,wewould just likeyour presence as a show of support.

Once more into the breach, dear friends, once more... - Henry V

imported post

Is there a parking lot in which we will meet? What time?

I'll be prepared to OC or empty-holster, following your lead.

imported post

For continuity's sake, we'll stage in the same area as last week, even though you may be able to find a parking space closer if you're lucky. It's about a block and a half from City Hall. Caution: It will be quite boring until we get to speak. Lol.

Birmingham Central LibraryParking Lot- 8:45am

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=birmingham+central+library&fb=1&gl=us&hq=central+library&hnear=birmingham&cid=0,0,9373491141994804515&ei=7zPfS77sG4jw9gSkmcStBw&sa=X&oi=local_result&ct=image&resnum=1&ved=0CAcQnwIwAA

imported post

I don't be able to attend because of training at the same time. But mark me down...

imported post

I don't be able to attend because of training at the same time. But mark me down...

imported post

Hey guys, yesterday Tim, Eye95, and me met up at City Hall in Birmingham. We got on the list to speak near the end, and had to sit through a mind numbingly boring 4 hour meeting. There was some excitement and randomness when Wesley Snipes just showed up and said hey to the council. No lie.

http://www.myfoxal.com/Global/story.asp?S=12424333

When I got to speak, there were about 4 or 5 people left in the audience that weren't on the council, and some of the council had already left too!
They seemed somewhat supportive, but didn't exactly understand what I was saying. They passed the buck to the state legislature and suggested I get in contact with them, whatever they could do I have no idea.

Here's a link to an actual video - on the left side scroll down to the public part

...and then just click like two minutes from theVERY ENDof the video..

http://bhamal.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=2&clip_id=459

Afterwards, me and Eye95 went and ate some McDonalds. There was a BPD officer in the parking lot and we both passed him strongside. He had to have noticed our weapons. We said hey to him and proceeded in. No questions, no problems, nadda.

A good day...

imported post

The degree to which the council did not listen to what you were actually saying was incredible. They thought you were complaining that they had no home rule and could not fix the situation.

On, the contrary, the complaint was that they were unlawfully exercising home rule authority that they did not have.

Oh, the arrogance of power!

imported post

eye95 wrote:

The degree to which the council did not listen to what you were actually saying was incredible. They thought you were complaining that they had no home rule and could not fix the situation.

On, the contrary, the complaint was that they were unlawfully exercising home rule authority that they did not have.

Oh, the arrogance of power!

Click to expand...

Jonathan, do you mind if I just stick my fingers in my ears and hum?

Wow, this makes me want to burn a vacation day to get into the council meeting and confront them on this issue.

imported post

To paraphrase:

Jonathon: There are city organizations in Birmingham BREAKING THE LAW and everyone tells me you are the only ones who can fix it.

Them: We have no power, only the state legislature can decide what we do. If you have a problem with the law, they have to change it.

Jonathon: ??? But I like the law.

Them: We can't hear you! La, la, lalala.


ETA: Agreed w/ Kirbinator's fix

imported post

mcdonalk wrote:

To paraphrase:

Jonathon: There are city organizations in Birmingham BREAKING THE LAW and everyone tells me you are the only ones who can fix it.

Them: We have no power, only the state legislature can decide what we do. If you have a problem with the law, they have to change it.

Jonathon: ??? But I like the law.

Them: We can't hear you! La, la, lalala.

Click to expand...

There fixed it

imported post

City Council meeting this morning went pretty good!

Skip forward to 3:21:20

http://bhamal.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=2&clip_id=463

or if that doesn't work try this :

http://bhamal.granicus.com/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=2 and click video under today's meeting date. 5/25/10

imported post

That was unexpectedly positive. All of the points that I would have wanted to make were made. Unfortunately, the question about federal vs city should have been asked and answered by the legal counsel available to the council in session. It's good that, in plain language, the city has been informed that they are in violation of state law. This should light a fire under them to get line with state and federal law.

imported post

Kirbinator wrote:

That was unexpectedly positive. All of the points that I would have wanted to make were made. Unfortunately, the question about federal vs city should have been asked and answered by the legal counsel available to the council in session. It's good that, in plain language, the city has been informed that they are in violation of state law. This should light a fire under them to get line with state and federal law.

Click to expand...

They actually wrapped their minds around what you were asking this time. They still had some misconceptions. They cling to the myth that federal law trumps State law. It's not that simple. The Founders wanted the feds to have some specific powers and those powers were enumerated. The rest of the powers rest with the States and the People. So, just because the feds don't allow guns in their government buildings does not necessarily mean that guns are disallowed in all levels of government's buildings.

The one councilor showed her bias against guns, assuming that some disgruntled citizen, for whom a ruling did not go his way, would take a pot shot at her. If someone wanted to shoot her, they could easily find a way around the "security" at city hall. However, lawful carriers just don't do that.

I guess when you fill that empty holster of yours, Jonathon, you lose all rational capacity and become a bomb just waiting for some innocent councilor to light your fuse!

You made some progress, Jonathon. There's a long way to go yet.

imported post

eye95 wrote:

They actually wrapped their minds around what you were asking this time. They still had some misconceptions. They cling to the myth that federal law trumps State law. It's not that simple. The Founders wanted the feds to have some specific powers and those powers were enumerated. The rest of the powers rest with the States and the People. So, just because the feds don't allow guns in their government buildings does not necessarily mean that guns are disallowed in all levels of government's buildings.

Click to expand...

They don't seem to understand that "government building" means something different when the owner is the United States government, or The State Of Alabama, or The City of Birmingham.

imported post

I am shocked that Sheriff Hale popped a round off at her and it never made the news.
He has his gun when in the building, and they have been ruling against him all the time.

My guess is they are stringing us on till they leave at the end of the year and make
us start all over again with new batch of cowardly dictators.

imported post

That did go really well. I don't blame counsel for wanting a bit of time to review (although it sounded like he may have been ready to answer). If he gives the wrong opinion, it could easily go against them in court.

By the way, next time let's print off copies of 11-45-1.1 (handgun preemption) and 11-80-11 (preemption of all firearms):

(a) No county or municipal corporation, instrumentality, or political subdivision thereof, by ordinance, resolution, or other enactment, shall regulate in any manner gun shows, the possession, ownership, transport, carrying, transfer, sale, purchase, licensing, registration or use of firearms, ammunition, components of firearms, firearms dealers, or dealers in firearm components. (emphasis mine)

Click to expand...