Press Herald - Portland, ME council demands widespread gun bans

Mike · Nov 16, 2010

http://www.pressherald.com/news/councilors-call-on-legislature-to-restrict-guns_2010-11-16.html

SNIP

. . .

[councilmember] Skolnik said during Monday's hearing that no gun owner has a good reason for carrying a loaded weapon into an event at the Merrill Auditorium, the Portland Expo or the Cumberland County Civic Center.

He said people who display weapons in public places create fear and anxiety.

"People who don't know who you are don't know if you are a constitutionalist or a killer," he said.

Gun owners disagreed. They argued that an armed public makes for a safer community because armed citizens can prevent criminals from harming anyone.

"Simply carrying a firearm is not dangerous," said Norman Hamann, a gun owner from Lyman. "You can't stop a criminal with a silly ordinance like this."

. . .

Shane Belanger, who founded the Maine Open Carry Association, wore a weapon at Monday's hearing. "More gun laws do not save lives because they do not deter the criminals," he said.

. . .

PWC_Glock · Jan 4, 2011

Grew up in Portland reminds me of Chitwood Deering Oaks days

Big surprise Portland Maine City Council hates gun-owners.

I grew up in Portland lived in a neighborhood between Congress St. and Brighton Ave (near the hospital).

When I was little (30 years ago), back in the 1980's I remember Chitwood going after some guy that open carried at Deering Oaks Park.

Thundar · Jan 4, 2011

Go Shane Go!

Grapeshot · Jan 5, 2011

Maine has a solid nucleus of dedicated activists and they are becoming more knowledgeable and effective every day.

PWC_Glock · Jan 6, 2012

How ironic

I realize that the last comment on the post about Portland Maine is roughly a year old. I would like to point out that the only people that commented about this hail from the Old Dominion. It is no wonder why I left Maine years ago.

boyscout399 · Jan 7, 2012

PWC_Glock said:
I realize that the last comment on the post about Portland Maine is roughly a year old. I would like to point out that the only people that commented about this hail from the Old Dominion. It is no wonder why I left Maine years ago.

There were plenty of threads about this topic when it occurred. Just because this particular one didn't take off is not evidence of our complacency. We attended every meeting involved with this proposed legislation and defeated it soundly. We also used the opportunity to catapult several new pro gun laws through the state legislature. I take offense at your implication that we are not actively protecting our rights.

Grapeshot · Jan 7, 2012

boyscout399 said:
There were plenty of threads about this topic when it occurred. Just because this particular one didn't take off is not evidence of our complacency. We attended every meeting involved with this proposed legislation and defeated it soundly. We also used the opportunity to catapult several new pro gun laws through the state legislature. I take offense at your implication that we are not actively protecting our rights.

Don't take offense, just keep on doing what you're doing and smile all the while.

Badger Johnson · Jan 7, 2012

Grapeshot said:
Don't take offense, just keep on doing what you're doing and smile all the while.

Excellent advice.

shanebelanger · Jan 7, 2012

when i saw this, i about had a heart attack haha... i was like WHAT, SKOLNIK IS AT IT AGAIN?! Then I realized it was from 2010... also, there's no way that that is a quote from me, I never say gun... they are either defensive tools, or firearms.

bc.cruiser · Jan 7, 2012

I'm with Grapeshot and BadgerJohnson on this: Keep it up, boyscout339!:banana::banana:

PWC_Glock · Feb 18, 2012

boyscout399 said:
There were plenty of threads about this topic when it occurred. Just because this particular one didn't take off is not evidence of our complacency. We attended every meeting involved with this proposed legislation and defeated it soundly. We also used the opportunity to catapult several new pro gun laws through the state legislature. I take offense at your implication that we are not actively protecting our rights.

First of all I meant no offense to anyone in Maine wanting to open carry. My criticism/target was the Portland PD not any anyone on this board.

Hell I first learned about open carry when I was around 10 And read about some guy arrested for carrying is Deering Oaks.

That said I have to give my thanks to the Portland Press Herald /Portland Police Department/ and especially Michael Chitwood.

Shoting guns in VA is a rush and enjoyable. In Maine not so much.

Jeff_JMB · Feb 19, 2012

PWC_Glock said:
... I first learned about open carry when I was around 10 And read about some guy arrested for carrying is Deering Oaks...

Uh, well, to quote that old TV show... will the real boy scout please stand up and take a bow.

boyscout399 · Feb 19, 2012

Jeff_JMB said:
Uh, well, to quote that old TV show... will the real boy scout please stand up and take a bow.

The arrest in Deering Oaks was before my time. I believe he is talking about the incident that took place in the late 80s or early 90s that sparked the passage of the State Preemption law.

shanebelanger · Feb 19, 2012

why revive a thread from January 2011?

boyscout399 · Feb 19, 2012

shanebelanger said:
why revive a thread from January 2011?

It was revived in January by PWC_Glock. He was trying to make the point that the Maine people aren't active enough, even though he has no idea what we do because he's in Virginia. It fell flat.

shanebelanger · Feb 19, 2012

boyscout399 said:
It was revived in January by PWC_Glock. He was trying to make the point that the Maine people aren't active enough, even though he has no idea what we do because he's in Virginia. It fell flat.

yeah, I know... I also don't understand this quote from him: Shoting guns in VA is a rush and enjoyable. In Maine not so much.

I chalk it up to him being a troll and having nothing better to do.

boyscout399 · Feb 19, 2012

shanebelanger said:
yeah, I know... I also don't understand this quote from him: Shoting guns in VA is a rush and enjoyable. In Maine not so much.

I chalk it up to him being a troll and having nothing better to do.

My thoughts too.

maxluff · Mar 18, 2012

Portland CC Rights

If one does not stand up to defend their rights: Portland City Council will attempt to slow down the process of concealed carry permiting.

boyscout399 · Mar 19, 2012

Can we get a mod to lock this thread? For some reason people keep resurrecting it from the dead. This is a thread from 2010 and it keeps getting bumped every few months for no reason. This issue was defeated in Maine last year.

Grapeshot · Mar 19, 2012

boyscout399 said:
Can we get a mod to lock this thread? For some reason people keep resurrecting it from the dead. This is a thread from 2010 and it keeps getting bumped every few months for no reason. This issue was defeated in Maine last year.

As requested.

Press Herald - Portland, ME council demands widespread gun bans

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