City Council, Jaws Agape.

R

RickD

Moderator
Three TUGsters (The Umbrella Group) in the metro-Phoenix area went to the Glendale City Council meeting. We have spent the last several months trying to get the City of Glendale to interpret the State of Arizona's weapons checking policy (if you enter a public building and *IF* they make a reasonable request to check a firearm you must relinquish the weapon to them for storage while conducting business there).

We have met with Glendale PD, we have spoken and e-mailed the City Attorney, the City manager who installed their policy (firearms will be taken miles away to downtown Glendale and not returned to you--you must come (passing through gangtown) and pick it up--and the paper work is defact gun registration which is a violation of ARS 13-3108). We have e-mailed and called city councilmembers. They are mute.

So, we decided to research the City Charter on the web. We found a number of interesting things including the fact that a petition submitted to the City Council must be acted upon within 30 days.

Three people. Three petitions. Each read at light-speed to get in under the five-minute speaking limit. Our petitions will cost them time and money.

We pointed fingers, embarrassed, and named names. The whole thing was broadcast over public access TV. I demanded that an anonymous poll be conducted among all of Glendale's line-cops to see if they supported using their time to ferry the guns of peaceful citizens rather than stopping crime.

You could have heard a pin drop.

The next speaker, whom we didn't know, was an old lady who applauded the Glendale PD on their latest gang bust which made the newspapers and TV. She then shifted gears and said she thought the checking policy was dumb and that she was a victim of an assault and since then always carried her revolver with her (a Glendale PD Sgt told her she shouldn't do that!!).

Heaven-sent.

Next step? We wait for the responses and see how many official stupid things they can put on City of Glendale Letterhead.

Some fun.

Try it at a City Council meeting near you!!

Rick
http://www.brassroots.org
 
Bravo, Rick!! I'm a firm believer that politics at the local level is more effective, and more important, than politics at the national level. Get your local City Council and School Board thinking right, first, then go upstream.

Well done! Now you need to be prepared with an attorney to write a nice letter: "its been 30 days and my clients proposals have not been acted on, pursuant to section xxxx of City Charter..."

If they're anything like our City Council, they will completely ignore you until you file a lawsuit, then they will just fight you in court. But don't even think about backing down. Fight the fight, and get local gun clubs, etc. to help with fund raising for your legal fund. Get an RKBA attorney to take the case pro bono or (more likely) for a reduced fee. Talk (politely) with anyone from the media who'll talk to you. Make them follow their own laws!
 
Good on ya, Rick. :)

I think the environmentalists coined the phrase, "Think Globally, Act Locally," but I believe it applies well in this case, too.
 
A tip 'o the derby, RickD. Hoist them on their own petard.

It's frustrating (in a good way) here. Small Nevada town, pro-gun or at worst neutral politicians. Nobody to fight with.

But . . . there's some Kalifornia refugees drifting in . . .
 
Way to go, Rick! That pre-emption law is going to be changed pretty quickly next time around, I'll bet. Keep pushing them!
 
Yes, even thought Glendale is balking, the rest of Arizona cities read about our 35-man protest two months ago and decided they would obey the law. Tucson was quoted in the Tucson Citizen as saying, "We don't want what happened in Glendale to happen here."

Six guys with nothing better to do focused their attention and froze up the cities of Arizona. There is a lesson there, somewhere.

Yes, the cities want the state firearms preemption law (the bill was watered down in committee from its original strong language by an amendment under threat of a veto by our turn-coat guv.) to be repealed. They say that it is "confusing." Hardly. They know exactly what it means. They feign confusion because it suits their purpose.

Our position is this: Many Arizona cities have shown over the last six months that they cannot be trusted with watered-down preemption. It is like asking the KKK to register voters. We already know what the outcome will be.
As a result, when they come asking for a repeal of the current preemption law, we will ask for a repeal of the watered-down amendment language (three pages worth)which will leave only the strong original preemption law.

Take that.

Rick
 
Rick! You did it! Way to go. Yup, political activism at the local level is most powerful. Six guys. 35 at the demonstration. And you have "sensitised" Arizona cities, made them think about obeying their laws instead of doing whatever the heck they want (usual behavior).

And you've made it an issue for the legislature. Cool!

Now get a friendly legilator (hopefully from your district) to champion the fixing of the State law.
 
Much to our surprise several bills have been introduced with no prodding from us. We have a few of our own, but the others are a pleasant surprise.

However, Arizona's political make up closely resembles that of our nation's capitol....

addendum

Our State Senate is split 15 to 15 with a R.I.N.O. Republican (Randall Gnant) forming a coalition with Democrats so that he can be Senate President this session. The GOP lead in the House is thin as well, 34 to 28 or their abouts.

The Governor Jane "Atilla the" Hull has a history of being a conservative which ended almost as soon as she assumed the office (after Gov. Fife was indicted by the feds). He was convicted but later overturned after the 9th circuit found that the trial judge incorrectly dismissed a juror who was going to vote to acquit.

Of course, ours is a little more conservative and libertarian at times, but not much.

Rick

[Edited by RickD on 01-12-2001 at 03:01 PM]
 
Incredibly relevant topic, RickD. I work for the City of Pkoenix, and our new firearms storage policy is on everybody's radar screen. I'm not positive, but you might take some credit. As the "Best Run City in the World", I have little doubt that our (apparent) compliance will put great pressure on Glendale and other AZ municipalities.
 
I would like to say that Rick and I could take credit for this, but I am not sure. Their policy started, I think, before we started the ruckus in Glendale. We also told Glendale's acting city attorney, Rick Flaaen, about Yuma County's and Tucson's change in policy. They didn't care.

Glendale is fast becoming the bastard step-child that all gun-owners are wanting to beat...I am hopeful that more Glendaliens will see our actions and be willing to act themselves.

The galling thing is that the police chief, David Dobrotka, was the one who suggested the policy, which was implemented by the city manager, Martin Vanacour. Vanacour refuses to meet with us. The city council kept referring us to Vanacour. How convenient.

Thus, we went before the council to get this on record and make them do something. The woman who testified was Heaven-sent, I am sure of it.

Tim
Phoenix Area Field Rep
Brassroots, Inc.
http://www.brassroots.org
"We don't compromise; neither should you."
Fusilier wrote:

"Incredibly relevant topic, RickD. I work for the City of Phoenix, and our new firearms storage policy is on everybody's radar screen. I'm not positive, but you might take some credit. As the "Best Run City in the World", I have little doubt that our (apparent) compliance will put great pressure on Glendale and other AZ municipalities. "
 
Posted On KABA

Our account of the address to Glendale City Council was posted on yesterday's http://www.keepandbeararms.com front page.

Give it a look.

There is another article from that day about "small-cell" politics. The gist is people think that small-cell military maneuvers are all the rage due to quick actions and what not. But when we think politics, for some reason we think we need to join a big monolithic organization like NRA, on the right or NEA on the left. Both are too big and slow and politics-sensitive to be of help to you in your local fight, most times.

Read it and enjoy. If you can, join KABA to help keep his web page up so he can continue offending the tyrants. Get a keepandbeararms.com e-mail address.

Rick
 
Arizona Fusilier,

Keep us posted on what Phoenix is doing.

As well, you and other activists are welcome to join us at the TUG meeting next Wednesday, January 17th at the Tempe-area Country Harvest Buffet at Priest and Elliot. Eat at 6pm. Meeting from 7-9pm.

We discuss plans for activism. We do not preach and whine to each other.

Rick
 
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