The city officials spent $40,000 of taxpayer's money to have a liberal tell them they can't march with guns. Maybe they should carry bows and arrows. Jesu!
If you go to the URL, they have a comments box where you can vent.
http://www.spokane.net/news-story.asp?date=062900&ID=s820016
Veterans take aim at Coeur d'Alene parade ordinance
Group to boycott event; Rankin begins bid to shoot down rule banning guns
Thomas Clouse - Staff writer
COEUR d'ALENE -- Local veterans declared war Wednesday on the Coeur d'Alene city ordinance that says they can't march with guns in parades.
The Kootenai County Veterans Council, which represents 10 local veterans organizations, says it will boycott the Fourth of July Parade in Coeur d'Alene if its color guards can't continue their tradition of carrying rifles.
Instead of marching unarmed in Coeur d'Alene's "American Heroes" parade, the veterans plan to march in Spirit Lake, "which has a council with adult leadership," Kootenai County Commissioner Ron Rankin said.
Rankin obtained paperwork Wednesday to start an initiative campaign to repeal the city's much-maligned parade ordinance.
"That city administration is like the Keystone Kops. They come up with a $40,000 ordinance that is thrown out the first time it is challenged," Rankin said. "This is a stupid, ill-conceived, ill-planned, ill-informed, ill-everything city ordinance."
City Council President Nancy Sue Wallace fired back at Rankin, criticizing him for meddling in city affairs. She also disagreed with Sheriff Rocky Watson's attempt at compromise by deputizing veterans.
"I take great offense that one of our commissioners would try to interfere with city government at that level," Wallace said. "If we do decide to revisit the ordinance, we will.
"But I don't appreciate the pressure from the sheriff, the veterans or Mr. Rankin."
The prohibition against guns is contained in one of three laws the Coeur d'Alene City Council passed in May 1999 in an effort to tighten control of the Aryan Nations parade. The laws were the result of work by constitutional expert Steve Burman of Seattle, whose $40,000 fee was paid by the city and Coeur d'Alene tourism magnate Duane Hagadone.
One of those laws bans weapons within 1,000 feet of a parade or public assembly for all but law enforcement officers and active military personnel.
Veterans protested, and some threatened to quit participating in Coeur d'Alene parades because the new law made it illegal for them to carry rifles for the color guards.
City leaders agreed to modify the law so that nationally recognized veterans groups could march armed.
But that all changed with a ruling earlier this month by U.S. District Judge Edward Lodge. In that case, Lodge dismissed a claim by Gary Edwards that his First Amendment rights were violated.
Edwards, a protester in the 1998 Aryan Nations parade, was arrested after he refused to give up the stick he was using to hold up a protest sign at the event.
In that decision, Lodge also wrote that the veterans exemption "does unconstitutionally favor veterans groups over all others and must be found invalid."
Veterans thought they had a solution Monday when Watson -- a former Marine -- agreed to deputize the color guards.
That would have allowed them to march armed.
But two things happened Wednesday. City leaders objected and the sheriff received a letter from the same Gary Edwards that prompted the previous suit.
"I am writing you asking that you deputize me for the 4th of July so that I can carry my picket sign with a stick handle," Edwards said in a letter to the county. "Why can Rankin carry a gun on the 4th of July and I can't carry a stick?"
On Monday, Watson swore in four veterans as deputies but had not completed the process by having them sign affidavits. Now all bets are off.
" (County Attorney Dennis) Molenaar said if you don't deputize (Edwards), I would be sued and I would lose," Watson said.
Deputy City Attorney Nancy Stricklin also gave Watson a letter Wednesday that said the city had concerns about his deputizing veterans because it "may be viewed as an attempt to circumvent Judge Lodge's Order ..."
Watson said that was not his intent.
"I wasn't trying to circumvent the city's jurisdiction," he said. "The bottom line was getting sued. Why spend money on an issue you are going to lose, and over an issue that is not really yours?"
Rick Seward, chairman of the Kootenai County Veterans Council, said the city could have solved the entire matter by simply talking with veterans before approving the ordinance.
"The ordinance says the college kids who are in ROTC units can carry weapons. But none of them have been sworn to defend the Constitution," Seward said. "I don't know why the city won't repeal the ordinance and rewrite it."
Wallace said the City Council has not discussed making concessions for the veterans. Unless the council calls a special meeting, it is not scheduled to meet again until after the parade.
"I don't understand why veterans don't want to march in our parade without a gun. Why is it so critical? Does that make them any less of a veteran?" she asked. "They are still honored with or without a gun."
Seward, 70, served 26 years with the Marines and survived the withdrawal from the Chosin Reservoir in North Korea and two tours in Vietnam.
"The veteran is very jealous of his service to his country because he's proud," he said.
Seward said flags represent the nation, and guns represent the armed services.
"To walk down that parade route and see the big-eyed kids looking up in respect ... Every once in a while we hear a silent `Thank you' or a wave meant for you. That's what the Fourth of July is all about."
•Thomas Clouse can be reached at (208) 765-7130 or by e-mail at tomc@spokesman.com.
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The New World Order has a Third Reich odor.
If you go to the URL, they have a comments box where you can vent.
http://www.spokane.net/news-story.asp?date=062900&ID=s820016
Veterans take aim at Coeur d'Alene parade ordinance
Group to boycott event; Rankin begins bid to shoot down rule banning guns
Thomas Clouse - Staff writer
COEUR d'ALENE -- Local veterans declared war Wednesday on the Coeur d'Alene city ordinance that says they can't march with guns in parades.
The Kootenai County Veterans Council, which represents 10 local veterans organizations, says it will boycott the Fourth of July Parade in Coeur d'Alene if its color guards can't continue their tradition of carrying rifles.
Instead of marching unarmed in Coeur d'Alene's "American Heroes" parade, the veterans plan to march in Spirit Lake, "which has a council with adult leadership," Kootenai County Commissioner Ron Rankin said.
Rankin obtained paperwork Wednesday to start an initiative campaign to repeal the city's much-maligned parade ordinance.
"That city administration is like the Keystone Kops. They come up with a $40,000 ordinance that is thrown out the first time it is challenged," Rankin said. "This is a stupid, ill-conceived, ill-planned, ill-informed, ill-everything city ordinance."
City Council President Nancy Sue Wallace fired back at Rankin, criticizing him for meddling in city affairs. She also disagreed with Sheriff Rocky Watson's attempt at compromise by deputizing veterans.
"I take great offense that one of our commissioners would try to interfere with city government at that level," Wallace said. "If we do decide to revisit the ordinance, we will.
"But I don't appreciate the pressure from the sheriff, the veterans or Mr. Rankin."
The prohibition against guns is contained in one of three laws the Coeur d'Alene City Council passed in May 1999 in an effort to tighten control of the Aryan Nations parade. The laws were the result of work by constitutional expert Steve Burman of Seattle, whose $40,000 fee was paid by the city and Coeur d'Alene tourism magnate Duane Hagadone.
One of those laws bans weapons within 1,000 feet of a parade or public assembly for all but law enforcement officers and active military personnel.
Veterans protested, and some threatened to quit participating in Coeur d'Alene parades because the new law made it illegal for them to carry rifles for the color guards.
City leaders agreed to modify the law so that nationally recognized veterans groups could march armed.
But that all changed with a ruling earlier this month by U.S. District Judge Edward Lodge. In that case, Lodge dismissed a claim by Gary Edwards that his First Amendment rights were violated.
Edwards, a protester in the 1998 Aryan Nations parade, was arrested after he refused to give up the stick he was using to hold up a protest sign at the event.
In that decision, Lodge also wrote that the veterans exemption "does unconstitutionally favor veterans groups over all others and must be found invalid."
Veterans thought they had a solution Monday when Watson -- a former Marine -- agreed to deputize the color guards.
That would have allowed them to march armed.
But two things happened Wednesday. City leaders objected and the sheriff received a letter from the same Gary Edwards that prompted the previous suit.
"I am writing you asking that you deputize me for the 4th of July so that I can carry my picket sign with a stick handle," Edwards said in a letter to the county. "Why can Rankin carry a gun on the 4th of July and I can't carry a stick?"
On Monday, Watson swore in four veterans as deputies but had not completed the process by having them sign affidavits. Now all bets are off.
" (County Attorney Dennis) Molenaar said if you don't deputize (Edwards), I would be sued and I would lose," Watson said.
Deputy City Attorney Nancy Stricklin also gave Watson a letter Wednesday that said the city had concerns about his deputizing veterans because it "may be viewed as an attempt to circumvent Judge Lodge's Order ..."
Watson said that was not his intent.
"I wasn't trying to circumvent the city's jurisdiction," he said. "The bottom line was getting sued. Why spend money on an issue you are going to lose, and over an issue that is not really yours?"
Rick Seward, chairman of the Kootenai County Veterans Council, said the city could have solved the entire matter by simply talking with veterans before approving the ordinance.
"The ordinance says the college kids who are in ROTC units can carry weapons. But none of them have been sworn to defend the Constitution," Seward said. "I don't know why the city won't repeal the ordinance and rewrite it."
Wallace said the City Council has not discussed making concessions for the veterans. Unless the council calls a special meeting, it is not scheduled to meet again until after the parade.
"I don't understand why veterans don't want to march in our parade without a gun. Why is it so critical? Does that make them any less of a veteran?" she asked. "They are still honored with or without a gun."
Seward, 70, served 26 years with the Marines and survived the withdrawal from the Chosin Reservoir in North Korea and two tours in Vietnam.
"The veteran is very jealous of his service to his country because he's proud," he said.
Seward said flags represent the nation, and guns represent the armed services.
"To walk down that parade route and see the big-eyed kids looking up in respect ... Every once in a while we hear a silent `Thank you' or a wave meant for you. That's what the Fourth of July is all about."
•Thomas Clouse can be reached at (208) 765-7130 or by e-mail at tomc@spokesman.com.
------------------
The New World Order has a Third Reich odor.