Montgomery county MD "the free state" :(

[dZ]

Handgun committee delivers report

by Luke Mines
Staff Writer

Oct. 4, 2000


On Monday evening, nearly a year after a judge nixed a controversial ballot initiative to
ban handguns in Takoma Park, the city's Task Force on Gun Violence presented 17
recommendations to the City Council in a statistics-filled 56-page report.

The committee stopped short of calling for a handgun ban in Takoma Park, citing a
Maryland law that pre-empts municipalities from regulating firearms.

"We are sitting on a powder keg," said committee Chairwoman Stacey
Gurian-Sherman, of the potential for gun violence in the city, and she urged action
before it becomes more of a problem.

Gun violence, Gurian Sherman said, is "a multifaceted problem that demands a
multifaceted approach," and the committee recommendations covered a broad range
of possible action by the city.

The full text of the reports findings and recommendations is available at the Takoma
Park Library and from the city administrator's office.

The following is a summary of some of the report's recommendations:

On the education front, among other measures, the committee recommended the city
develop and distribute a series of pamphlets on gun safety, offer seminars on
personal security and take measures to "demystify the glorification of gun use."

The committee also called for signs at city borders and parks "promoting firearms
enforcement laws and a positive violence-free community."

The committee recommended three specific ordinances to control guns: a handgun
ban for homes and businesses within a yet-to-be-determined distance from
churches, schools and "other places of assembly;" a local gun-lock ordinance; and a
handgun ban for residents who run programs for children.

Noting that much gun violence among youth occurs between 3 and 6 p.m., the
committee recommended the city expand its after-school programs for youth.

It also recommended the city build a community center.

The committee also called for the city and Montgomery County to establish a
community social worker focused on Takoma Park.

To track the effectiveness of anti-gun violence measures taken, the committee
recommended Takoma Park develop a "comprehensive list of indicators."

To help fund the ambitious program of action, the committee recommended the city
seek grants and team up with "private and public partners that can provide resources
such as facilities, staff and funding."

Beth Caherty of the Takoma Park Rifle and Pistol Club, who observed the committee
presentation from the audience, said she had not yet obtained a copy of the report,
but criticized the process.

"It was lopsided," Caherty said. "There was only one gun owner out of 17 people [on
the committee]."
http://www.gazette.net/200040/silverspring/news/27940-1.html

 

[dZ]

State lawmakers push to end gun shows

by Myra Mensh Patner
Staff Writer

Oct. 4, 2000

Montgomery County fairgrounds officials have 11 days to announce an end to gun
shows or face potential action by the state General Assembly.

That ultimatum was issued by state Sen. Leonard H. Teitelbaum in a letter mailed
Monday to Ron Magaha, president of the board of directors of the Montgomery County
Agricultural Center and Fairgrounds in Gaithersburg.

"I am asking that you voluntarily suspend and no longer permit any gun shows at the
Montgomery County Fairgrounds," wrote Teitelbaum (D-Dist. 19) of Silver Spring.
"Please respond to this letter by October 15 ... so that your position on gun shows will
be on the record before the next session of the General Assembly."

He added: "If you do not respond, I will look further to see what actions could be taken
by the legislature to prevent you from having any more gun shows."

Attorney James Clifford, of the Gaithersburg firm of Debelius, Clifford & Debelius,
which represents the fairgrounds, said Tuesday he had not yet received Teitelbaum's
letter.

But Clifford said he received a similar letter this week from state Sen. Brian E. Frosh
in which Frosh asks the fairgrounds to reconsider its policy on gun shows.

Frosh (D-Dist. 16) of Chevy Chase stated in the letter that he would not have
co-sponsored a $400,000 bond bill in 1998 to renovate the fairgrounds if he had
known of the gun shows.

"I am extremely unhappy that public money has gone to an institution which, by
hosting gun shows, encourages the proliferation of firearms in our State," Frosh
wrote.

Clifford said fairgrounds officials have been caught off-guard by an avalanche of
opposition suddenly surfacing over gun shows that have taken place at the
fairgrounds for a decade. The next show is scheduled for Oct. 21-22, followed by
another show Jan. 6-7, 2001.

"We have gotten ourselves into the middle of a controversy we could not anticipate,"
Clifford said. "How could we have possibly known there would be this crusade over
gun shows?"

Clifford said it is unfair for state legislators to air letters to the editor concerning the
shows in The Gazette rather than to personally contact fairgrounds officials first.

He said legislators have never laid out standards they want to see at the privately
owned, 59-acre fairgrounds, which for more than half a century has been the site of a
popular August county fair.

Clifford said the fairgrounds operates a business and serves only as landlord.

All kinds of groups could object to events that regularly occur at the fairgrounds,
including events such as gay rodeos, Clifford said.

"Tell us what our standards should be," Clifford said. "This gun issue is not an issue
we support or are against. We're getting dragged into a national debate on
something we have no position on."

Teitelbaum, Frosh and other state legislators including Sens. Christopher Van
Hollen Jr. and Ida G. Ruben and Dels. Nancy K. Kopp and Marilyn R. Goldwater all
said this week they regret voting for the bond bill after learning about the gun shows
in The Gazette.

"I wouldn't have co-sponsored the bond bill had I known," Ruben said Monday. "I am
not happy with the fact that we gave them money."

Ruben was one of seven state senators who sponsored the bond bill, which
obtained matching funds from the county and the City of Gaithersburg.

Montgomery County Councilman Blair G. Ewing (D-At large) of Silver Spring took up
the gun show issue last month after learning in The Gazette that the county helped
match the 1998 state bond money.

Montgomery County gave $250,000, while the Montgomery County Arts Council gave
$220,000. The City of Gaithersburg also gave $125,000, said Tony Tomasello,
Gaithersburg's director of economic development.

In all, the fairgrounds has received roughly $1 million in state, county and City of
Gaithersburg money for renovations.

Ewing is looking into county legislation on gun shows at the fairgrounds, and
planning to hold a public discussion on the topic.

The newly organized Montgomery County Chapter of the Million Mom March plans to
picket the Oct. 21-22 gun show at the fairgrounds, said Tierney O'Neil of Chevy
Chase, organizer of the chapter.

The man who promotes the gun shows, Frederick-based Frank Krasner of Silverado
Promotions, also has shows at the Frederick fairgrounds, the Howard County
fairgrounds, the Showplace Arena in Upper Marlboro and the Wicomico Youth and
Civic Center in Salisbury, Md.

Krasner, who spoke to The Gazette for the original story Sept. 13, has since declined
to comment.
http://www.gazette.net/s97is.vts?action=View&VdkVgwKey=%2Fexport%2Fhome%2Fgazette%2Fhtdocs%2F200040%2

Fkensington%2Fnews%2F27836%2D1%2Ehtml&doctype=raw&Collection=gazette%2Dcurrent&

 

[John/az2]

Ah yes, the "we're from the government and are here to help you" bait for fleecing the helpless incapacitated, emasculated, and non-emancipated sheeple. Talk about pulling the wool over their eyes.

$$$$$$$



The government can't give to the people what it doesn't take from the people first.

------------------
John/az
"When freedom is at stake, your silence is not golden, it's yellow..." RKBA!

See The Legacy of Gun Control film at: www.cphv.com

Do it for the children...

[This message has been edited by John/az2 (edited October 05, 2000).]

 

[Dennis Olson]

All kinds of groups could object to events that regularly occur at the fairgrounds, including events such as gay rodeos...

Now, who would DARE to object to a gay/lesbian event? You would become an instant pariah. After all, the country has to keep its "priorities" straight, right?

The gay community represents at best 8% of the U.S. population (about 20 million). But gun owners represent over 80 million. The difference? The gays have a VERY vocal lobby, and are IN YOUR FACE every day. Gun owners are not.

And THAT is why we'll lose. I suggest you accellerate your gun/ammo buying, so as to be in a reasonable position by January 20th. I suspect that the socialists are going to retake the House (if not the Senate too), and may well put that Nazi algore into the Whore, er, White House.

------------------
"The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary." - H.L. Mencken

[This message has been edited by Dennis Olson (edited October 05, 2000).]

 

[echo3mike]

I lived in Montgomery co. for most of my adult life, and am about to move back to Silver Spring. I can honestly say that this sounds like the same political grandstanding that Glendening pulled with his newest attempt at a Gore-administration cabinet position. By showing his colors, (yellow, to be exact), he single-handedly sent a message to gun owners that the state was "going to the dogs", so to speak. For those of you not up to date with our wonderful state, Glendining pushed a very restricive new handgun bill through, (which includes internal locks on ALL new handguns sold, incl.flintlocks, bullet cases fired from new handguns, and a host of other goodies), by telling his cabinet that he had control of the state funds that could be awarded to each district. If that districts represenative did not get in line with this bill, the funding for that ditrict would be comprimised.

Bottom line is that if Al jr. wins the election, Glendening and his merry band of liberal, feel-good cronies will have set themselves up in cushy posts at the expense of tax-paying Maryland citizens.

VOTE

S.

 

[johnbt]

Wasn't Takoma Park the first place in the whole country to outlaw nukes? They always seemed to be trying to get one step ahead of Berkeley.

Ahhhhh. Montgomery County, Merryland.
Went to jr. and sr. high there in the 1960's and nothing has changed - except the density. Still too close to the hot air in DC for healthy living. I liked it better when the Beltway was new and you could park your car on the shoulder, get out and walk around and sightsee. A real engineering marvel - folks driving by slowed up and waved and it wasn't the 1-finger salute either.

For the benefit of readers not familiar with the geography of the DC area, Montgomery County starts at the DC line and runs to the north, with the Potomac River to the west and PG County to the east (roughly, get a map!)

In other words, it is populated by government types and/or surburban liberals. I guess there may be some up-county farmers left from the old days, but I doubt it. Heck, the MC Fireman's Carnival had to get rid of the .22 shooting gallery about 30 years ago IIRC.

Thanks for listening. I needed to rehash why it was that I left and why I don't miss it.

John

P.S. - I quit the scouts when we moved to MC in the early '60's because the large troop at our church did not permit the carrying of knives and other cutting tools. Try camping when you hafta go get it from the scoutmaster and then take it back.

Nothing has changed there.

 

[Jay Baker]

JohnBT, another "progressive" community that banned "nukes," was Malibu, Kalif., under the leadership of their brilliant mayor, the illustrious Mega-Millionaire-Marxist, Martin Sheen.

FWIW. J.B.

 

[Monkeyleg]

Well! Harumph! That's the last time I'll dock my Trident submarine at Malibu!

On the other hand, it must surely be the safest place on earth to be if there's a nuclear war. Where did Sheen get the city funds for a Strategic Defense Initiative?

Dick
Want to send a message to Bush? Sign the petition at http://www.petitiononline.com/monk/petition.html and forward the link to every gun owner you know.