Posted on 05/15/2008 5:05:41 AM PDT by Perseverando
The Virginia Citizens Defense League joined in the discussion over whether to bring firearms into town hall.
A recently posted sign requesting that guns not be brought into Boones Mill town hall sparked controversy at a town council meeting Tuesday night -- and drew the attention of the Virginia Citizens Defense League.
But, in the end, debate over the Second Amendment paled in comparison to other, more personal issues, the likes of which have repeatedly plagued the council's notoriously volatile meetings.
Last week, incumbent mayor E.V. "Ben" Flora won re-election over challenger Robert Hogan by a vote of 40 to 38. Former council members Hogan and his wife, Patricia, resigned their positions in March 2007 over the council's refusal to fire Police Chief and Town Manager Lynn Frith, who had issued Robert Hogan a speeding ticket.
More recently, however, debate has been waged over a series of signs first demanding, then requesting that weapons not be carried by those attending meetings.
Frith said the first sign went up about a month ago after it was approved at the last council meeting.
However, according to Mark Flynn, director of legal services for the Virginia Municipal League, Virginia law prohibits a city or town from banning guns in most public buildings or property, although there are exceptions for schools, courthouses, jails and police stations.
(Excerpt) Read more at roanoke.com ...
So fellow Freepers, what do you think?
I voted yes, but that question has no relation to the real issue, which is: “Should local municipalities be allowed to violate Virginia state law?”
I’d really like to find a way to restrict the state franchise to people who’ve lived in the state for a certain number of years.
Thanks for taking this poll Should firearms be allowed at public government meetings?
Yes 2032 (67.13%)
No 995 (32.87%)
Total Replies : 3027
After that maybe we could discuss the issue of whether my state (Illinois) and other state and local governments can completely ignore the second amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
If government didn't do anything wrong, why should it be fearful? Guns are for the people - an ever-present guardian of Liberty.
Boones Mill is about 12 miles south of Roanoke, VA on US 220.
Heyyy, we resemble that remark.
Pushing back legally and HARD against these bureaucratic snivelers is the only way to regain control.
The emotional state and maturity level of the hand wringers is not my concern.
The further away from the contaminated land called “Northern Virginia” you get, the more you can recognize the Southern flavor of the REAL Virginia.
Here’s the VA Citizens Defense League website and their report from the Boones Mill meeting - http://www2.vcdl.org/webapps/vcdl/vadetail.html?RECID=3042178
By the way, The Roanoke Times is a left wing rag, and an embarrassment to southwest VA.
VCDL is Virginia’s Second Amendment orgainization. If you’re from VA, you really need to sign up for their e-mail alerts. (They’re much easier to read than the website article.)
“By the way, The Roanoke Times is a left wing rag, and an embarrassment to southwest VA.”
Yes, but this story seems pretty fair to me.
Given some of the characters in Boones Mill, though, I think I’d rather juts stay away from the town council meetings — armed or not.
RE: “By the way, The Roanoke Times is a left wing rag, and an embarrassment to southwest VA.”
Yes, but this story seems pretty fair to me.
Here’s a CNN video on the VCDL site covering the story. http://www.vcdl.org/static/action.html
Domestic abuse survivors among others were outted without regard to the potential danger that this placed them in.
“CREATE YOUR OWN GUN FREE ZONE”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7pGt_O1uM8
cool!
...an Aye Tea Eff store!
So far, no one has mentioned that the reason for this exclusion is that there are a bunch of immature hotheads at these townhall meetings.
I’m not backing the ban... but I can see why they might want it.
“The Roanoke “Crimes” about a year or so ago made available online a searchable database of the entire 135,000 CCW holders in VA. Due to public pressure, it was removed shortly afterward.”
I’m well aware of it. I was referring to this particular story, which to me seems fair.
It seems bizarre that Boones Mill would want to ban firearms. Boones Mill is the type of place where firearm ownership percentage would be pretty darn high.
REQUIRED.
RE: So far, no one has mentioned that the reason for this exclusion is that there are a bunch of immature hotheads at these townhall meetings.
I’m not backing the ban... but I can see why they might want it.
True, liberals have a Constitutional right to be there and to be immature hotheads as usual, not to mention the absurdities they continually espouse. It’s always there way or the highway.
But there are also conservative pro 2nd Amendment attendees there as well.
It could be (and I believe this is the reason for a lot of leftist pro-gun sentiment)
that leftists don’t feel comfortable attempting their usual “win the argument through intimidation instead of reason” arguments when someone might be packin’.
Update:
Should firearms be allowed at public government meetings?
Yes 2147 (68.27%)
No 998 (31.73%)
Total Replies : 3145
Re: “I support your right. Respect the people who give you that right.”
My favorite quote from the article. Another idiot who does not understand what this country was built on and thinks the government “gives” us our rights. We really need to revamp our school system in this country...
I completely agree! And Semper Fi, Old Devil Dog!
Semper Fi!! I was just recently passing through the great state of Virginia and it brought a tear to my eye as I went up 95 and passed the exit sign for the National Museum of the Marine Corps. OOOOHHHHH RAAAAAHHHH!!
“So far, no one has mentioned that the reason for this exclusion is that there are a bunch of immature hotheads at these townhall meetings.”
Townhall meetings seem to bring out these type of people.
Don’t forget the Tank Museum in Danville VA.
Just read about it in yesterdays atlanta paper.
“Boones Mill is about 12 miles south of Roanoke, VA on US 220.”
Ah, that’s the wide spot in the road on 220 with all the tourist trinket stands.
Re: Ah, that’s the wide spot in the road on 220 with all the tourist trinket stands.
Actually Boones Mill is a world famous speed trap.
The Legislature passed a law specifically barring local preemption of state guns laws about 3 or 4 years ago. They even stripped several municipalities like Chesapeake and Falls Church of previously grandfathered local ordinances (like the Falls Church prohibition on open carry).
Be warned: I was suckerpunched by a potential employer who'd obtained my CC application from the company's standard background check of local court records "What precipitated your application for a Concealed Carry permit in April 2002"?
Bear in mind this was the HIRING MANAGER who called me out of the blue to ask that question, and it was just dumb luck that he happened to come from a pro-military background (e.g., his cousin worked for Blackwater). So when I truthfully replied "Nothing precipitated it, I just wanted the permit because in Virginia I can have one", that was good enough for him.
But with a leftie or even anti-gun manager, it could very easily have gone the other way.
Oh yeah, I got the job.
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