Overflow Santa Rosa crowd divided over adding gun controls

The Press Democrat ^ | 10 January, 2013 | GUY KOVNER

[marktwain]

Madeleine Melo of Fort Bragg, widow of the North Coast's most prominent recent victim of gun violence, spoke out Thursday night in defense of gun ownership at a public forum convened by Rep. Mike Thompson.

"I strongly support our right to own and use guns," Melo told Thompson and six other public officials before an overflow crowd in the Sonoma County supervisors chambers in Santa Rosa.

In her next sentence, Melo, whose husband Jere Melo was murdered in the Mendocino County woods in 2011, said the "unchecked acts of violent criminals take away the rights of others to live a safe and protected life."

Dozens of other speakers also bracketed the nation's current debate over firearms and mass murder -- sharply dividing over the prospect of added gun controls but agreeing that more mental health services are needed, especially for youths.

Ted Heinrich of Santa Rosa said he was "appalled by the reckless distribution of firearms in this country" and saying loopholes render gun regulations "meaningless."

Mike Malone, a geologist, said it is "obvious to me there are those who oppose the Second Amendment" and that California gun owners are "in constant jeopardy of being criminalized."

[marktwain]

Was any freeper there? When the MSM says a "devided crowd", it is usually at least 4-1 in the Constitutionalists favor. I would love to read a citizen reporters account.

[Political Junkie Too]

A caller to this morning's KSFO Morning Show with Melanie Morgan and Brian Sussman said that the crowd was 70%-30% pro-2nd amendment, but that the local news reported that "also in attendance were 2nd amendment supporters."

He said that the crowd was energized, and that Rep. Thompson began the meeting by saying "We're not here to take your guns. We're not here to repeal the 2nd amendment." as if he'd already been cowed by prior public meetings.

The caller said that the anti-gun supporters were surprised by the turnout at the standing-room-only crowd that showed up.

-PJ

[WildHighlander57]

Maybe there IS hope for the state where I used to live.

[WildHighlander57]

Maybe there IS hope for the state where I used to live.

[whinecountry]

Comments after the article indicate the crowd was 2-to-1 pro 2A. Not surprising the “Depressed Democrat” would report so dishonestly.

[TYVets]

I was in a hotel overlooking where a anti-gun protest was going to be held.

The media said over 500 people would be there to protest. After the "event" the The Kansas City Red Star reported over 300 where there.

I counted 126, my grandson counted 127 protesters.

For the liberal media that is about as accurate as it gets.

[Pox]

Don't count on it. The left has a death grip on the state legislature and will do as they please.

The POS puke Leland Yee is proposing to “close the bullet button loophole” which will outlaw all weapons that can take a removable magazine, more or less.

There are several more anti 2nd amendment bills being proposed as well, such as no more internet ammo sales and instant background checks for any ammo sales, so they are simply steadily chipping away at our rights, and there is nothing that will stop them outside of an honest judge, and even that is a long shot.

Many other states are keeping a close eye on the success of the left in CA as far as gun control goes.

[Ohioan]

The basic attack on individual rights & responsibilities--and both are involved in The Right To Bear Arms--is part of the broader attack on every aspect of the American heritage. However, this could well prove the tipping issue that determines whether we remain a free people, or succumb to our own variety of National Socialism.

Conservatives need to develop effective means to fight back against the bias of the Mass Media on this, as on many other issues. Everything reasonable should be on the table, including embarrassing the dishonest journalists & broadcasters, with their advertisers, competitors & of course, their regular readers, viewers, listeners, etc..

Those that threaten our future can not be allowed a free reign to spread their lies & hysteria. Let's perfect imaginative ways to fight back!

William Flax

[Yollopoliuhqui]

A buddy of mine was there and said that the crowd of over 500 was strongly pro gun. This is a new agey, radical community that hosted its own Occupy movement (which eventually fizzled), so witnessing this pro gun turnout is interesting. We need to remind citizens of our nation’s crime statistics, particularly the statistics on rape and home invasion while hitting on the average police response times along with photos of crime victims.

This is war, kids. Obama and his trotskyite handlers want to make the disarming of America his legacy. It’s the only way the neo-fabian socialists can achieve permanent political hegemony without the specter of a full blown civil war. We need to not only march, but take a page from their street theater manual and start carrying coffins with gun crime victims names on them- “Joe Blow, mugged New York May 7 20012” “Jane Doe, raped Milwaukee June 9 30012” and so on.