Posted on 04/15/2002 8:15:56 PM PDT by Lazamataz
Des Plaines (LAZ) -- By a 7 to 1 vote, Des Plaines City Council rejected two sweeping pieces of gun control legislation introduced by Alderman Don Smith and heavily and vocally backed by Richard Daley, the Mayor of Chicago.
Des Plaines is twenty miles from Chicago, and is considered a suburb of the city.
Smith introduced both a set of gun dealer restrictions, and a comprehensive assault weapons ban.
The gun dealer restrictions would have forced gun dealers to pay 55$ to the city, undergo fingerprints, be subjected to a criminal background check, and would have prevented gun dealers from operating in a quarter-mile radius of dozens of types of establishments, virtually preventing any gun and ammunition sales in Des Plaines.
The second ordinance would have banned sales and possession of so-called assault weapons, which were defined by name and by features. There was no provision for grandfathering of existing firerams.
The turnout by those opposed to these measures was so large that both the city council meeting and the overflow room were too full for the Des Plaines firefighters requirements, so the remaining individuals needed to watch television monitors set up in the hallways and lobby. The crowd was overwhelmingly opposed to the measure, and occasionally needed to be quieted by the mayor.
After the resolutions were introduced, each of the Aldermen from each of the other seven wards took turns harshly criticizing the legislation.
One Alderman, Dick Sayad (Ward 4), took personal umberage at the legislation, noting that he is a proud owner of three firearms and that his wife is trained and willing to defend herself when he is away. He also pointed out that the way the legislation was written, that no firearms sales could occur within a quarter mile radius of the son or daughter of any veteran, completely eliminating all firearms sales in the city limits.
Another Alderman, Carla Brookman (Ward 5) remarked that she had a flood of emails and calls, "more than I have on any issue ever", and that not one call or email was in favor of the legislation.
I did the best job I could writing an unbiased 'normal journalism' piece above. Let me know if it was good enough.
GOOD JOB FREEPERS!!
Chicagofarmer, I apologize for criticizing your god-awful grammar. You are obviously on our side.;)
He actually tried a last minute amendment for global registration for all sales of firearms.
He is a dedicated little moron, huh?
I figure in five years it will be illegal to own a firearm in Illinois.
I used to believe that too, until I met all the hundreds of protesters. I have never seen such a coordinated and energetic group. And this is in the most liberal area of the state!
No, complete gun bans will not occur statewide in Illinois in my lifetime.
Laz, how on earth did Smith come up with wording that would accomplish this?
We may be turning the corner on this issue. I'd love to see a Republican Congress casually overrule the handgun ban in the District of Columbia. State flatly that this will save lives and reduce violence, and that opponents are willing to see scores of black folks die because they can't defend themselves against predators. Then, once the inevitable drop in the murder rate occurs, use those stats to crusade for the restoration of the Second Amendment everywhere in America.
The wording was, no firearms sales in a quarter mile radius of any school, university, hospital, park, senior citizens living center, veterans residence or that of their spouse or child.
People were laughing outright at this.
Smith also would have made it illegal to sell to someone who intended to use the firearm for a criminal act.
The guy is simply bizarre.
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