An article entitled "City officials were eyeing extra security" has appeared in the August 11, 2005 on-line edition of the Star-Telegram. To access the article, use email address packing123@packing.org and password packing123. About halfway through the article, you'll come across this bit of text:
Councilwoman Davis is spouting out the same non-sensical anti drivel that we hear all the time. Hopefully more people like State Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson will keep Councilwoman Davis and her type at bay with his logical reasoning.City leaders say they know state laws prohibit guns from being taken into government meetings, courts and court offices. But concealed handguns -- if the owner has a permit -- are allowed in other areas of government buildings.
Councilwoman Davis said that's something that should change.
"We need to lobby back at the state Legislature and see what in the world happened to make this law happen and how we can get it repealed," she said.
State Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson, who was in the Senate and led the drive for the concealed handgun law to be passed in 1995, said changing the law will not protect everyone.
"If they want to make things safe and keep themselves safe from lunatics, put metal detectors up. If this guy comes in with a gun, and doesn't have a license, he'll go to jail.
"If you ban them in the building, and this guy is determined to shoot somebody, then he'll wait in the parking lot," Patterson said. "If you ban them from the parking lot, he'll wait on the sidewalk. ... You cannot deter lunatics."
On Wednesday, officials said they didn't know if Ray Redding -- who is accused of firing a gun at City Development Director Bob Riley -- held a concealed handgun license.
How many times do we have to say it before people listen?
Stay safe...
SteyrM40
