Bristol City Council Expected To Vote On Banning Guns In Parks
BRISTOL, Tenn. – Add Bristol to the list of Tennessee cities rushing to keep their residents from carrying handguns in public parks.
Bristol’s City Council is expected to vote Tuesday on a resolution banning residents from possessing handguns in the municipal parks. And two council members have already left no doubt that they will strongly back the ban.
“I fully support it,” Councilwoman Margaret Feierabend said Thursday regarding the no-handgun resolution. “Guns don’t have a place in our parks, and people need to know they don’t have a place there.”
Councilman David Shumaker said: “Absolutely, I won’t have a bit of trouble voting for the (resolution). There’s no reason on earth somebody needs to carry a gun in one of our parks.”
Bristol will join Johnson City among the Tennessee cities quickly reacting to an approved state law, scheduled to take effect Sept. 1, that will allow handgun permit holders to carry their guns into public parks.
The state law, however, allows local communities to keep banning handguns in the parks – if they pass new legislation that specifically says so.
Johnson City commissioners unanimously approved a no-handgun resolution Thursday. Memphis, Chattanooga and Nashville are among other Tennessee cities weighing similar actions.
Bristol Police Chief Blaine Wade said Thursday that his department backs the proposed council resolution. Wade said the ban would make things “much easier” for his officers as they patrol city parks.
But John Harris, executive director of the Tennessee Firearms Association, said Bristol and other cities couldn’t use a loophole – even one provided by the state – to avoid obeying the new law allowing handguns in public parks. Tennessee officials simply didn’t have the constitutional authority to give such power to state cities, Harris said.
It’s like if you elect a judge to serve on the bench and administer the law,” Harris said, “but when you have a case before him, he says he doesn’t feel like dealing with it and gives it to his bailiff to hear.”
Harris said this association might take legal action if handgun permit owners aren’t allowed to carry their weapons in public parks when the approved state law takes effect Sept. 1.
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Reader Reactions
How many gun related incidents in parks are there each year? If everyone is toting a gun to a park, whether to kill/rob/rape or to shoot at the killers/robbers/rapists, maybe we should stop calling them parks and change it to:
Steele Creek Battlefield.
Sounds like there are a lot of people here ready to move up in the hills and fortify themselves against the non-white invasion that is inevitable because the government is collapsing. Am I right?
Do you really think lawbreakers care what city council passes? They could care less, in fact I’m sure they will support you in this city law. I’m sure they will be happy to see this pass, then they won’t have to worry about a (back ground checked) law abiding citizen being armed. It will make their job a little less stressful in taking care of their helpless victim(s). I hope and pray that no one falls victim of this unwise city law, if passed. (even for any of the city council members or their family members that may vote to pass this) It seems to me that they will be voting against the law abiding citizens of the city from carrying concealed, in favor of the true lawbreakers. Like I said, lawbreakers will care less about what city law you pass, and still go armed. Why don’t you vote against this unwise city law, and let the lawbreakers wonder if their intended law abiding victim is carrying concealed or not?
If passed, I will stop going to your city parks, and pay to go only to parks located in Virginia. They already have better security potection anyway.
I agree with whitehorse,all you need to do is check crime rates at Steele Creek park in Bristol,and Wingdeer park in JC.
Great idea. Let’s continue to let the rapists and the muggers carry the weapons in the parks. They come there to pray on the good folks. Law abiding folks of good character should be able to carry a concealed gun wherever they want. It would defintely make the criminals think twice before they attacked someone.
I think if a city will not allow guns in parks than they should pay for police to stay in and patrol the parks,because I don’t think criminals are going to obey that sign that say no guns. When people get raped,hurt or even killed, I think these city commissioners need to be held accountable to pay for hospital and funeral bills.
Yep, the government is protecting the sheeple again… or so they think. In reality, like TnAndy says, the law-abiding, handgun-carrying citizens are disarmed while the bad guys now have a target-rich environment. This is common sense that is so simple and clear that I am stunned at the continued ignorance of our government and those sheeple that support decisions such as this. Why do you think the bad guys commit their crimes at schools and colleges and NOT at gun stores and shooting ranges? HelllLLLOOO!!!!! Schools and colleges are gun-free zones and the law-breakers (by definition) will disregard the law. It is so clear to me, how about you? Is there no such thing as common sense anymore? I for one have quit going to Tennessee parks and now go to Virginia parks for outdoor activities. Also, I have tailored my restaurant choices to those which do not serve alcohol. I do this all because I choose to carry a weapon and protect me and mine and maybe you ~~ if absolutely need be. I have a permit and I exercise my second amendment rights regularly. When will America wake up? When will the government get out of our way? BTW: There is an all-day tea party at Kiwanis Park on Saturday in Johnson City.
Its good to know who the gun haters are.
I now know I don’t have a friend on city government.
Next thing we know we won’t have a right to even own a gun.
We as gun owners need to remind these people that we are part of the population of a free country and not a communistic country where the goal is to disarm the populace.
Maybe they could find a communistc gun hating country that would be glad to have them as citizens.
Our bright legislation ignored the majority in favor of special interests, and now the cities and towns are having to clean it up.
All they are banning are legal, permit holders from carrying guns in parks. The people that pay no attention to laws ( criminals ) will still carry and use them to their advantage…...and with less worry now that it is a “gun free” zone.
Amazing what idiots we have for lawmakers.
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