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http://www.keepandbeararms.com/newsarchives/XcNewsPlus.asp?cmd=view&articleid=827

AOL Fires Gun Owners

by Sarah Thompson, M.D.
Director, Utah Gun Owners Alliance
http://www.UTGOA.org

America Online, http://www.aol.com, has been known to gun owners for some time for their support of anti-gun organizations and policies. They’ve donated large sums of money to liberal, anti-gun Democrat organizations to support people like Dianne Feinstein, Hillary Clinton and Ted Kennedy.

More recently, they’ve canceled accounts for firearms related web sites on the grounds that such material is no different from “pornography”. Never mind that guns are entirely legal items owned by tens of millions of Americans. Never mind that AOL doesn’t seem to think that disgustingly offensive rock music is a problem.

Now, in another step towards the final elimination of gun owners from “civilized society”, AOL has fired three exemplary workers for having firearms in their cars in order to go shooting at a range on their own time!

The three employees are Luke Hansen, Jason Melling and Paul Carlson. All three worked as “partner technical consultants” at AOL’s Ogden, Utah facility, doing higher level technical support. The Ogden facility employs about 850 people, according to AOL’s web site, and “handles a range of technical, billing, third-party and sales calls”. According to Mr. Hansen, they had worked at AOL for two to four years, and all had good employee records and good reviews from their supervisors. Unfortunately (at least from AOL’s point of view), the three young men also enjoy shooting.

On September 14, 2000, Luke, Jason and Paul met after work in the AOL parking lot to go shooting at the gun range near Eden, Utah. In order to carpool to the range, Jason and Paul transferred their firearms from their own cars to Luke’s truck, a matter of carrying them a few yards. Jason transferred a .30-06 hunting rifle and a 9mm Smith & Wesson handgun. Both firearms were unloaded and in cases. Paul transferred a .45 long Colt “cowboy style” pistol and a 7.63 X .39 KBI. The Colt was in a holster, and both firearms were unloaded. The handguns had trigger locks in place. Luke’s firearms were in his truck and he never touched Jason or Paul’s firearms. At no time did they brandish or handle the firearms in a threatening or unsafe manner. Luke and Paul hold valid Utah concealed weapons permits, and Jason is in the process of obtaining one, so all three are familiar with safe handling and Utah laws.

Although all three of them worked during the subsequent three days, nothing about the firearms was mentioned. However, on Monday, Sept. 18, all three were fired for “violating AOL’s employee policy” which states that firearms are forbidden on company property, including the parking lot. According to Luke, although no one complained, an overzealous security guard saw the firearms on a video surveillance tape and reported the alleged violations.

AOL does have its firearms policy posted inside the front and back doors of the building, stating that firearms are not permitted in the building or in the parking lot, and all three employees were aware of this policy. However, they were also aware that AOL’s policy violates Utah state law. AOL states that it is a “secure facility”, although under Utah law secure facilities can be designated only by the legislature, and include places such as courts, airports, mental health facilities, and prisons. By definition, a place open to the public cannot be a “secure facility”, and AOL’s parking lot is open to the public. (Actually, it’s a group of marked stalls in a public parking lot.) In addition, a secure facility is required to provide locked safe storage for anyone lawfully carrying a firearm, and accept responsibility for stored firearms, something that AOL clearly was not equipped to do.

On a previous occasion about two months ago, the three men had also transferred firearms after work, and had been reported to management. At that time, Luke Hansen met with AOL’s General Manager, Sarah McElwee. At that time, he explained to Ms. McElwee that while AOL might be able to restrict firearms in the building, it could not restrict firearms in a public parking lot, and that AOL did not meet the criteria for a “secure facility”. Mr. Hansen says he thought the matter was resolved at the time, although no written changes were made to AOL’s policy. Ironically, Ms. McElwee’s husband is known for the very fine firearms he makes!