I still think that one of the most effective things to do is present each council member with a carefully planned proposed lawsuit, printed on pleading paper and ready to be filled in with the specific ord #, date, etc. stating that it will be filed by one if not hundreds of citizens, taking the council, the city, each personally and severally to court. And stating that the lawsuit would be pursued all the way to the Supreme Court if necessary.
Ask them if they are fully prepared to have the city pay the expenses of such a suit for such a long period of time and through all appeals. And if they are prepared to be the ones who set the precedent if/when the plaintiff’s prevail.
Note to them that each retail store or knife seller will be happy to file a separate suit against the city/council for deprivation of civil rights under color of law and loss of income, etc. Trump up as many possible legal grounds conceivable and then ask them if they’re prepared for the costs to defend themselves, their city and council and also the bad publicity that the plaintiff’s are fully ready to unleash on each of them if such a law is passed.
I understand that it’s Bahhhston and the council doesn’t care about spending tax money but it would give them much more pause than everyone sitting around, unprepared, wringing their hands and trying to get “activists” to show up at the council meetings.
If a non-prof legal organization drew up the legaleze and each knife seller served a copy of it on each council member wherein they are personally named, the costs to defend such suit and trying to get themselves excluded would be enough to change at least some minds.
There’s gotta be a 501c(3) legal firm that could put the filing together from general boilerplate and provide it to any activist who wanted to file. And state that such firm would be pursuing the suit pro bono, so the filer wouldn’t be subject to high legal fees for representation. Unlike the council members and city. Filing fees wouldn’t be that much for each individual plaintiff, but if every council member were served, I’ll bet it would get more reaction than pleading the 2nd amend. at some staged public hearing.
Just my $0.02
It is an interesting suggestion. I do not know if it has been considered, and what the downsides might be. Here is the link to Knife Rights, a 501c(4):
http://www.kniferights.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=40&Itemid=135
Here is the part that makes fighting socialism difficult. The socialists don't care about spending public funds in law suits. It's your money they are spending not theirs.
Here is the part that makes fighting socialism difficult. The socialists don't care about spending public funds in law suits. It's your money they are spending not theirs.