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Posted on 05/29/2009 1:27:16 AM PDT by neverdem
Along with more than 200,000 law-abiding Right-to-Carry permit holders in Tennessee, I am disappointed Governor Phil Bredesen vetoed House Bill 962. This bill would extend self-defense rights of permit holders to restaurants. This is a shock and a major disappointment to gun owners and supporters of the Second Amendment because Governor Bredesen had committed to supporting this legislation.
36 other states, including seven states that border Tennessee, provide this protection to law-abiding citizens. During the 2006 campaign, Governor Bredesen assured Tennesseans -- and the NRA in writing -- that he would support this effort. NRA’s endorsement of Governor Bredesen that year centered largely on this promise. Today, that trust has been betrayed.
In his veto message, Governor Bredesen talked about his concerns with mixing firearms and alcohol. But he conveniently failed to mention the absolute prohibition, with grim consequences, for any permit holder who has one sip of alcohol while carrying a firearm. He also ignored the provision which allows restaurants to prohibit carrying firearms in their establishments by simply posting a sign. The provisions of HB 962 are more restrictive than the laws of many of the 36 states that allow restaurant carry. And, it is important to note that despite Governor Bredesen’s dire predictions, these states have not experienced problems because law-abiding gun owners are just that, law-abiding.
The reality is that crime does happen in our restaurants. We are reminded by the headlines of senseless attacks on honest people that occur in restaurants, cafés and even fast food outlets all across our country, including in Tennessee. On April 2, 2009, Benjamin Felix Goeser was gunned down at Jonny's Sports Bar on Nolensville Road in Nashville. His wife, Nicole Goeser has a Right-to-Carry permit. But, she had to keep her gun locked in the car because of Tennessee law. No one knows what the outcome might have been that evening if Nicole had had her firearm with her. All Nicole wanted was a chance -- a chance to save her husband’s life.
House Bill 962 will not bring back Benjamin Goeser or ease Nicole’s sorrow. But, it would give other good, law-abiding Tennesseans that chance to defend themselves and their loved ones. The Tennessee Legislature understood that. That is why this common sense measure passed both chambers with overwhelming, bi-partisan support. We pledge to work to override this ill-conceived veto. That is NRA’s promise. And we intend to keep it.
Chris Cox grew up in Jackson and graduated from Rhodes College in Memphis.
Bredesen just made some serious enemies.
TN voters need to step up and set a precedent with this guy
As to the law, this one sounds like a good balance between rights as private property owners can decide for themselves.
Bredesen sounds like a loser. Any more to the story or background? What were his stated reasons for vetoing it? There must be a lobbyist somewhere in the mix.
This is what happens when the NRA insists on endorsing DEMOCRAT polticians as in this case of Governor Phil Bredesen and John Murtha over a real 2nd amendment candidate.
Another liar in politics, A rat I suppose.
House kills bill to allow guns on college campuses by By Ed Anderson, The Times-Picayune Thursday May 28, 2009, 4:52 PM
BATON ROUGE -- The House voted 86-18 today to kill a bill that would have allowed qualified students 21 and older and faculty members to carry concealed weapons on college campuses.
House Bill 27 by Rep. Ernest Wooton, R-Belle Chasse, was amended to prohibit carrying the concealed weapons at sporting events by barring them at arenas, football stadiums and other sports venues.
Wooton said he amended the bill because of a firestorm of criticism that the measure has generated from college athletics officials, including LSU football coach Les Miles, former LSU Athletic Director Skip Bertman and the commissioners of the Southland and Sun Belt conferences who warned that some schools may not want to play in Louisiana with the concealed carry law in place on campuses.
"It is not a gun bill, it is a rights bill,'' Wooton said.
Rep. Greg Cromer, R-Slidell, asked the House to reject the bill, saying that young students drink and "alcohol and guns on campus don't mix.''
Ed Anderson can be reached at eanderson@timespicayune.com or 225.342.5810.
I don't see the point of this bill anyway since most college students are 18-20 years old. You have to be 21 to get a permit to cary a concealed weapon. Also, the number of college kids with a concealed weapons permit is extreamly low.
"alcohol and guns on campus don't mix." - Apparently, this LAWMAKER doesn't realize it's against the law to carry a gun if you've been drinking. This bill wouldn't have changed that fact.
And they are Republicans to boot. This is a continuation of the infantilization of children. When do they get to be adults?
Drugs, alcohol and sex - OK. Guns - too much for the kiddies to handle.
I mean, we’d rather lose some fundamental rights than miss any football games, right?
This is what happens when rights turn into government (political) granted privileges.
The NRAs victories are hollow.
There are 61 dems in Congress who are stopping barry’s gun control at the moment.
At least the NRA actually gets results over the lazy do nothing goa.
goa = AWOL
The reality is that crime does happen in our restaurants. We are reminded by the headlines of senseless attacks on honest people that occur in restaurants, cafés and even fast food outlets all across our country
Yep. Armed Robbery's do occur in restaurants.
I hate to disappoint you Ringo,
but this ain't the first time
I've had a gun pointed at me.
Part of Bredesens’ veto statement was as follows.
“The notion that this bill would permit one to carry a concealed weapon into a crowded bar at midnight on a Saturday night defies common sense, and I cannot sign such a measure into law.”
I guess he figured that statement would sound a lot better to the gun-grabbers than saying “The notion that this bill would permit a law-abiding citizen to carry a concealed weapon into a Taco Bell at three in the afternoon on a Tuesday defies common sense”.
Actually, Governor, you are the one defying common sense. The House and Senate should quickly over-turn your veto. 66 House members and 26 Senators passed the bill. 50 votes and 17 votes respectively will over-turn you.
?
The NRA was against Heller. The NRA has supported every major piece of gun control legislation since the 1930’s.
The NRA exists to pay the executives of the NRA $1 million salaries and benefits in my humble opinion.
Most work is done on the state level by local organizations.
I know my state VCDL has done the majority of the heavy lifting on every piece of legislation and were instrumental in getting the right to carry in National Parks — not the NRA.
The NRA was against Parker because without a clear majority, we would have lost. Enter Roberts and Alito and then the Heller case. Levy and gunowners were lucky.
The NRA wasn’t a lobbying group until the early 1970’s.
Your group didn’t do anything about Manufacturer’s protection. They did nothing for the Katrina victims. They are doing nothing about using Heller in lawsuits in Illinois or California. They are doing nothing outside of your state for employees who have guns in their cars.
The liberal media doesn’t even know your group even exists.
Why are you saying ‘my group’ I don’t who you are talking about. Perhaps you think I am some one else?
You are dead wrong about the NRA not being a lobby group until the 1970’s. Get your facts straight.
The NRA was lobbying Congress and testifying before Congress as far back as 1934 when it supported the creation of the National Firearms Act, the Federal Firearms Act of 1938, the 1963 Dodd Bill, the 1968 Gun Control Act, the 1986 FOPA, and the very 1st president of the NRA help create the DC gun laws in the first place that Heller was trying to overturn. In fact, it was the NRA who supported “GUN FREE ZONES” to begin with under NRA Presiden Wayne La Pierre.
You don’t have to take my word for it, this is straight from the NRA leadership.
1) NRA President Karl T. Frederick before Congress on April 16, 1934: “I have never believed in the general practice of carrying weapons. I seldom carry one. ... I do not believe in the general promiscuous toting of guns. I think it should be sharply restricted and only under licenses”
2) “The NRA supported The National Firearms Act of 1934 which taxes and requires registration of such firearms as machine guns, sawed-off rifles and sawed-off shotguns. ... NRA support of Federal gun legislation did not stop with the earlier Dodd bills. It currently backs several Senate and House bills which, through amendment, would put new teeth into the National and Federal Firearms Acts.” —American Rifleman, March 1968, P. 22
3) “The NRA supported The Federal Firearms Act of 1938, which regulates interstate and foreign commerce in firearms and pistol or revolver ammunition...” (P. 22)
4) “The NRA supported the original ‘Dodd Bill’ to amend the Federal Firearms Act in regard to handguns when it was introduced as S.1975 in August, 1963. Among its provisions was the requirement that a purchaser submit a notarized statement to the shipper that he was over 18 and not legally disqualified from possessing a handgun.” (P. 22)
5) “In January, 1965, with the continued support of the NRA, Senator Dodd introduced an amended version of his first bill, now designated 5.14 and expanded to cover rifles and shotguns as well as handguns.” (P. 22)
6) “We think it’s reasonable to support the federal Gun-Free School Zones Act. ... We think it’s reasonable to expect full enforcement of federal firearms laws by the federal government. ... That’s why we support Project Exile — the fierce prosecution of federal gun laws...we think it’s reasonable because it works. ... We only support what works and our list is proud.” —NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre Congressional Testimony, May 27, 1999 Hearing Before 106th Congress
7) “The National Rifle Association has been in support of workable, enforceable gun control legislation since its very inception in 1871.” —NRA Executive Vice President Franklin L. Orth NRA’s American Rifleman Magazine, March 1968, P. 22
bang bang BUMP
I am disappointed Governor Phil Bredesen vetoed House Bill 962. This bill would extend self-defense rights of permit holders to restaurants. This is a shock and a major disappointment to gun owners and supporters of the Second Amendment because Governor Bredesen had committed to supporting this legislation. 36 other states, including seven states that border Tennessee, provide this protection to law-abiding citizens.Tennessee provide this protection to citizens? Other way around. Thanks neverdem.
The NRA created the Office of Legislative Affairs[OLA] which was the NRA’s first lobby and full-fledged liason on March 24,1974. It released the news to it’s members in the September magazine of that year.
Had they lobbied before that, they would have lost their tax status.
The NRA’s Institute for Legislative Action was created on April 21, 1975 during their annual meeting.
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