Posted on 04/15/2002 8:15:56 PM PDT by Lazamataz
Des Plaines (LAZ) -- By a 7 to 1 vote, Des Plaines City Council rejected two sweeping pieces of gun control legislation introduced by Alderman Don Smith and heavily and vocally backed by Richard Daley, the Mayor of Chicago.
Des Plaines is twenty miles from Chicago, and is considered a suburb of the city.
Smith introduced both a set of gun dealer restrictions, and a comprehensive assault weapons ban.
The gun dealer restrictions would have forced gun dealers to pay 55$ to the city, undergo fingerprints, be subjected to a criminal background check, and would have prevented gun dealers from operating in a quarter-mile radius of dozens of types of establishments, virtually preventing any gun and ammunition sales in Des Plaines.
The second ordinance would have banned sales and possession of so-called assault weapons, which were defined by name and by features. There was no provision for grandfathering of existing firerams.
The turnout by those opposed to these measures was so large that both the city council meeting and the overflow room were too full for the Des Plaines firefighters requirements, so the remaining individuals needed to watch television monitors set up in the hallways and lobby. The crowd was overwhelmingly opposed to the measure, and occasionally needed to be quieted by the mayor.
After the resolutions were introduced, each of the Aldermen from each of the other seven wards took turns harshly criticizing the legislation.
One Alderman, Dick Sayad (Ward 4), took personal umberage at the legislation, noting that he is a proud owner of three firearms and that his wife is trained and willing to defend herself when he is away. He also pointed out that the way the legislation was written, that no firearms sales could occur within a quarter mile radius of the son or daughter of any veteran, completely eliminating all firearms sales in the city limits.
Another Alderman, Carla Brookman (Ward 5) remarked that she had a flood of emails and calls, "more than I have on any issue ever", and that not one call or email was in favor of the legislation.
Not in THAT city, it seems like. :o)
It looks like gun control is a Chicago-only phenomenon. Statewide it will not play. If it cannot even get ONE vote besides the sponser in a suburb only a few miles from Chicago, gun control in Illinois ain't going anywhere.
We may not make PROGRESS for a little while -- no CCW or State Premption -- but we will not LOSE ground!
Sure.
I think it looked unbiased. I didn't see the part where you referred to the council member who introduced the legislation as a @#*&%@##. Other than that it was good.
I do regret missing tonight's FReep, just so I could have met all of you. Darn it. The bad news is that no doubt there will be other opportunities to freep (wish I could say that wasn't the case). The good news is that our grassroots efforts DO have an effect.
Do what one pro-2a I know does....drive IN FRONT of the Million Moron....real slow.... :D
I am new to Illinois. Inform me. What did Skokie do?
Wonder if after the meeting Alderman Smith was met outside by a few dozen water pistols and 'Super Soakers'?
Stay well - Stay safe - Stay armed - Yorktown
Straight answer: they did it by manipulating the legal definition of the device. This is an old DemocRat trick not entirely limited to Kalibanfornia. Out here a dirk or dagger is "any object that can cause serious bodily injury or death" and a gun is loaded if there are "any cartrige cases in the immediate vicinity" (note that they needn't be live, loaded, assembled, or the correct caliber to fit the firearm, and the firearm need not be assembled. There are plenty more, enough to make everyone a criminal except state employees. Hope this helps.
Hey, SOMEone has to make some money. She was working her programming contract. Wot a trooper.
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