If it wins final approval next week and is ever enforced, it will likely end up in court, said Councilman Bruce Kraus, one of its authors. He welcomed the court fight.
"We know what we're doing is activism," he said. "It's what we intended to do."
Stopping straw purchases is a great goal, said Councilman Ricky Burgess, but a city law isn't the way to do it. He cited two state laws that, in his view and that of city lawyers, bar municipalities from writing any rules on the transfer, ownership, transportation or possession of firearms.
"I'm not willing to participate in a hoax on my communities," he said after the vote.
He said council members knew they were voting for something that runs afoul of state law.
"Do I now go home to the crack cocaine dealers on the corners and say, if you don't like the law, you don't have to follow it?"
"Who really cares about it being unconstitutional?" said Councilwoman Tonya Payne. "This is what's right to do
Similar measures recently passed in Allentown and Pottsville, and are under consideration in Bethlehem, Easton, Lancaster, Reading and York, according to Mr. Grace.
“I no longer need to run as a Presidential Candidate for the Socialist Party. The Democrat Party has adopted our platform.” - Norman Thomas, a six time candidate for president for the Socialist Party, 1944
You might want to give warnings about removing weapons and other projectiles from reach before posting things like this
Quote:
"Who really cares about it being unconstitutional?" said Councilwoman Tonya Payne. "This is what's right to do
in the future...unless you work in computer manufacturing and like having members here to support your work by destroying their computers.
As far as how to deal with these issues I will just re-post what I said about the WA situation on another thread with a few modifications:
Call me crazy but if you or I did something we knew to be illegal and still did it our a$$es would be in jail. So how is making a law/regulation/rule that you know to be against the law any different. Doesn't [strike]WA[/strike] PA have state troopers or something that the Governor could send to arrest [strike]this guy and anyone from his staff participating[/strike] every member of this counsel that voted in favor of this law for KNOWINGLY breaking the law of the state? If we expect our governments to be by, of and for the people we need to start demanding the arrest of government officials that knowingly break the law and then sue them personally (so we don't end up paying their fines for wasting our money) in civil court to recover all the lost legal fees defending their illegal practices.
JAG: So why do you need armor piercing ammo?
tcourtplayer: Zombies
JAG: For when they hide behind engine blocks?
tcourtplayer: Just because the movies say they will be dumb and slow doesn't make it true.
JAG: WOW!!!
[center]Pennsylvania: Pittsburgh City Council Passes “Lost or Stolen” Measure[/center]
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
[center]Please Contact Mayor Luke Ravenstahl Today![/center]
In a preliminary vote taken yesterday, the Pittsburgh City Council passed an anti-gun ordinance that would require gun owners to report a lost or stolen firearm within a 72-hour period or face fines and possible imprisonment. The measure passed overwhelmingly by a 6-1 margin with two abstentions. A final vote could be taken as early as next week, after which the measure will go to the Mayor for his signature or veto.
This ordinance violates Pennsylvania’s preemption statute; Title 18, Section 6120. Limitation on municipal regulation of firearms and ammunition. This section specifically states that, "No county, municipality or township may in any manner regulate the lawful ownership, possession, transfer or transportation of firearms, ammunition or ammunition components when carried or transported for purposes not prohibited by the laws of this Commonwealth."
This ordinance may also be in conflict with Article 1, Section 21 of the Constitution of Pennsylvania which states, “The right of the citizens to bear arms in defense of themselves and the state shall not be questioned.” However, the Pittsburgh City Council is thumbing its nose at the Constitution. Councilwoman Tonya Payne (District 6) even had the nerve to say, "Who really cares about it being unconstitutional?"
State preemption regulating firearms was enacted by the legislature to avoid the possibility of 2,639 separate firearm laws across the Commonwealth. Without preemption there would be a myriad of local firearm laws making compliance impossible for law-abiding gun owners.
Please contact Mayor Luke Ravenstahl (D) TODAY and respectfully urge him to oppose this illegal and unwarranted attack on our Second Amendment rights. The Mayor can be reached by phone at (412) 255-2626, by fax at (412) 255-2687, or email mayorcompl@city.pittsburgh.pa.us.
POLITICIANS & DIAPERS NEED TO BE CHANGED OFTEN AND FOR THE SAME REASON
A person properly schooled in right and wrong is safe with any weapon. A person with no idea of good and evil is unsafe with a knitting needle, or the cap from a ballpoint pen.
I remain pessimistic given the way BATF and the anti gun crowd have become tape worms in the guts of the Republic. - toad
Do they see the problem there?