Guns

New TNGOP Slogan: “Do as I say, Not as I Do”

On November 2, 2009, in Liberate Your Radio from The Right, by Mary Mancini

The AP’s Erik Schelzig highlights the hypocrisy that is the Tennessee Republican Party and – surprise, surprise! – his story involves the TNGOP’s number one legislative priority (jobs and good education for all Tennesseans, be damned!):

Supporters of blocking public access to the names and addresses of Tennesseans with handgun carry permits appear to have a hard time keeping their hands off the records.

An Associated Press records search has found copies of the state’s database of more than 257,000 handgun permit holders were recently requested by the National Rifle Association, the state Republican Party and a direct mail contractor that has done extensive work for the GOP’s legislative caucus.

Asked about those requests, House Republican Caucus Chairman Glen Casada says he opposes using the database for political purposes like campaign fundraising or get out the vote efforts.

(Fist bump: The Scene’s loveable curmudgeon.)

The Mayor of Spring Hill Makes Gun Noises

On August 5, 2009, in Liberate Your Radio from The Right, by Mary Mancini

A FOL* and a Spring Hill resident sent us this story about his Mayor:

A state law enabling citizens, which are authorized to carry handguns, to bring guns to city or county parks will take effect September 1 unless municipalities vote to opt out and ban guns from their city parks.

Thompsonâ€™s Stationâ€™s Board of Mayor and Aldermen [BOMA] will discuss the law passed by the state of Tennessee’s General Assembly during the August 11 meeting.

Spring Hill City Mayor Michael Dinwiddie said this item will be on the agenda this month for discussion.

â€œIâ€™m a supporter of gun rights,â€ Dinwiddie said. â€œI believe we have a constitutional right to keep and bear arms. If it comes to a vote, I’m going to vote not to opt out.â€

However, Spring Hillâ€™s Parks and Recreation Advisory Board voted in July to make a recommendation to the BOMA to opt out.

So on August 11 when BOMA convenes to discuss the new law, Mayor Dinwiddie will stand up to the people who might know a thing or two about what’s best for the parks and recreation areas of Spring Hill and Thompson’s Station. C’mon people, all we’re asking for is a little common sense. Guns and alcohol and guns and little league games do not mix. So give us our bars and our parks. You can carry everywhere else, we promise!

*Friend of Liberadio(!)

UPDATED & CORRECTED: The official calendar on the City of Spring Hill website shows the work session on August the 10th, and the regular meeting the following week on the 17th.

Tagged with: Guns • Guns in Bars • Michael Dinwiddie • Spring Hill

All Gun Permit Holders are Law Abiding Citizens

On June 2, 2009, in Liberate Your Radio from The Right, by Mary Mancini

Except when they’re not.

For the past two radio shows, we’ve had some spirited discussions with our listeners about the guns in bars legislation and guns in general. Most people we spoke to – permit holders and non-permit holders – agreed with us that guns and alcohol don’t mix. But all the pro-gun and permit-holders we spoke to also agreed on something else – they are proud of Tennessee’s gun permit holders because they are responsible, law-abiding citizens.

Jeff Woods of the Nashville Scene has written about the exceptions to the above statement before – a lot – and today he ferrets out another:

Meet Timothy Tyndall. He’s been the proud possessor of a state-issued handgun carry permit for three years. Franklin police say they found him passed out drunk in his car in the Steak & Shake parking lot, a 9mm, semi-automatic Berretta lying next to him on the front seat along with several boxes of ammo, extra magazines and drug paraphernalia.

Tyndall apparently had been thinking about blowing up something because police say he revealed he had been experimenting with explosive chemicals. That sent the ATF and the FBI into action. Agents searched Tyndall’s storage unit in the Cool Springs area and found several 1-gallon containers of stuff, but luckily it apparently isn’t as dangerous as Tyndall imagined.

At the very least, if you’re pro-gun, it’d be swell if you can admit that not every permit-holder is a responsible, law-abiding citizen and take a good, hard look at all the gun legislation swirling around the General Assembly this year – especially the one that will hide from public view the names of permit holders in the state.

Tagged with: Guns • Guns in Bars • Second Amendment

Guns N’ Radio

On May 28, 2009, in Liberate Your Radio from The Right, by Mary Mancini

Today, Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen, vetoed legislation that would have allowed guns in bars, stating:

In recognition of this basic principle of firearm safety, Tennessee state law has long prohibited the possession of firearms in bars and restaurants that serve alcohol. House Bill 962 would remove this protection in a manner that I, along with many law enforcement officers, believe to be reckless and lacking basic safeguards to ensure public safety. 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. As you consider this veto, I respectfully ask the legislature to rethink this issue.

We agree with Governor Bredesen. And despite what the TNGOP would have you believe, so do most Tennesseans, as we found out during our last show when we opened up the phone lines to talk about guns and guns in bars.

We spoke to a lawyer, a mother, a serviceman, and several citizens (one of who wonders out loud if he feels safer knowing that his Roane County representatives are packing heat) about it all – if there is a Constitutional right to be safe in your person, what specific rights are being taken away from gun owners (if any), does alcohol makes you less likely to follow the law, does the public have a right to know the names of gun permit holders, what is the responsibility of bar owners and bartenders and why didn’t anyone ask them what they think about guns in bars, and why do your second amendment rights stop at the door to Legislative Plaza? And not everyone was on the same page.

Listen to our discussion with our listeners on guns [download mp3 49.7MB 31:02].

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Despite the political machinations of certain Republican legislators and special interest groups who use hot-button issues to try and divide and conquer, we found out that Tennesseans who disagree can have a thoughtful and thorough discussions on issues like guns and find common ground and consensus. Too bad that’s not the goal of the TNGOP.

Tagged with: Guns • Guns in Bars • Phil Bredesen • Tennessee • Tennessee Republican Party

LIBERADIO(!)

with Mary Mancini & Freddie O'Connell

New TNGOP Slogan: “Do as I say, Not as I Do”

The Mayor of Spring Hill Makes Gun Noises

All Gun Permit Holders are Law Abiding Citizens

Guns N’ Radio

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