Well done, council members. This is the kind of good lookin’ out we elected people like David Shumaker for.
It’s comforting to know that there are those who will stand up to the fools and degenerates in the TN Legislature and protect our citizens on a community level.

The Bristol Herald Courier has done a fine job of supporting sanity in this community and they bring us this fine statement from the Editorial Board…

By Bristol Herald Courier Editorial Board

Published: July 10, 2009

Getting a statewide bill passed that allows citizens to carry firearms into parks became one of the most drawn out and messiest battles of the 2009 Tennessee General Assembly.

Gov. Phil Bredesen ultimately vetoed the bill, the legislature swiftly overrode it and the law will take effect Sept. 1.

But Tennessee lawmakers left an opening for localities to decide for themselves, which begs the question: Why did they spend all those weeks fighting and wrangling?

On Tuesday, the Bristol Tennessee City Council took advantage of that loophole. On a 3-2 vote, council members said bring the picnic basket when you enter a city-owned park, but leave the gun at home.

Johnson City officials approved a similar handgun ban last week. Other cities, including Memphis, Chattanooga and Nashville, are considering their own measures.

Bristol Tenn.’s decision was supported by City Manager Jeff Broughton and Police Chief Blaine Wade.

Council members David Shumaker, Margaret Feierabend and Mayor Fred Testa voted to ban firearms in city parks. Joel Staton and James Messimer opposed the measure.

Shumaker said he was uncomfortable with people bringing guns into public parks because they are “a weapon designed for a human being to kill another human being.”

Staton called Shumaker’s view “ridiculous” and said the resolution unfairly targets legal handgun owners who are properly trained and would carry them openly.

We support the City Council’s decision on a variety of levels, including safety and local autonomy. The Tennessee legislature left the final decision to the localities. The City Council’s vote considered the recommendations of the city manager and the police chief, both of whom oppose people carrying firearms into city parks.

Some supporters have argued that the ban is an infringement on Second Amendment rights. Perhaps they will challenge the law.

But they should begin in Nashville, where state lawmakers agreed to create this loophole for localities. And Bristol, Tenn., is among several so far that have decided to ban firearms in city parks.

Opponents also should consider the parallels with other places – like public schools – where firearm prohibitions already exist with public support.

Public parks, like public schools, are designed for children and families – and that justifies a different set of rules regarding firearms.

We believe the Bristol Tennessee City Council acted in the interest of safety for the majority of its residents when it voted to ban firearms from city parks. Shumaker, who noted that he owns firearms, said he sees no reason for residents to carry handguns in heavily populated areas such as parks.

We believe the presence of guns in such places could lead to escalated harm if people carrying the weapons overreact to confrontations. It’s one thing if an argument leads to a fist fight, but what if both people are carrying firearms?…

I do appreciate the courage of the Bristol City Council on this issue.
The last thing we need is a bunch of trigger-happy Conservanoid goofballs endangering our children in our city parks while they play John Wayne with they’re new gun.

The thing that amazes me with these types is that they seem to think that they would be capable of stopping some criminal element in a worst case scenario.
Fact is, these hide-in-the-gun-cabinet types would either open fire and hit nothing but innocent bystanders (probably children), or you’d find them and their gun hiding under a picnic table peeing themselves in fear.
Paper silhouette targets don’t prepare people for battle. These people are much like the gang members in big cities that pull drive-by shootings and hit everyone but the intended target. A bunch of loose cannons and walking time bombs.

We don’t need them making our recreation areas dangerous when they’re not.
Get it through your heads, trigger tarts. YOU are the element that’s dangerous to our families.

Honorable mention to a man I was previously unsure of, Councilman Fred Testa. I never expected intelligent decision making from Testa after having met him. But I’m pleased to be found wrong in this case.

Joel Staton’s seat will be the next target when elections roll around again.

Good job BCC.