[Mpls] Guns and Calhoun Square

[heather martens]

In reply to Mr. Krasnow on guns and Calhoun Square:   Your argument that “no-gun” signs make businesses a target is fallacious. The first businesses to post have been banks. The National Rifle Association also bans concealed weapons from its national conferences. Perhaps they know something you don’t.   What transactions do people conduct at Calhoun Square that require a gun? Or perhaps I should ask, what is frightening about Calhoun Square? (Remember, if one is very nervous, one can try mace, which never accidentally blows people's heads off. To read more fully about how lousy handguns are for self-defense, read the pro-gun experts themselves at www.vpc.org/studies/uninsum.htm   Given guns in order to supposedly protect the public, here are some of the problems that permit holders have chosen to take care of:   -- Recalcitrant dates: Outside a woman acquaintance’s home, legal permit holder Orrin Weiss of Florida held a handgun to her temple after an argument.   -- Dangerous diners: A Minnesota permit holder felt he had to have his gun while dining out, presumably among dangerous people. Unfortunately, while he was in a Mankato restaurant, his gun fell on the floor and wounded a woman sitting at a neighboring table. Oops. (The victim gave testimony on conceal-carry to the Minnesota legislature.)   -- Bad drivers: Gun permit holder Jesus Fernandez of Florida pointed his gun at another driver after being cut off in traffic. Mr. Fernandez received community service and a fine. His gun permit wasn’t revoked until 11 months after sentencing.   -- Lack of firepower against the bar bouncer: Alberto Ruiz Fabila of Texas was arguing with another patron outside a bar. When off-duty police officer D.A. Gamboa tried to intervene, Fabila pointed his gun at him. Gamboa grabbed the gun and was shot in the hand.   One thing proponents of this law are really afraid of is information. The law as they wrote it says the public does not have the right to know whether someone has a conceal-carry permit, EVEN WHEN THEY ARE ARRESTED FOR A CRIME WITH A GUN. What exactly do the gun-rights people not want us to know?   The Minnesota Gang Strike Force has been cut from a successful $7 million operation to almost nothing. But the Hennepin County Sheriff, Pat McGowan, has money to open a brand-new office in the Grain Exchange and post one or two staffers just to process gun permits. That is a nonsensical allocation of resources. Fewer police officers now have a bigger job, complicated by having to figure out who’s supposed to have a gun and who isn’t. And yes, the law enforcement groups I heard testify held votes of their membership on what their positions should be. They opposed conceal-carry.   I hope Calhoun Square and others have the wisdom to post signs.     Heather Martens Kingfield