New gun law sets stage for airport showdown

[Hazcat]

Lawmaker says he'll defy city's ban on weapons

By JIM THARPE
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Published on: 07/01/08
 
You could call it the Atlanta version of "High Noon."

Top city officials will announce Tuesday that despite a new state gun law that went into effect at midnight, they will have anyone carrying a weapon at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport arrested. The state lawmaker who sponsored the new gun law says if they do, the city will immediately be sued. And state Rep. Tim Bearden (R-Villa Rica) said the plaintiff in the lawsuit could be himself.

"I have a permit, and I have family I have to pick up at the airport tomorrow [Tuesday]," Bearden told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Monday. "I'll have one [a concealed weapon] with me at all times."

Airport General Manager Ben DeCosta said if Bearden shows up at the world's busiest airport with a gun, he'll be busted.

"I can identify him, and I'll have him arrested," DeCosta said Monday. "We're not fooling around. This is a post-terrorism environment."

The new law, which Bearden sponsored, permits licensed gun owners to carry concealed firearms in parks, on public transportation and in restaurants that serve liquor. The law takes effect Tuesday.

Firearms proponents hailed the law as a victory for the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. They say law-abiding citizens with the appropriate permits should be allowed to carry firearms in formerly forbidden areas for self-protection.

Before the new law was passed, Georgia law banned guns from venues like public transportation and restaurants serving alcohol. More than 40 other states permit guns on public transportation, Bearden said, and 37 allow permit holders to carry weapons into restaurants.

"I was in law enforcement for 15 years," Bearden said as the bill awaited the governor's signature two months ago. "I never rode up on a shooting in progress. I don't like the idea of the police telling you, 'Get mugged, get raped, get murdered. We'll come by, take the report, or send flowers.' That's the wrong message."

Opponents, however, blasted the proposal, saying it has the potential to spark more violence than it stops. DeCosta wrote to Gov. Sonny Perdue asking him to veto the bill, and Mayor Shirley Franklin and MARTA officials publicly lambasted the idea. MARTA bus drivers gathered more than 1,000 signatures on petitions demanding bulletproof shields.

Federal law already bans guns past the security checkpoints at U.S. airports. The new state law, however, apparently would permit guns to be carried on the non-secure side of Hartsfield-Jackson by people who have gone through a background check and have been certified to carry a weapon. Licensed gun owners would be permitted to carry weapons on public transportation coming into the airport, its lobby and in restaurants outside the security checkpoints.

DeCosta said he will use the first day the new law takes effect to declare Hartsfield-Jackson a "gun-free" zone.

"We're going to make it clear that the law does not make any allowance for guns at the airport," DeCosta said. "Guns are not appropriate for any airport in Georgia."

He and Franklin plan a 10 a.m. news conference to discuss the new gun law.

Bearden said the new law clearly permits guns in some areas of the airport.

"They are not appropriate once you go past security," he said. "But in parking lots or restaurants or public transportation, they are OK."

The state lawmaker said the city does not have the authority to defy a state law, and if they make arrests they will end up in court.

DeCosta said city officials will not back down from their position on the new law and again vowed to have Bearden or anyone else carrying a gun on airport property arrested.

"He can then have all the NRA [National Rifle Association] lawyers say why it's OK for him to bring a gun to the airport," DeCosta said.

MARTA, meanwhile, released a statement late Monday noting that state law prohibits firearms on public transit unless the carrier has a valid license to carry a gun.

"This license must be carried at any time that an individual is carrying a firearm on MARTA," the statement said.

Link: http://www.ajc.com/business/content/business/stories/2008/06/30/airport_gun_showdown.html?cxntnid=amn070108e

[alfsauve]

I was about to post same.

The arrogance of public officials.   In DC and Chicago the attitude to the SCOTUS was one of we'll find a way to weasel around it.  In Atlanta, just blatant disregard for public law.   And with the city in a budget crisis they'll waste money fighting this lawsuit.

I'm wondering if dozens or hundreds of us Georgia CCWs should up with Tim Bearden to help him pick up his family at the airport what they would do?   

Also catch my next post here about Steven Greenhuts' article on big government.

Alf

[TAB]

I hope they arrest the guy,  not for carrying a weapon... but for trespassing.  Its pretty clear he has been warned not to goto the property.  He is acting like a teenager.

[CurrieS103]

The lawyers are already lining up for this one...on both side.

[Hazcat]

I hope they arrest the guy,  not for carrying a weapon... but for trespassing.  Its pretty clear he has been warned not to goto the property.  He is acting like a teenager.

There you go again, TAB.

Wrong as usual.  This is a public airport on public property.  The gentleman has a reason and a right to be there.  He is not breaking any law so tell me again why he should be arrested?  Trespassing must have a legal reason to enforce, the airport has none.  They are just stamping their feet and whining about a law that has be legally passed by the state legislature and signed into law by the Governor.

So who is acting like a teenager?

[Sponsor]

[TAB]

There you go again, TAB.

Wrong as usual.  This is a public airport on public property.  The gentleman has a reason and a right to be there.  He is not breaking any law so tell me again why he should be arrested?  Trespassing must have a legal reason to enforce, the airport has none.  They are just stamping their feet and whining about a law that has be legally passed by the state legislature and signed into law by the Governor.

So who is acting like a teenager?

Is there legal reason for him going to the air port?  you know like picking some one up or something like that?   He is doing this simply to get attention so he can get relected.  no reason to make a threat about going there to get arested.  It would have been much easier for him to have who ever is incharge of enforcing the laws in the state, make sure  they are enfroced.


He is grandstanding to get relected, nothing more.

[saltydogbk]

I'm no lawyer but, State trumps local, and Federal trumps State.  So would all the local libs please stop trying to rewrite the law of the land.

[Hazcat]

Is there legal reason for him going to the air port?  you know like picking some one up or something like that?   He is doing this simply to get attention so he can get relected.  no reason to make a threat about going there to get arested.  It would have been much easier for him to have who ever is incharge of enforcing the laws in the state, make sure  they are enfroced.


He is grandstanding to get relected, nothing more.

Yes he has a reason...

"I have a permit, and I have family I have to pick up at the airport tomorrow [Tuesday]," Bearden told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Monday. "I'll have one [a concealed weapon] with me at all times."

But even if it was what you call grandstanding, how about looking at it like it is his DUTY as a legislature to ensure that laws are followed.  So either way he has a reason to be there.

Why don't you just admit that your wrong?  I personally would like more grandstanding like this from our elected officials.  It is one of the things we pay them for.

[TAB]

So instead of him being arested, why does he not go to the air port with the head of the state agency that enforces the laws, and give the guy a choice, fallow the law or be removed...   No that would be to easy, way to simple and he would not get nation wide news coverage of that.  He could have made this all go away with one phone call, he still could have gotton plenty of news attention by doing that.  Instead, he makes threats, how is that not grandstanding?

[Hazcat]

How about he is making an example of a grandstanding little dictator wannabe so that this does not repeat itself?

If you will notice in the article Bearden (Legislator) TOLD the wannabe that it is legal.  Little dictator (and city officials) said they don't care.  So the 'phone call' has already been made.

Any other baseless, foolish arguments you need shot down?