Gun advocates taking aim

[Tim Nunan]

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/20 ... aking-aim/

The effort to extend the range of gun owners is advancing to the state House Judiciary Committee.
Friday, February 27, 2009

Martino Johnson, charged with second-degree murder in the shooting death of Terrelle Beasley this week after a minor traffic accident, held a Tennessee-issued permit to carry a handgun.

The publication of that sentence would be a misdemeanor punishable by a $2,500 fine under one of several gun bills that the state House Judiciary Committee could move on next week.

The bill would also prohibit the public from viewing a list of the state's 220,000 gun-carry permit holders, including 33,000 in Shelby County.

The reasoning behind it: The list could be turned into a useful tool for burglars. The evidence that that has ever happened: none. Neither has evidence surfaced that the public would be better served with passage of other elements of this ill-conceived package of bills, which would also:

Remove current prohibitions against carrying guns in state and local parks, ball fields, restaurants where alcohol is served and state wildlife areas.

Repeal a requirement that gun dealers take a thumbprint of buyers.

Encouragingly, some rational arguments were raised during debate over these bills this week in the Criminal Practice and Procedures Subcommittee.

Opponents managed to gain a week's delay for the provision dealing with local parks. And the Tennessee Hospitality Association went on record opposing the bill allowing guns in restaurants that serve alcohol.

But it's clear that a number of bills that would speed the proliferation of firearms in places where families like to gather, children like to play, and some people like to yell "Kill the umpire!" -- but usually in jest -- have some momentum.

Gun advocates have been vocal and passionate about this legislation. The gun lobby has been active. But you don't have to be a lobbyist to let members of the House Judiciary Committee know how you feel.

The list (all phone numbers take the 615 area code): Chairman Kent Coleman, D-Murfreesboro, 741-6829; Vice Chairman Jon Lundberg, R-Bristol, 741-7623; Secretary Janis Baird Sontany, D-Nashville, 741-6861; Eddie Bass, D-Prospect, 741-1864; Karen D. Camper, D-Memphis, 741-1898; Vance Dennis, R-Savannah, 741-2190; Henry Fincher, D-Cookeville, 741-1875; Chad Faulkner, R-Luttrell, 741-3335; Brian Kelsey, R-Germantown, 741-4415; Judd Matheny, R-Tullahoma, 741-7448; Mike Stewart, D-Nashville, 741-2184, and Eric Watson, R-Cleveland, 741-7799.

Sponsors of the bill to ban disclosure of whether a person involved in gun crimes has a carry permit include five Memphis-area legislators who surely wouldn't mind hearing from the public, either: Sen. Mark Norris, R-Collierville, 741-1967; Rep. Curry Todd, R-Collierville, 741-1866; Rep. Barrett Rich, R-Somerville, 741-6890, Rep. Ron Lollar, R-Bartlett, 741-7084, and Rep. Ulysses Jones, D-Memphis, 741-4575.