Seattle ~ New Handgun Restrictions

[melensdad]

Seattle WA- City puts new gun restrictions into effect

SEATTLE -- A controversial new rule banning guns from several public areas around Seattle went into effect Wednesday. Mayor Greg Nickels says guns will be prohibited at designated Seattle Parks and Recreation facilities where children and youth are likely to be present, such as playgrounds, community and environmental learning centers, sports fields and courts, swimming beaches, pools, water play areas, skateparks, and golf courses.

Anyone who enters one of the posted facilities with a gun will be asked by Parks personnel or Seattle police officers to leave the area. If they refuse, they could be cited or arrested by police for trespassing. After a man shot and injured three people at the 2008 Folklife Festival, Nickels directed city departments to evaluate rules, policies and leases related to guns. The suspect in last year's shooting had a concealed weapons permit and a history of mental health problems.

The rule won't go into effect at a specific facility until signs are posted outside notifying people of the gun ban. The signs will be posted in phases -- the first going up Friday -- with all signs in place by Dec. 1.

Officials with the Second Amendment Foundation have said the rule is illegal and planned to sue the city once the law went into effect. But Nickels doesn't believe the city is acting beyond its power, saying he is asserting the same rights private property owners have.


More information is available at seattle.gov

by KOMO Staff
Originally printed at City puts new gun restrictions into effect | KOMO News - Seattle, Washington | Local & Regional

OK, just curious, why would a state issue a carry permit to someone with a history of mental illness? I don't understand Indiana issuing violent criminals LTCH any more than I understand why Washington would issue carry permits to anyone who is mentally ill. Seems to me the state police in both Indiana and Washington state are guilty of negligence or dereliction of duty.

 

[rambone]

OK, just curious, why would a state issue a carry permit to someone with a history of mental illness? I don't understand Indiana issuing violent criminals LTCH any more than I understand why Washington would issue carry permits to anyone who is mentally ill. Seems to me the state police in both Indiana and Washington state are guilty of negligence or dereliction of duty.

Right now the police/Government don't have the right to look through our medical files. And they shouldn't. At least no state I want to live in.

Its an extremely slippery slope if you ask me. Where do we draw the line? Who is considered "mentally ill?" If someone has ever been treated for depression or taken anti-depressants, are they now treated the same as a convicted felon - no weapons for life? That would leave a lot of non-violent people unarmed, myself included.

When we punish/sanction people before they show any sign of violence, we have traded liberty for security. That would be a great victory to the gun-controllers. It would only be a matter of time until we all fit in some classification that you would deny you your rights.

No matter how many people's rights we strip away from them, and no matter how many gun-free-zones we create, and no matter how many types of weapons are banned... we will still not be safe. The fact is that danger could lurk around any corner, and the best comfort you can give yourself is a means of self-defense. This is the quintessential gun control argument.

 

[AFA1CY]

After a man shot and injured three people at the 2008 Folklife Festival, Nickels directed city departments to evaluate rules, policies and leases related to guns. The suspect in last year's shooting had a concealed weapons permit and a history of mental health problems.

And the next nut job will be sure to follow the rules???

 

[melensdad]

And the next nut job will be sure to follow the rules???

Obviously not but at least the law abiding gun owners won't be blamed. This makes all of us look bad, just like the Indy Star pieces made people with a LTCH look guilty by association. I just wish the ISP would do their job and deny the felons LTCH. Not sure what the WA state laws are but if a mentally incompetent man got a carry permit because the WSP ignored something then it make us look bad too.

 

[spartan933]

I get the idea of not issuing LTCH to people with mental health problems. But, I don't like the Feds rummaging through my health records. So, how do we keep the crazies from getting guns but still maintain privacy?

 

[AFA1CY]

I get the idea of not issuing LTCH to people with mental health problems. But, I don't like the Feds rummaging through my health records. So, how do we keep the crazies from getting guns but still maintain privacy?

We don't, anymore then we can keep criminals from getting them.

 

[r3126]

No real surprise! Washington, like my home state Oregon, got Californicated about 30 years ago and it has only gotten worse. With few exceptions (the outback portions) both those states are as liberal as the People's State of Cali.

 

[mrjarrell]

Nickel's law won't stand. State preemption rules the day in this case, as the mayor well knows. He's just going to end up embarrassing himself and spending lots of taxpayer money defending the indefensible. The lawsuit will settle this quickly and carriers can be about their business. Now all we need to do is work on Indy parks and Carmel's, too.