After much compromise HB 89 passed both the Georgia Senate and House on the last day of the session in 2006. This bill relaxes a few of the restrictions on law-abiding gun owners a little but some folks have fought it as hard as possible. Now, seven years later, the foolishness of their crazy claims about what this law would do have been proven totally false. But they won’t let facts fool them into supporting removing restrictions on law-abiding gun owners, or in making more foolish claims.
Governor Perdue had not signed this bill in mid-April. He did sign it, but before he did I said please consider, as a gun owner, that vetoing this bill puts you on the side of those that say law abiding gun owners are dangerous and can’t be trusted. It puts you on the side of those wanting laws that affect law abiding citizens and have absolutely no effect on criminals.
Right now you can take a concealed gun into a restaurant if it does not sell alcohol. Under HB 89 those with concealed carry permits would be able to take their gun into a restaurant that sold alcohol if they not drink any themselves. Seems reasonable, but the Georgia Restaurant Association has done all it could to scuttle this bill and urged Governor Perdue to veto it.
That seems strange. It is legal right now to carry a gun into 75 to 80 percent of Georgia restaurants because they don’t serve alcohol, according to bill sponsor Representative Tim Bearden. (R 68) So why is it such a problem to that group? Do they represent only restaurants that serve alcohol? Why are they afraid of you and me?
I have been trying to get access to a list of all members of the Georgia Restaurant Association. If they don’t trust me to carry a gun I certainly don’t trust them to prepare my food safely! They list their officers and board members and the restaurants they own on their web site at http://www.garestaurants.org/about/
It is no surprise the Atlanta Journal Constitution was fighting a law that removes some of the restrictions on the civil rights of law abiding gun owners. Jay Bookman tried to play psychologists in a laughable column published in the Atlanta Constitution on April 10. He claimed gun owners wanted to carry their guns with them so they could play hero and save people.
Maybe Bookman has this complex and is trying to transfer it to others, but everyone I know with a carry permit, including me, wants to carry a gun for the same reason I carry a fire extinguisher in my truck. I have no desire to become a fireman or a hero saving others but I simply want to be able to take care of myself.
That seems to be a concept Bookman and his cronies can’t understand. Do they have fire extinguishers in their vehicles or are they willing to call for help if there is a fire and wait while it burns? How are guns different?
Bookman even admits in his column: “As a practical matter, those changes won’t matter much. The folks who want to drive around with a loaded pistol beneath their front seat are going to indulge in that foolishness regardless of what the law says. And armed permit holders won’t suddenly start using their weapons to either save or take lives in restaurants or parks.”
That Bookman knows this makes his other claims look even more foolish. If he knows and admits this bill would only affect law-abiding gun owners, not criminals, why is he so opposed to it?
Senator John Douglas (R 17) has been a strong supporter of this bill. In a letter to the Governor he stated: “Two years of work went into the final version of the bill and we took care of virtually every concern with the exception of those who would allow no gun rights. Please do not veto the bill.”
That, among other things, really makes another AJC columnist fighting gun owners rights look silly. In a column published on April 16 Maureen Downey claimed “House Bill 89 passed the General Assembly in the hectic final hours of the 2008 legislative session without any time for debate, catching both the public and law enforcement off guard.”
The bill was worked on for TWO YEARS. Seems folks at the AJC just can’t get their facts right on anything dealing with guns. Her column goes on to make many more incorrect claims. Fortunately, you no longer have to get your information from anti-gun biased sources like the AJC.
If this bill is still in limbo please let Governor Perdue know it is a good bill that needs to be signed by calling his office at 404-656-1776. Be polite, be short but be sure he knows you think this is a good bill.