In January, Senator Bob Ewing (R-31/Spearfish) said he supported House Bill 1087, the school gunslinger bill. He acknowledged that our schools are safe, but he justified HB 1087 as a way to give school districts more local control and one more tool for security.
At this morning's District 31 crackerbarrel in Spearfish, Senator Ewing reversed his position. He told an audience of fifty-some interested citizens that he's received a lot of public input, and that based on that input, he will vote against HB 1087.
The crackerbarrel audience applauded Senator Ewing for his change of heart, as should the rest of us. He joins the mostly sensible Reps. Fred Romkema and Tim Johns to make the Lawrence County delegation unanimous in its opposition to this fear-based gun legislation.
Senator Ewing also shows that public input matters. All of you who take the time to call or e-mail your legislators can make a difference. Good work, folks!
And with HB 1087 possibly headed for a vote on the Senate floor this week, submitting that input is vital. If you're in District 31, contact Senator Ewing and encourage to stick with what he said today and vote No. The rest of you, contact your senators. If you know they oppose HB 1087, thank them and reinforce their opposition. If they have said they support this bad bill, encourage them to take a cue from Senator Ewing and put sound educational practice over slogans about "local control" and the other misinformation being used to sell this bad bill.
All this gunslinging talk is sure keeping the focus away from the whining about money isn't it?
This is a bad idea, and I'm glad that additional legislators are seeing the host of flaws with this legislation. Guns in the classroom will not keep our children safe, rather they will put our children’s lives in greater jeopardy. School resource officers and other alternatives are the smart and responsible way forward.
I'm working to bring an alternative faith witness to the Religious Right folks pushing this bill forward. Any additional support through liking this Facebook page and getting the support of other people of faith would be greatly appreciated!
https://www.facebook.com/PeopleOfFaithForSmartSafetyInSdSchools
Gee, Pastor Kroger: you're preaching to the choir here. Why not go convert the sinners over in NRA PPurgatory.
oh, and: facebook is malware.
An alternative faith witness. Does that mean he's going to bring a bark-eater who will testify that the trees and herbs she worships don't want vigilant and armed custodians in schools, protecting all those children?
Thank you, Karl! I appreciate your testimony in Pierre Friday, as well as the online effort! I feel the same way about protecting my daughter from this gun-nuttiness.
MN Dept of Public Safety reports crimes committed by permit holders w/guns carried under permit out-numbered defensive uses 114-4 ('03-11.) RT @jhwygirl
Hey, Larry, got a link on those numbers?
Sure, confuse me with the facts. Here's the source: David Waldman @KagroX
MN Dept of Public Safety reports crimes commited by permit holders w guns carried under permit outnumbered defensive uses 114-4 from 2003-11
He has a whole series gleaned from Public Safety records. Lots of pdf at
https://dps.mn.gov/divisions/bca/boards-committees/crimnet/Documents/IDRoadmapReport.pdf
Can't find it in press release.