South Dakota law makes it a misdemeanor to carry a gun on school grounds and in county courthouses. As a courtesy, schools and courthouses usually put up signs to remind folks who might forget that guns really have no place in those public facilities.
Gun fanatic Rep. Betty Olson (R-28A/Prairie City) thinks there's something wrong with such reminders. With House Bill 1117, Rep. Olson seeks to ban such signs unless public buildings spend a whole lot of money:
No Gun Free Zone sign may be posted at any entrance to any state or local public building unless the building is equipped with a metal detector at each entrance to the building and the metal detector is staffed with trained personnel [2014 HB 1117].
This legislation is neither practical nor logical. Why, if state law establishes a rule, should schools and counties be restricted from informing their citizens of that rule? Rep. Olson may want to repeal that rule so she can carry her precious pistol wherever she darn well pleases, but if she can't win that quixotic political battle, why should she get to punish schools with an unfunded mandate?
If gun-free zones must be equipped with staffed metal detectors, must drug-free zones be staffed with nurses bearing potty cups and breathalyzers?
District 28A, do us a favor. We know you think Betty is all cute and folksy, and we know you like how she comes and sticks her finger in the eye of all the rest of those liberals trying to boss her and her gun around. But Rep. Olson's gun obsession produces a steady stream of dumb, distracting bills. If you want snark, just let Betty write her newspaper columns, and send a serious legislator to Pierre to work with the rest of us on real problems.
Tangentially related: HB 1130 seeks to let us hunt deer and other big critters with crossbows during firearm season. HB 1182 would establish a crossbow season during archery season. If those measures failure, perhaps Rep. Olson will advocate that all public hunting land be staffed with crossbow detectors.
Bette is like Virginia Foxx the representative from backwoodsville, North Carolina. "Everywhere I go in my district, people tell me they are frightened. … I share that fear, and I believe they should be fearful. And I believe the greatest fear that we all should have to our freedom comes from this room — this very room — and what may happen later this week in terms of a tax increase bill masquerading as a health care bill. I believe we have more to fear from the potential of that bill passing than we do from any terrorist right now in any country.” Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC) from the floor of the House of Representatives
Are they twins or what?
7200 coyotes were killed in 2013, 6700 shot, dismembered and tortured in 2012. South Dakota: Land of Infinite Ecocide.
Our state legislators obviously have too much time on their hands. They should only meet every other year as they do in North Dakota. I am trying to understand the motive or purpose here? I guess it's hopeless to try to understand crazy, that's why it's called crazy.
Maybe, every 7 years like the locusts, would be a better deal Jamie. We would probably get more done for the people than what we see now.
"Sometimes I wonder whether the legislature is being run by smart people who are putting us on or by imbeciles who really mean it." With apologies to Mark Twain.
Sid reminded me awhile back on Madville of the Molly Ivins quote, "the legislature is session, every village is missing an idiot".
Every time I log onto to Madville and read what the South Dakota legislature is doing to day, I think of that quote.
Molly was a keeper and certainly had dumb bass dubya's number. Would love to know her feelings about Obama.
Jana, Mark Twain is a favorite of mine. That is a great quote! Thanks.
The crazy, it is strong in SD.
From Stace's twitter feed. "I'm fighting to protect our 2nd Amendment rights because I believe kids of all ages & mental capacities should be packin' heat."
I'm guessing this includes Adam Lanza and James Holmes.
Stace, why not fight to cure and support the care of those with mental disorders rather than make sure they can be armed for an urban assault.
If someone was mentally ill in Stace's Marine unit it would be his responsibility to report it to his superiors. Want to tell us why Stace?
And then we have Troy mocking Hickey's bill on the sin of usury. He is basically saying that people have the choice to destroy their family to get access to outrageous interest rates.
Hmmmm...where have I heard that word "choice" before in regards to whether or not it is offends someone's religious beliefs?
That quote was not from Stace's twitter feed, Jana: that is Pat's fake one designed to harass a member of his own party. And, Troy? Integrity has never been his strong suit.
Sorry Stace...I think. That's a pity, Pat.
iowa allows crossbows to people with verifiable disabilities that preclude them from shooting recurves or compounds,only during archery season for Bambi. Since iowa's Senate is controlled by Dems and the House of rethugs doesn't have an ironclad majority,iowans don't have to fear really insensitive and/or obnoxious bills from either side.
Jana,
Rest assured that Stace will make the 2nd Amendment a part of his campaign, it is just a matter of time.
He will easily stir up the NRA base and mouth the rhetoric they need to hear.
I am wondering whether or not Stace, if he wins, will introduce legislation making him an "exception" and allow Senators to pack weapons in the rotunda.