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Should Municipalities Be Able to Restrict Guns in Public Parks?

The arrest of a man for carrying a gun in a Sugar Hill park recently, and a decision by the Snellville mayor to look at possibly doing something about people carrying guns in city parks, has prompted some heated discussion.

In April, a Cumming resident was arrested after carrying a gun in a Sugar Hill city park. A security guard is reported to have accused him of illegally carrying a gun. He was subsequently arrested. However, he had a permit for the gun and, under Georgia law, was legally allowed to carry it. The man, Christopher Proescher, has now filed a lawsuit against the Sugar Hill security guard and the Gwinnett County police.

The case, however, prompted As reported in Snellville Patch, she expressed concern about people carrying guns in Snellville city parks and wanted to see if anything could be done about it. The subject has drawn some heated discussion among residents. While some share the Snellville mayor’s concerns, it has been pointed out Georgia’s law allows for gun owners who are correctly permitted to carry guns, even in public parks.

One of the men allegedly pulled a gun on a visitor to the park and robbed him of a pack of cigarettes, a pocket knife and his hat.

Our question here is, if municipalities were able to place restrictions on law abiding citizens carrying guns in city or county parks, would that not leave the field open for those who carry guns for criminal purposes? 

Karsten Torch June 25, 2012 at 08:52 pm
I'll admit - that's a valid question. If I had to worry about the possibility of being somewhere that a fire could break out and there would not be any fire extinguishers on the premises, I probably would.
Floyd Akridge June 25, 2012 at 09:01 pm
Karsten...what a great point...love it.
Floyd Akridge June 25, 2012 at 09:03 pm
Dave...hahahaha...good one.
Shawn June 25, 2012 at 11:03 pm
Absolutley not!
Marne M June 26, 2012 at 12:50 pm
It's a good thing this immature, drunken college student happened to have a gun...
http://www.ajc.com/news/atlanta/intruder-shot-in-the-1464583.html
Brian Crawford June 26, 2012 at 01:57 pm
So you're applauding this guy shooting some stupid unarmed student who got high/drunk and stumbled into the wrong house? You think the kid deserved to die for his stupidity? That could have been anyone's child. Do you have any idea how often this happens on college campuses? Let me answer that...it happens a lot. Be careful what you wish for.
David June 26, 2012 at 02:08 pm
Yes Brian, I'm applauding him. It could have been anyone's child? It was someone's child. That doesn't excuse his actions. He broke into the wrong house while high on drugs and charged at the wrong person. Or maybe he charged at the right person. Don't do drugs, stay out of houses you're not invited to, don't get shot.
The Marines taught me the three tap method...two to the chest, one to the head. Might have been worse for the druggie if it was my house he broke into.
Marne M June 26, 2012 at 02:09 pm
Brian -- I worked for five years in the Major Felony Unit of one of the highest crime areas of Atlanta. I think I probably have a better finger on just how often guns are used and in what capacity than most people. You get the right defend yourself, in a park, and most especially in your own home. Just because the media reports something in a sympathetic manner, doesn't mean that's what actually happened. I'm sorry for the loss of life, but I'm not sorry that maybe people will think twice about their criminal actions near the Tech Campus in the future.
Every criminal is someone's child. It's a terrible thing to have to tell the family and loved ones of a person that their child has passed, no matter what the circumstances. I know, because I've been that person many times, and whether it's a baby or a 24-year-old drug dealer, it's still awful. But that doesn't free someone from responsibility for their actions.
Brian Crawford June 26, 2012 at 02:17 pm
Well aren't you a credit to the human race. Shoot first ask questions later!
"There was some video footage and it just appears like he was just confused which was his house," Roberson said. "Unfortunately, the people inside didn't know what he was doing. And he was, according to everyone that we've interviewed, came across as high on something other than alcohol."
Brian Crawford June 26, 2012 at 02:28 pm
Here's the problem Marne. We've created a culture where any damn fool feels empowered to carry, brandish and discharge his weapon whenever they darn well please. Bad things are bound to happen. Just ask the Gwinnett homeowner who recently woke up to find a bullet had passed through his house.
Marne M June 26, 2012 at 03:00 pm
The thing I find most offensive if that you have continually referred to legal, responsible gun owners as fools, idiots, immature, etc. That's my husband you're talking about, and my father, and my brother (none of whom are cops). That's my cousins who have fought to serve their country and also have carry permits in the United States. That's my uncles and aunts, none of whom has ever used a firearm illegally in any manner. It's simply not the case with the vast majority of responsible gun owners.
And we didn't create this culture, it was created by the founding fathers when they guaranteed the right to bear arms, as has already been discussed in this thread.
Marne M June 26, 2012 at 03:03 pm
It's dishonest to pick and choose which parts of the news you quote. It was also stated that the poor confused guy charged the homeowner. Was he supposed to allow himself to be assaulted? Was he supposed to wait until it was too late to see if the guy might have had a weapon? Maybe he should have aimed for an arm or a leg (I get that one all the time -- why didn't you just shoot the gun out of his hand.) If someone breaks into my house in the middle of the night and charges me, you can bet that I'm not going to stand around and ask questions. You can Monday-morning quarterback the situation all day long, but in reality, this person had seconds to make a decision that you have the leisure of days to insult.
Grant June 26, 2012 at 04:06 pm
I'd give odd that the bullet fired through the Gwinnett house wasnt fired by a law abiding citizen with a carry permit. More likely it came from a criminal , a stupid criminal ...Get rid of the stupid dangerous criminals and the rest of us wont need to arm ourselves.
And , for the record I'm with David. Some drugged out idiot comes charging through my door in the middle of the night I'm not gonna spend time chatting him up either
Marne M June 26, 2012 at 04:24 pm
Actually Grant (and I believe it likely that Brian was holding this part back intentionally) it was fired by a former New York Police Officer who got into an argument with his wife and decided to start shooting wildly.
It doesn't matter, however. Of course, people behave like human beings, which means they sometimes act unlawfully and do unreasonable (and dangerous) things. They don't need guns to do this -- they can do it perfectly well with cars, and boats, and swimming pools, or with drugs and alcohol. I'll take the occasional random chance that my house gets hit by a bullet (and our roof did take a peppering from a shotgun once) in exchange for the ability to defend myself and my family, and for others to do the same.
Grant June 26, 2012 at 05:15 pm
I should have known that
A) Brian was sitting on "the rest of the story" B) There was a woman to blame (kidding!)
Brian Crawford June 26, 2012 at 06:32 pm
Hahaha...why would I sit on that part of the story? That makes it even better, if the guy was an ex-cop he probably had a permit for the gun. I guess not only criminals perform stupid gun tricks after all. Thanks for enhancing my argument.
Marne M June 26, 2012 at 06:41 pm
That occasionally otherwise law-abiding citizens do unreasonable things doesn't "enhance" any argument. Occasionally otherwise law-abiding citizens beat their wives, rape someone, strangle someone, steal something, embezzle money from their company, or imbibe an intoxicating substance and get in their car and wipe out a whole family. When they do, they're charged appropriately, and the wheels of the justice system turn.
In no way does that erase the rights that people have to bear arms and defend themselves, their homes and their families.
Grant June 26, 2012 at 06:51 pm
Sorry Brian... no enhancement for you ...
Seems this guy left the force in 1986 and is NOT licensed to carry here in Georgia . Of course , as I suggested, he was performing a criminal act . If you can make all the criminals go away we wont need our guns
Ron McClellan June 26, 2012 at 07:14 pm
The only problem there Brian, is when the bad guys know that the good guys are prohibited from otherwise lawful carry, there are folks who might be inclined to live out their Columbine fantasies . . .right there in your park. Believe it or not, most folks lawfully carrying aren't prone to getting into gun battles with each other.
Ron McClellan June 26, 2012 at 07:17 pm
"I've survived 55 years without needing to tote a gun everywhere I go. No one in my family has been assaulted in all that time because we mostly treat others with respect and mind our own business. I'll take my chances."
That's the same thing lots of fifty six year old crime victims said just one year earlier!
Ron McClellan June 26, 2012 at 07:18 pm
"gun fetishist" . . . .oh Geez.
Ron McClellan June 26, 2012 at 07:22 pm
"Yep, lest I or some innocent bystander get's hit with a stray bullet, it only takes one you know."
Hmmmm . . .really gonna go with that Brian? Really? Maybe you would get lucky, and the armed good sumaritan would mind his own business and let you merely deal with that one bullet in the pointing the gun at you. On the plus side, at that range your fear for innocent bystanders lives is probably minimised.
Ron McClellan June 26, 2012 at 07:29 pm
Okay . . .where is the sense in creating laws that disarm good guys, and don't apply to the bad guys . . .even though it's supposed to. Doesn't seem too "sensible" Brian.
You have to "have sense" to recognize that I guess.
David June 26, 2012 at 07:33 pm
Everyday, sometimes multiple times a day, Brian posts ridiculous articles, always from the ultra liberal point of view. They receive many responses and he adds even more ridiculous far left crap. I suppose its entertaining to him but for those of us that easily recognize idiot ramblings, its just more foolishness, the same type of foolishness that moved our great country toward socialism and got a socialist elected to our highest office. Disrespect for the Constitution is borderline treason to me. And if I didn't recognize Brian as a lonely COB, I would consider him a treasonist. As it is, I quit playing his games immediately and let him live out his lonely life in his fantasy filled head.
Brian Crawford June 26, 2012 at 11:00 pm
Soooo, I guess that means you won't be subscribing to my newsletter?
Ben June 27, 2012 at 01:28 am
If the Patch has Hired you do give your weird Liberal comments, then you are doing a good Job of being Crazy, Weird, Liberal, for other people to comment on what you have had to say, you are doing a great Job, I read the Patch every Day, to see what is going on in (3) Area's, I don't need to read Junk like this, So YES, I would not miss it, I am control of my self, I can or don't have to read the Patch or anything else, that has JUNK Views or Comments Like you have
Ron McClellan June 27, 2012 at 01:50 am
BRIAN CRAWFORD: Hitler, seriously?
Yes Brian, seriously. Tell ya what, why don't you point out what you perseive as the problem with that comparison . . . .and I'll pretty much school you on the realities . . .in a way you will find most embarrassing. You kinda suck at supporting your position.
Ron McClellan June 27, 2012 at 05:20 pm
Okay, you will stay out of the parks until armed, law abiding citizens are removed from the parks. That way, just the unarmed law abiding citizens and armed thugs will be in the parks. Let me know how that works out for ya!
Brian Crawford July 6, 2012 at 11:46 pm
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/retired-texas-dentist-charged-with-murder-says-he-regrets-shooting-wife-after-argument/2012/07/06/gJQAXqBgSW_story.html
Ben July 7, 2012 at 12:05 am
your web site would not come up, sorry, you are such a looser about the truth, people kill people all the time, what about wife's killing there husbans with a car, see news several months ago, she ran over him, maybe they need some signs no cars

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There's one in particular GGY.
R++ One of the Famous Dacula Crew June 20, 2013 at 12:27 am
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I call it a "rainbow!"
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