Friday, July 2, 2010

Conservatives again willing to ignore laws they don't like, even when it comes to guns.

Even before state lawmakers deal with changing state gun laws to conform to the recent supreme court decision, one gun crazy conservative DA has decided he didn't need legislative action.

Jackson County District Attorney Gerald R. Fox has declared that, in light of the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling this week that the Second Amendment clearly applies to the states, he will no longer prosecute people for carrying concealed weapons, or certain other gun related offenses. The high court's ruling "immediately renders some of Wisconsin's current laws unconstitutional ... his office won't take any cases police might refer that are solely about violations of concealed carry, uncased or loaded weapons in vehicles, guns in public buildings or where alcohol is sold or served.

"…the elitists who seek to disarm all of us are wrong, and that every law abiding citizen can be trusted to protect themselves and their neighbors safely."

His announcement wasn't going over too well with some law enforcement officials in Jackson County. Black River Falls Police Chief Don Gilberg said he didn't think Fox's position was very well thought out, and not good public policy.
"When something's dumb, it's just dumb. Gilberg said … McDonald vs. Chicago … didn't … "allow a Wild West atmosphere in our cities and towns."
Milwaukee County DA John Chisholm said "But I think the proper forum to resolve this is in the courts and Legislature.

Notably absent from Fox's announcement was any mention of the law that makes it a felony to possess a gun within 1,000 feet of a school. A gun rights advocacy group, Wisconsin Carry Inc., and some individuals have challenged the constitutionality of banning guns within 1,000 feet of a school in federal court. They claim the 1,000 foot perimeter is generally impossible to determine, and that in populous areas like Milwaukee County, there are so many schools that the overlapping zones would effectively prohibit someone from carrying a gun at all.

On Fox's lawless plan to ignore present law, Nik Clark, president of Wisconsin Carry: "We totally support what he said. But if it doesn't include school zones, then it's all meaningless."
Fighting to carry guns in school zones? Really? Now you know who we're dealing with.

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