[Exi-bay-chat] Guns? In Noe Valley? (fwd)

[Anton Sherwood]

Subject: Guns? In Noe Valley? <bang!>
Date: Thu, 29 Jan 2004 15:31:21 -0800
From: Starchild <sfdreamer at earthlink.net>
To: LPSF Discussion List <lpsf-discuss at yahoogroups.com>
CC: George Bennett <noeguns at hotmail.com>
CC: Bay Area Liberty <ba-liberty at yahoogroups.com>

	This simultaneously encouraging and infuriating item appeared in the 
December/January Noe Valley Voice (pp. 57-58):

"One flyer that got our attention was a notice posted by the Noe Valley 
Gun Owners Association" advertising a noon Nov. 29 meeting in Douglass 
Park. The flyer also said the group was advocating a gun dealership on 
24th Street.

"When the Voice e-mailed the name on the notice (George Bennett at 
<noeguns at hotmail.com>), asking if the association was real or just a 
premature April Fool's joke, we got this reply:

"'Yes, the organization does exist. We've been around for approximately 
five years. We currently maintain an e-mail list of approximately 150 
Noe Valley residents who consider themselves members. About two-thirds 
of them are males and one-third female. A good half of our members are 
homeowners in the neighborhood, married with children of elementary 
school age. We've been keeping a low profile since we've been harassed 
(as have our kids) by many of our tolerant progressive neighbors, 
although I would consider most of our members to be politically 
progressive... We estimate that one out of every five homes in Noe 
Valley has a firearm on the premises.

"'Our estimate is unscientific,' the writer admits. 'It's just a hunch 
based on our members' experiences and conversations with their 
neighbors.' Still doubtful, the Voice decided to show up at Douglass 
Park (both Upper and Lower) at the appointed time on Nov. 29. The gun 
owners may have been there, but if they were, they were cleverly 
disguised as dog walkers, kids, and trees.

"Maybe all of those pistol-packin' ladies and gentlemen could sponsor a 
seminar at Alvarado School on gun safety. It might help allay the fears 
of the other 80 percent of us who think the sooner we ban those dang 
things (except in the hands of what the Second Amendment calls 'a 
well-regulated militia'), the closer we will be to joining the 
civilized societies of the world where guns are not tolerated as 
private instruments of lethal violence."

	It seems to me that the paper has given us an opening. Having 
suggested a gun safety class at Alvarado School, if someone (either 
George's group or the SF Pink Pistols, or both) were to sponsor such a 
class, it would be difficult for them to refuse to publicize it for us. 
Perhaps they could even be hit up for a free ad, or to make the paper 
an event co-sponsor.

Yours in liberty,
						<<< Starchild >>>
			Outreach Director, Libertarian Party of San Francisco
					Candidate for School Board