Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin had a press conference in Atlanta City Hall recently trying to drum up opposition to House Bill 89, currently sitting on Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue’s desk. The entire event reaffirmed why Governor Perdue should sign HB89.
Despite holding the press conference in a Public Gathering location (publicly owned building) and behind metal detectors, the Mayor doesn’t feel safe enough within her own building to dismiss her security. At least three members of the Atlanta Police Department, in plain clothes and armed, guarded the Mayor during the conference. Deep down in her heart, she knows that all the gun laws, public gathering bans, and security in the world will not protect her from violent predators. While she hides behind a phallanx of well armed Police Officers paid for by the taxpayers, she demands that those same taxpayers and all citizens of Georgia be denied the ability to defend themselves and their families.
Earlier this year when GeorgiaCarry.Org held a rally in support of comprehensive reform of Georgia’s gun laws, over 125 Georgians took time off of work and traveled to the Capital to ask for change. Many drove hours to attend. That day was chilly and rainy, traffic was bad, and yet they attended. In contrast, the opponents of HB 89 could only muster 23 members of Atlanta’s political elite, most of whom were being paid by the taxpayers to attend the indoor press conference.
The transcript is here.
The people opposing HB89 are Atlanta’s political elite. The people supporting HB89 are the real citizens of Georgia.
Richard Pennington is the Atlanta Chief of Police - and now a career politician. He said, “many of the Chiefs throughout the state of Georgia have, ah, concerns about this bill as well, and we know that, ah, individuals that carry guns, or possess guns, into restaurants, parks, public transportations, and especially the airport; we have grave concerns about that.”
No, sir, that’s a lie, and you know it.
- According to the National Association of Chiefs of Police, 17th Annual National Survey of Police Chiefs & Sheriffs, in 2005, 66% of police chiefs believe that citizens carrying concealed firearms reduce rates of violent crime.
- The same group also stated that 94% of law enforcement officials believe that citizens should be able to purchase firearms for self-defense and sporting purposes.
- According to The Law Enforcement Alliance of America, in the 38 states that have right-to-carry laws, none of the scare tactics and lies put forth by the opposition has come true and not a single state has ever found reason to change its mind and remove a right to carry law from the books after it has passed.
- Lt. Lowell Duckett, Special Assistant to DC Police Chief; President, Black Police Caucus, in The Washington Post, March 22, 1996, said, “”Gun control has not worked in Washington D.C. The only people who have guns are criminals. We have the strictest gun laws in the nation and one of the highest murder rates. It’s quicker to pull your Smith & Wesson than to dial 911 if you’re being robbed.”
- According to The Second Amendment Police Department, “The Second Amendment Police Department promotes the activism of law enforcement officers who support the entire Bill of Rights, with emphasis on The Second Amendment. Officers of the law are gun owners by profession and citizens by birth. Guns Save Lives! Ask any cop.”
Atlanta, House Bill 89, Georgia, Sonny Perdue, Richard Pennington, Chief of Police, gun, concealed firearm, law enforcement
