Thought this might be interesting and worth disseminating...
Disregarding Laws We Oppose
An Open Letter to San Francisco Civil Authority
By David Codrea
[email protected]
February 16, 2004
Dear Mayor Newsom ([email protected]), Judge Warren
([email protected]) and Acting Chief Fong ([email protected]),
Mayor, I see you are authorizing city employees to perform homosexual
marriages, Judge Warren, you are allowing them to proceed, and Chief
Fong, you are allowing California law, as enacted by a vote of the
people, to be publicly and repeatedly broken without making any
arrests.
I'm not commenting on that issue, per se, so much as observing that you
are all three instigating and abetting the violation of that law.
Judge Warren, you went so far as to state that you couldn't issue a
restraining order to halt the marriages because, as Reuters reported,
"there was not enough evidence presented showing that immediate damage
would be done by allowing them."
Which leaves me with an interesting dilemma.
You see, I also belong to a group that is forced by social prejudices
to keep a low profile often times to hide my choices and practices
lest I suffer disapproval and ultimately, life-threatening persecution
by the state.
I am a gun owner and I live a gun owner life style.
I don't know if I was born with a tendency to be this way, or if it
was an acquired disposition. All I know is, I don't see why I should
be forced to change. Truth be known, I like owning guns, and am happy
with who I am. I hope I suffer no repercussions by "coming out of the
safe," but I just can't hide the truth any longer.
We gun owners have been living and working among you. Our kids go to
school with yours. We may be your doctor, or minister, or your child's
teacher. We may even work in city administration, or the courts, or
on the police force. And we are sick of being abused for simply being
who we are, all because of hoplophobic* prejudice and fear. We don't
see any reason why we should have to put up with it any more.
Which brings me back to my dilemma and the reason I am writing you.
You have shown progressive thinking and tolerance for that which the
majority condemns. So I was thinking of coming up to San Francisco
and exercising my right to keep and bear arms, maybe showing up at
City Hall with a state-banned AR-15 and a couple 30-round magazines,
and also carrying several pistols concealed without a permit.
Yes, I know, it will be a violation of California laws, but you've
shown that you're willing to disregard those when it serves your
goals. And because I am a peaceable citizen, I should easily meet
Judge Warren's criterion that no immediate damage would be done
by allowing this.
So what do you think, if I visit your city and proudly display my
lifestyle choices, can I count on your support? As a private
citizen, don't I have as much right to disregard laws I find
reprehensible as you public officials? Isn't that what equality
is supposed to be all about, where no class of citizen enjoys
privileges and immunities not extended to all?
How about it? You wouldn't have me arrested, would you?
Please let me know if I have your support.
Sincerely,
David Codrea
------------------
"And the blithe revolver began to sing/ To the blade that twanged on the locking-ring..."
Disregarding Laws We Oppose
An Open Letter to San Francisco Civil Authority
By David Codrea
[email protected]
February 16, 2004
Dear Mayor Newsom ([email protected]), Judge Warren
([email protected]) and Acting Chief Fong ([email protected]),
Mayor, I see you are authorizing city employees to perform homosexual
marriages, Judge Warren, you are allowing them to proceed, and Chief
Fong, you are allowing California law, as enacted by a vote of the
people, to be publicly and repeatedly broken without making any
arrests.
I'm not commenting on that issue, per se, so much as observing that you
are all three instigating and abetting the violation of that law.
Judge Warren, you went so far as to state that you couldn't issue a
restraining order to halt the marriages because, as Reuters reported,
"there was not enough evidence presented showing that immediate damage
would be done by allowing them."
Which leaves me with an interesting dilemma.
You see, I also belong to a group that is forced by social prejudices
to keep a low profile often times to hide my choices and practices
lest I suffer disapproval and ultimately, life-threatening persecution
by the state.
I am a gun owner and I live a gun owner life style.
I don't know if I was born with a tendency to be this way, or if it
was an acquired disposition. All I know is, I don't see why I should
be forced to change. Truth be known, I like owning guns, and am happy
with who I am. I hope I suffer no repercussions by "coming out of the
safe," but I just can't hide the truth any longer.
We gun owners have been living and working among you. Our kids go to
school with yours. We may be your doctor, or minister, or your child's
teacher. We may even work in city administration, or the courts, or
on the police force. And we are sick of being abused for simply being
who we are, all because of hoplophobic* prejudice and fear. We don't
see any reason why we should have to put up with it any more.
Which brings me back to my dilemma and the reason I am writing you.
You have shown progressive thinking and tolerance for that which the
majority condemns. So I was thinking of coming up to San Francisco
and exercising my right to keep and bear arms, maybe showing up at
City Hall with a state-banned AR-15 and a couple 30-round magazines,
and also carrying several pistols concealed without a permit.
Yes, I know, it will be a violation of California laws, but you've
shown that you're willing to disregard those when it serves your
goals. And because I am a peaceable citizen, I should easily meet
Judge Warren's criterion that no immediate damage would be done
by allowing this.
So what do you think, if I visit your city and proudly display my
lifestyle choices, can I count on your support? As a private
citizen, don't I have as much right to disregard laws I find
reprehensible as you public officials? Isn't that what equality
is supposed to be all about, where no class of citizen enjoys
privileges and immunities not extended to all?
How about it? You wouldn't have me arrested, would you?
Please let me know if I have your support.
Sincerely,
David Codrea
------------------
"And the blithe revolver began to sing/ To the blade that twanged on the locking-ring..."
