S.F. gun shows in Newsom’s crosshairs
Gun shows at Daly City’s Cow Palace have triggered a debate on firearm regulation in San Francisco.
(Examiner file photo)
Gun shows at Daly City’s Cow Palace have triggered a debate on firearm regulation in San Francisco.

SAN FRANCISCO (Map, News) - A city hit hard by gun violence should not have gun sales at its back door, said Mayor Gavin Newsom, who is expected to announce today that The City is seeking state legislation to end gun shows at the Cow Palace.

While the exhibition hall is technically located in Daly City, it is just blocks away from San Francisco’s Sunnydale Housing Project, one of many neighborhoods in The City plagued by gun violence.

Although the gun shows are legal, Newsom said numerous illegal gun transactions occur in the parking lot during the show, which will take place Saturday and Sunday. Another gun show is scheduled in November.

“It needs to be shut down, and we’re going to do our best to do that,” Newsom said.

Any effort to stop the gun shows would require a change in state law, however, because the Cow Palace is owned and operated by the California Department of Food and Agriculture.

Newsom said he and District Attorney Kamala Harris have enlisted the help of state Assemblyman Mark Leno to get the gun shows out of the Cow Palace.

Steve Lyle, a spokesperson for the state Department of Food and Agriculture, said he wouldn’t be able to comment on any possible legislation regulating what types of events could be held at the state facility until he saw the proposed wording. Bob Templeton, president of Crossroads of the West Gun Shows, did not return a call for comment.

The City is misguided in its efforts, National Rifle Association spokesman Andrew Arulanandam said.

“If their intent is to curb crime, they should unequivocally put all the pressure on the criminal elements, not on law-abiding citizens,” said Arulanandam, who said a heavy presence of federal, state and local law enforcement at gun shows prevented what’s known as “straw purchasing,” in which a gun is legally bought and then sold illegally afterward.

Past undercover operations in the Cow Palace’s parking lot during the gun shows, conducted by the San Francisco Police Department, prove that such illegal transfers do happen, said Newsom, who hesitated when asked if such a sting operation was planned for this weekend.

“We’re going to be doing what’s appropriate,” Newsom said. “Obviously if we say it, no one will be out there.”

San Francisco has seen 64 homicides as of July 31 of this year, compared with 48 at the same time last year.

Illegal guns are responsible for the majority of shootings, according to city officials. Earlier this month, Newsom signed gun-control legislation in an effort to reduce illegal gun activity. The three pieces of legislation prohibit the possession or sale of firearms on city property, require firearms in residences to be in a locked container or have trigger locks, and require firearm dealers to submit an inventory to the chief of police every six months.

Firearms owners target proposed ordinances

While county ordinances banning firearms on government property continue to proliferate in the nine-county Bay Area, gun owners continue to fight what they call an attack on the law-abiding gun culture.

Since the late 1990s, four Bay Area counties — Alameda, Marin, San Mateo and Sonoma — have successfully passed ordinances banning gun possession on municipal property, including fairgrounds — which has left Cow Palace in Daly City one of the only venues for gun shows because of its location on state property.

Earlier this year, a federal judge dismissed a lawsuit by two gun show promoters that challenged Alameda County’s 1999 gun ordinance, ruling that it is a public-safety measure. An appeal of the ruling is under way.

Since Alameda County passed its ordinance — which was in response to a shooting at the Pleasanton fairgrounds the year before — the three other Bay Area counties have followed suit. Los Angeles County has also passed an ordinance.

“These local governments are taking advantage of a signal, although I think it is the wrong signal, that it’s deuces wild when it comes to passing gun law,” said Donald Kilmer, the attorney representing the gun show promoters challenging Alameda County. “Once we win against Alameda, we’ll challenge the other ordinances.” — Alexandria Rocha

arocha@examiner.com

beslinger@examiner.com


Should The City seek a change in state law?

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Comments from Examiner Readers

11:59 AM MST on Mon., Oct. 29, 2007 re: "S.F. gun shows in Newsom�s crosshairs"

Carl said:
How is the city permermitted to do stings on state property and then not prevent gun sales? Presence or view felony arrests? LOL. That one does not hold up in the liberal San Francisco courts. How big a head does SF Govt have? 20+ cites in a 20 mile radius. 5 million residents. 1 very large state and one even larger country. Yeh stop the Cow Palace from selling guns. That'll stop the flow..LOL I suspect if they were serious they would have started this project before x number of killings and well before election year. Insulting. If the city spent more time holding it's criminals accountable and setting up a stable social service system the city would have less thugs and far fewer killings in the City by the bay. Period. I am neither for or against guns myself but I gotta tell ya folks I agree with Mr.Arulanandam of the NRA; "The City is misguided in its efforts".

7 agree | 7 disagree
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12:45 PM MST on Fri., Sep. 14, 2007 re: "S.F. gun shows in Newsom�s crosshairs"

Examiner Reader said:
most unemployed stuck in rutt type in canda are able to groom and feed themselves perfectly and better than the goofs in the poice and jail and that really saying something. its called stoopid that keep clean all the tiem lose.

42 agree | 48 disagree
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12:45 PM MST on Fri., Sep. 14, 2007 re: "S.F. gun shows in Newsom�s crosshairs"

Examiner Reader said:
most unemployed stuck in rutt type in canda are able to groom and feed themselves perfectly and better than the goofs in the poice and jail and that really saying something. its called stoopid that keep clean all the tiem lose.

40 agree | 36 disagree
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12:42 PM MST on Fri., Sep. 14, 2007 re: "S.F. gun shows in Newsom�s crosshairs"

Examiner Reader said:
mabye you never noticed the police in canda cathing uop whre it huerts liek in ass with the wfree food and no criome hre they really look stooid catchig bums all the tiem loking for germ cleaner to keep there stooid goatee shes especialy shaves of the ehad done with gillete safty's they really tried biting the kicking horse on that ine fo rsure.

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12:36 PM MST on Fri., Sep. 14, 2007 re: "S.F. gun shows in Newsom�s crosshairs"

Examiner Reader said:
for someguy that used own a gun and never elaly used it for anythig much its nt even much of a big thing alli t does is go bang bang real load soeoen interested in real crime can do much better without even touching a gun.

35 agree | 38 disagree
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12:21 PM MST on Fri., Sep. 14, 2007 re: "S.F. gun shows in Newsom�s crosshairs"

Examiner Reader said:
i have read the examiner for many years and feel oppressed and imprisoned without my jobak. i bet when bill clinton finds out that his fav clinton from the cltin ranch is not even in the united staes he really gonan hate showing everyuione the new lreena bnobbit tapes form stoopid paki goofs in candai including puri poicemans for surrey eating a laod ob tampon. i mena if the guy really owns the place and shot some gofs in the head its no big deal its only drugs.

37 agree | 35 disagree
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2:23 PM MST on Sat., Aug. 18, 2007 re: "S.F. gun shows in Newsom�s crosshairs"

Examiner Reader said:
To be fair, when I wrote in my previous comment that the Assemblyman was hedging against "what he knew was a lie" by saying "even if it isn't true, the community has spoken", I will now qualify and correct by noting here first that I was paraphrasing. Secondly, I'll say that he was hedging against what he could not substantiate on the spot, instead of "what he knew was a lie". I don't want to assign intent to his statement. It's sufficiently ridiculous on its face, anyway. Also, Chief Fong did not join in and agree when it was said at the press conference that people who legally buy guns at the gun show drive directly to Sunnydale to sell. This is very telling in itself. Perhaps the reason she did not join in agreement is that she as Chief knows that contention is false. Her comment was her opinion that the gun show sales add in a general sense to proliferation. The SF violent crime problem won't get solved by going after law abiders and outlawing gun shows. Duh!

37 agree | 51 disagree
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1:52 PM MST on Sat., Aug. 18, 2007 re: "S.F. gun shows in Newsom�s crosshairs"

Examiner Reader said:
I saw the press conference held at the Cow Palace on SFGTV. What a shameful display! They (the Assemblyman, Newsome, Chief Fong, etc.) would not just come out and say that their dream is confiscation of all guns from everybody in American society. They claimed that people buy guns and then drive blocks to the Sunnydale Projects to sell them. "Is there proof of this?", a journalist asked. Some real journalism needs to be done and a check done on arrest records/convictions tied to past gunshow purchases. To hedge against what he knew was a lie, the Assemblyman said "even if it isn't true, the community has spoken.". They said the "gun show" advertisement on the bill board is a bad influence on the tender, innocent youths in Sunnydale (the ones that love violent rap music). Presently the Cow Palace billboard is advertising the Erotic Exotic Ball.But even with all of the out-of-wedlock preganancy and sex crimes in the Projects, these hypocrites won't push to outlaw the Erotic Exotic Ball

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3:11 PM MST on Thu., Aug. 16, 2007 re: "S.F. gun shows in Newsom�s crosshairs"

Examiner Reader said:
So how many people were arrested by Newsom's gang in the parking lots previously for selling guns? Answer = ZERO. He is nothing more than an ideological lacky for the anti gun liberals. He is all talk and no substance. Look at him he is all about the clothes but has no sense or rational thinking. Why not ask the counties how much crime went down after banning the gun shows there. I'll tell you- CRIME WENT UP! Wake up SF. Newsom is LYIng to you.

68 agree | 59 disagree
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3:54 PM MST on Tue., Aug. 14, 2007 re: "S.F. gun shows in Newsom�s crosshairs"

Examiner Reader said:
Bad people will do bad things, because they do not obey the law...ANY LAW! Write as many as you want and it won't stop them. Instead, lawmakers are all to willing to penalize the law abiding with regulations and restrictions on everything. Cars and pools kill more children/teens than anything. Ban those first if you want to make a dent in the death toll. Banning legal firearm sales won't save one life.

63 agree | 42 disagree
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12:36 PM MST on Sun., Aug. 12, 2007 re: "S.F. gun shows in Newsom�s crosshairs"

Examiner Reader said:
California is a lost cause. I moved to Nevada for this very reason. It feels good to go down to the local Sheriff's Office and ask for a CCW Application and the clerk says " sure! , what type of weapons do you have? I love Glocks too!" Why can't The Bay Area Police Departments have that type of Mindset ? I have Family in the Bay Area and refuse to visit them because Liberal Calfornia will not honor my CCW. I rather go to a state that will.

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2:47 AM MST on Sun., Aug. 12, 2007 re: "S.F. gun shows in Newsom�s crosshairs"

Examiner Reader said:
That is exactly what the DEACONs for DEFENSE were. A group of neighborhood men tired of the night riders "terrorizing" their community. They armed themselves and patrolled the neighborhood. Now the community is being terrorized again only this time by its own members not outsiders to any great extent. The same mindset must be adopted. Unfortunately we have these politidiots black and white who have convinced a large enough majority of the populace, especially in poor neighborhoods that they should not defend themselves but instead be, act, and internalize victimhood. Oh and don't forget, call 911, AFTER you've been robbed, raped, and beaten.

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10:29 AM MST on Sat., Aug. 11, 2007 re: "S.F. gun shows in Newsom�s crosshairs"

woodpiggie said:
Examiner: I feel that the very concept of "black leaders" is in itself demeaning with implications of inferiority. Most black people I've met and associated with negociate life very well without any need to be led. I'm not familiar with "Deacons for Defense", but I did hear Condy Rice tell why she is a strong supporter of 2nd ammendment rights. When she was a young child in Alabama. a pack of "brave" night riders were comming into the black section of town where she and her family lived, with mayhem and possibly murder in mind. They disappeared fast when her dad and other area men took to the streets with guns in hand. CONDY FOR PRESIDENT!

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11:52 PM MST on Fri., Aug. 10, 2007 re: "S.F. gun shows in Newsom�s crosshairs"

Examiner Reader said:
I'm black. I am for any kind of profiling to stop violent crime. I am not talking about traffic violations mind you. the country where i was born adopted strict gun control in 1972. it now has the highest violent crime rate in the world per capita. the u.s city i grew up in, you know where the safest home was? the one everyone knew a cop lived in. and why do you think that was? obvious isn't it. i own a shotgun and a glock. i've gone to the range once in the last 3 years. you know how it goes. i have a wife and 2 girls. i am not "in" to guns, meaning i have other hobbies and sports that i do. BUT regardless of the Peoples Republic of California's laws i will not travel to certain areas without being armed. my wife will not stay in the house alone without them. they are kept unlocked, unstored, and accessible. what good will they serve us locked and stored in case of emergency?? for the sake of my family, i rather be tried by 12 than carried by 6.

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11:30 PM MST on Fri., Aug. 10, 2007 re: "S.F. gun shows in Newsom�s crosshairs"

Examiner Reader said:
You continue to say or infer that we should ban blacks or certain groups of blacks from gun ownership, since they are the ones doing most if not all of the killing in SF, Oakland, and other like cities. Come on, you know thats unconstitutional, awaste of time, and inherently racist to deny someone the free exercise of a right because of the color of their skin. I will deny them their right to gun ownership because of what they have done. Most if not all of the so called black leaders are doing a great disservice to the black community that is almost criminal because they all are for gun control, when they should be telling the law abiding folks in the those community to take up arms and defend themselves and communities. Instead they successfully bred the sheep. And the reader is correct those charlatans would be out of work if the community rose up with out fear and defended themselves. remember the DEACONs for DEFENSE?

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11:14 PM MST on Fri., Aug. 10, 2007 re: "S.F. gun shows in Newsom�s crosshairs"

Myself for Mayor said:
OK, let us put our money where our mouths are. Let's get a ballot measure for the next election to vote to allow citizens to carry concealed weapons. This election may be too soon. Let's do 2008!

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8:55 PM MST on Fri., Aug. 10, 2007 re: "S.F. gun shows in Newsom�s crosshairs"

Jamed E. Dent said:
The Cow Palace gun shows are not on S.F. property, in fact the Cow Palace is not in S.F. The gun shows have been going on for many many years with no trouble. People want it and go to it as I do. None of the guns in the Sunnydale Housing Project ever came from the Cow Palace gun show. Stopping gun shows will not stop crooks from getting guns, nothing will. What S.F. needs is good law enforcement. With what they have, law enforcement is a sad joke! Mayor Newsom and the S.F. Board has screwed up S.F. so bad that I don't think it ever can become a good city again.

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11:48 AM MST on Fri., Aug. 10, 2007 re: "S.F. gun shows in Newsom�s crosshairs"

Examiner Reader said:
As you may have noticed, poor people (economically oppressed citizens) in our inner cities are often very fat (grossly obese). This greatly increases their risk of heart disease, diabetes, stroke and other life-threatening diseases. Their children are also at increased risk of being fat (obese) and suffering from unnecessary disease. These same citizens, non-citizens and yes, even illegal aliens, are also at increased risk of being victims of crimes of violence, as they often lack guns with which to defend themselves. So why don't liberal big city mayors offer a "Guns For Groceries" program? Poor fat people (economically oppressed obese persons) could turn in unneeded groceries in return for coupons good for guns and ammo at a local sporting goods store? It might work like this: Turn in five pounds of high fructose junk food and receive a coupon good for a Smith & Wesson revolver. Turn in five pounds of snack foods loaded with trans fatty acid and get a coupon good for a Ruger. Turn

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9:55 AM MST on Fri., Aug. 10, 2007 re: "S.F. gun shows in Newsom�s crosshairs"

woodpiggie said:
"CAN WE TALK" If Newsom and his comrads in the buffoonish SF government want to continue to compromise constitutionally defined civil rights and liberties of US citizens in the name of violent crime abatemant, why not compromise the ones that actually will reduce the numbers of predatory thugs roaming streets and invading homes. Such as: --- Use of racial and demographic profiling as a basis for surprise searches and shakedowns. ---Mandated abortions of male fetuses from racially defined demographic groups that have an historically established high probability of producing violent criminals. ---charging drug dealers with murder for any death directly or indirectly resulting from their merchandise, and apply the death penalty. Or... why not just reduce the supply of victims for these predatory street thugs by recognizing and restoring our 2nd ammendment rights.

66 agree | 56 disagree
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9:42 AM MST on Fri., Aug. 10, 2007 re: "S.F. gun shows in Newsom�s crosshairs"

SFugee said:
Another thing�. Just what is so �liberal� about infringing upon constitutional rights? The only thing the SF Junta is �liberal� towards is the people and culture that actually perpetuates crime. Aside from this, what do the words �liberty�; �liberation� and �liberal� have to do with this kind of narrow-minded and abusive authoritarianism? Lets call Gavin what he is � a socialist fascist� not quite a National Socialist... more like a municipal socialist.. Yeah that�s what he is.. A stinkin� �Muzi�! So do you think this will be used as pretext for the invasion of Daily City like they did September �39? Seems like he�s already sent recon units�

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7:39 AM MST on Fri., Aug. 10, 2007 re: "S.F. gun shows in Newsom�s crosshairs"

Examiner Reader said:
Black leaders across this country decry the homicide rate. Who's doing the killing? Mostly it is by black criminals. Every now and then a white person goes on a rampage but it pales in comparison to the daily murders, robberies, assaults, and other crimes involving guns by black criminals. Blacks demand that guns be outlawed, banned, restricted, whatever. For God's sakes why should everyone else have to pay the price for their bedlam? Of course it is impossible to "ban gun sales" to blacks, I know this. But I am frustrated that no matter where you go, blacks make up the majority of violent criminals whether it is SF (with just over 6% of the population being black) or Detroit, Miami, Seattle, Baltimore, Washington DC, NYC, Oakland, and on and on and on. Blacks and guns are a lethal combination and it defies common sense to ban/restrict guns for all when a certain sliver of American society continues to act criminally, and laws are enacted that affect only the guiltless.

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1:02 AM MST on Fri., Aug. 10, 2007 re: "S.F. gun shows in Newsom�s crosshairs"

Examiner Reader said:
He's just another in a long line of pin-headed politicians who don't get it and apparantly never will. Did prohibition work, has the "war on drugs" worked or have despots abandoned their quest for absolute power? It always has been and always will be a human behavior problem. Banning the sale of inanimate objects as a means of correcting anti-social behavior is ludicrous!

70 agree | 66 disagree
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12:45 AM MST on Fri., Aug. 10, 2007 re: "S.F. gun shows in Newsom�s crosshairs"

Bob Dohrman said:
No, san francisco should NOT seek a change in state law! I find it fascinating that NOTHING that s.f. has done is directed AT criminals! In fact, d.a. kamala harris should be investigated for her lack of enforcement against violators of many laws regarding criminals in possession/use of a firearm, and related crimes! Since city/county government of s.f. doesn't care about enforcing existing laws to keep the PUBLIC safe, I DO NOT plan on spending any of my money in s.f. until they do!

81 agree | 56 disagree
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12:43 AM MST on Fri., Aug. 10, 2007 re: "S.F. gun shows in Newsom�s crosshairs"

woodpiggie said:
Fear the government that fears your guns.

88 agree | 64 disagree
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11:53 PM MST on Thu., Aug. 9, 2007 re: "S.F. gun shows in Newsom�s crosshairs"

Examiner Reader said:
NO!! Punish Users of guns and not the legal user. A fun is just a tool, not a mood or ethics changer. Use intelligence, not emotion to solve criminal action. Then punish the criminal.

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11:19 PM MST on Thu., Aug. 9, 2007 re: "S.F. gun shows in Newsom�s crosshairs"

Examiner Reader said:
You know the truth maybe that in this and other regions a disportionate amount of gun and other violent crimes are committed by people of color. Note not more mind you just disportionate for their overall population numbers. However, to say that not allowing blacks or other to buy or own would solve it, lacks intelligence, common sense, and yes could be construed as a racist viewpoint (not that you are but your viewpoint or solution could be). I don't give a rats ass what color the lowlife criminals are. When we as men (or women) stand up and defend our communties that may need defending i don't care what color the person next to me is as long as we have the same agenda, which is first line defence of the block, the neighborhood, the community. This is how we assist our law enforcement. Living in fear is not an option. What is racist is politicians and other who cannot protect people in those communities pushing to disarm them and take away there only means of protection.

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11:00 PM MST on Thu., Aug. 9, 2007 re: "S.F. gun shows in Newsom�s crosshairs"

Examiner Reader said:
To the reader who says forget the constitution and look at all the killing. i say why stop with the 2nd amendment then. Soon enough there will be reason to trample on each on of the bill of rights. I once asked sen. Don Perata if he could for once propose gun control legislation that actually targets criminals instead of law abiding citizens. he said not really criminals don't obey the law it would be useless. then why target those who are obeying the law? No answer. the agenda is not to stop the killing or reduce crime the agenda is civil disarming of the law abiding populace. Be very careful. Remember there is no one in oaklnd or bayview or the sunnydale that is manufacturing guns. They are being imported in from somewhere illegally. And we can't stop that?? Please are you that stupid? You think more laws will stop the killing? You think eliminating a gun show will have an effect on homicides in oakland or anywhere? Come on people wake-up!

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10:31 PM MST on Thu., Aug. 9, 2007 re: "S.F. gun shows in Newsom�s crosshairs"

woodpiggie said:
WARNING: Some of our precious American liberties and traditions are now perilously close to succumbing to the philisophical dispositions of globalistic, socialistic, anti American cultural elitists who are cunning, deceptive,focused and perilously close to assuming virtual total control in DC. This, for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is nearly unlimited funding from a relatively few but extremely wealthy radically leftist individuals and cultural centers. Among favorite tactics of these people is to take control of the language of any given debate. With respect to guns and gun owners they re-labeled gun restrictions and outright prohibitions as "gun control" laws starting in the early 60s,and more recently,under the Clinton adninistration "gun safety" laws (just as killing unborne babies became "choice" and "privacy" in their lexicon). The mainline media and TAXPAYER SUBSIDIZED PBS/NPR all too often serve as their toys and trained parrots. They tend to view law abidin

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10:22 PM MST on Thu., Aug. 9, 2007 re: "S.F. gun shows in Newsom�s crosshairs"

put a slug in a thug said:
Perhaps Mr. Newsom could take a cue from Rudy Giuliani when he was New Yorks Mayor. Unleash the full and furious power of Law Enforcement on the Murderers and gang thugs. New York is now the safest large city in the U.S. All it takes is some cajones. Unfortunately, for Democrats, it's easier to blame guns for crime than it is to enforce the law. I guess they don't want to face reality. Might cost them an election.

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10:21 PM MST on Thu., Aug. 9, 2007 re: "S.F. gun shows in Newsom�s crosshairs"

Tyronne Fatsengalla said:
Cow Palace is in Daly City. The Mayor has absolutely no authority-But it is great grandstanding!!!!!!!!!!!!!Why not worry about the Projects ablock away-ooops that would be to hard to deal with...........

69 agree | 72 disagree
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9:34 PM MST on Thu., Aug. 9, 2007 re: "S.F. gun shows in Newsom�s crosshairs"

Examiner Reader said:
Although the gun shows are legal, Newsom said numerous illegal gun transactions occur in the parking lot during the show. �It needs to be shut down, and we�re going to do our best to do that,� Newsom said. San Francisco has a large number of "unsolved" violent crime cases. As Newsom knows for sure that illegal activity is occuring, there is no boasting of prosecutions, serious jail time, or even complaints of overcrowding in their small jail. It is easier for a politician to disarm potential victims instead of actually fighting crime. Getting rid of San Francisco's gang problem might infringe on their right to "work in their chosen profession".

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9:25 PM MST on Thu., Aug. 9, 2007 re: "S.F. gun shows in Newsom�s crosshairs"

Ed said:
I admit it, I own a gun. I'm originally from SF but moved with my family to Beaumont, Texas when I was a kid but I recently came back. There is a complete night and day difference between the viewpoints of gun owners in Texas and the anti-gun people of SF. I knew people who had dozens of guns in their homes. It wasn't a love affair, fetish, or any other negative image. These were hard working and lawful people who simply liked owning guns. if something looked cool and was affordable, someone would buy it. Despite the jillions of guns in the hands of populace, we had almost zero crime up until about 15 years ago. That's when violent crimes by illegal immigrants and Hispanic gang members seemed to be everywhere, but what was missing was crime committed by the lawful people who would be deemed "gun nuts" by people out here. I have yet to meet an anti-gun person who can articulate the hatred of guns and present a cogent view as to why they should be banned. So far, nothing.

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9:04 PM MST on Thu., Aug. 9, 2007 re: "S.F. gun shows in Newsom�s crosshairs"

Examiner Reader said:
newsom may go down the tubes with other local loser democrats who fall for this garbage. Stoopid party democrats.

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8:42 PM MST on Thu., Aug. 9, 2007 re: "S.F. gun shows in Newsom�s crosshairs"

Examiner Reader...tim said:
Joe Stalin would be proud of "Hiz Hornor"...You little people . stand in the cornor and be quiet....

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8:12 PM MST on Thu., Aug. 9, 2007 re: "S.F. gun shows in Newsom�s crosshairs"

Examiner Reader said:
"Past undercover operations in the Cow Palace�s parking lot during the gun shows, conducted by the San Francisco Police Department, prove that such illegal transfers do happen, said Newsom, who hesitated when asked if such a sting operation was planned for this weekend" Since the Cow Palace is in Daly City why is SFPD conducting undercover operations there? It is not their jusrisdiction!

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7:56 PM MST on Thu., Aug. 9, 2007 re: "S.F. gun shows in Newsom�s crosshairs"

Myself for Mayor said:
The answer to this issue is fairly simple. Don't vote for Gavin Newsom come election time. With our luck we'll probably get somebody worse. Did you know that Diane Fienstien has a concealed weapons permit? Yet she is always the first one to deny law abiding citizens their right to own guns.

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5:39 PM MST on Thu., Aug. 9, 2007 re: "S.F. gun shows in Newsom�s crosshairs"

Examiner Reader said:
I'm the poster who says that blacks and guns are a lethal mix. This isn't "racism" in the slightest but I completely expected such an accusation. The murders in SF are by and large (about 90+% large) committed by blacks as are murders around the Bay Area. These are facts. The murderers aren't NRA members who hide behind the 2nd Amendment, they are useless scum that deserved to be erased from this earth. It's slowly working that way but these vermin are taking good people with them. This is a national epidemic- blacks and crime. Since you have a computer, do web searches for various cities around the US and look at their equivalent of the SF Examiner or television channel's site. Every site has crime stories. Look and learn, and you'll see that I am right. You will not admit it but I do not care. Blacks and guns equal a lethality that defies comprehension and there are thousands of stories, videos, stats, etc that prove this. It ain't racism if it's true.

102 agree | 86 disagree
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5:31 PM MST on Thu., Aug. 9, 2007 re: "S.F. gun shows in Newsom�s crosshairs"

Examiner Reader said:
If you think SF politics are gun UNFRIENDLY now, wait till next city election. City council member Chris Daly has just announced his intention to run for Mayor. Mr. Daly was the creator of Prop H, voted in last year, which banned all hand guns from private ownership in SF. Fortunately, Prop H was found Unconstitutional. As a long time SF resident, I know something of Mr. Daly�s past. Mr. Daly was once a leader of a Student Socialist organization at college and is still a hard core Socialist. If elected, expect him to do everything in his power to deprive SF residents of their 2ed Amend. rights.

72 agree | 73 disagree
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5:07 PM MST on Thu., Aug. 9, 2007 re: "S.F. gun shows in Newsom�s crosshairs"

Examiner Reader said:
Peace and love brothers and sisters, that is the answer!

44 agree | 32 disagree
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4:43 PM MST on Thu., Aug. 9, 2007 re: "S.F. gun shows in Newsom�s crosshairs"

Afraid of politicians said:
Just another anti gun nut. Shutting down gun shows will not change the crime rate in a positive way, honest folks will not have guns but the criminals will. Criminals can get all the guns they want, they do it illegally now and they will do it illegally after you shut down the gun shows. It just makes sure no one can protect themselves from them, therefore the crime rate will go up not down. Another political leader that needs replacement!

73 agree | 72 disagree
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4:28 PM MST on Thu., Aug. 9, 2007 re: "S.F. gun shows in Newsom�s crosshairs"

Examiner Reader said:
For the person who accused the other about kids being killed in Chicago you clearly don't read the paper or listen to the news. The writer was correct about Chicago. Gun control restrictions or not, facts are facts! Young people have been shot this year in record numbers. The police can not get a handle on it. And as far as Chicago being one of the safest cities in the world, well, it depends where you live in Chicago, the North Side, yes, but not the South Side where the kids are being killed. A big bold statement to make anyway about Chicago being one of the safest cities in the world and I should I know I am lived there!

77 agree | 90 disagree
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3:56 PM MST on Thu., Aug. 9, 2007 re: "S.F. gun shows in Newsom�s crosshairs"

Examiner Reader said:
More horsey-poo down at the Cow Palace. Instead of looking at the buisness profits, it's more of this "I'm more moral than you are" stuff. Look at Oakland now. The last gun store was closed over a year ago, to much applause, but there were eight killings in one 24 hr period in Aug. 2007. So, the connection between legal gun sales and homicide does not exist. This has been carefully studied and reported before, but people in lower office never bother to read the findings. They never care to be too confused with the facts. It figures since the fiddle with race and gun issues while never doing much about education, especially in SF where almost no one even has kids any more. Real issues never merit much addressing by lower office holders, the little people with little minds.

75 agree | 76 disagree
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3:48 PM MST on Thu., Aug. 9, 2007 re: "S.F. gun shows in Newsom�s crosshairs"

Examiner Reader said:
wy do the anti-gun people always talk about sawed off shotguns and ak 47s,a sawed off shotgun is banned by federal law and most all semi-auto guns are banned in calif.

84 agree | 68 disagree
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3:07 PM MST on Thu., Aug. 9, 2007 re: "S.F. gun shows in Newsom�s crosshairs"

Examiner Reader said:
The comments one contributor wrote about blacks and guns being a lehal mix is clearly, um, dare I say a racist. How about all the white kids who carry guns to school and then use them to kill! I believe these events take place in largely "white" good safe communities. To make such a statement that blacks are somehow to blame is a very sad thing to say and proves that not much has changed in this country regarding stereotypes.

70 agree | 57 disagree
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3:01 PM MST on Thu., Aug. 9, 2007 re: "S.F. gun shows in Newsom�s crosshairs"

Examiner Reader said:
I have to agree with the NRA's Andrew Arulanandam: stopping gun shows is not going to derter the criminal elements; the mayor, police, district attorney and judges have got to get tough on the criminals. Whatever happend to "use a gu