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Stone Mountain Park drops gun ban
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The park is now safe for more than just police officers
Stone Mountain Park settled its lawsuit with the grassroots activist group GeorgiaCarry.Org recently, agreeing to drop its complete ban on firearms within the park boundaries.
The old ordinance banned firearms even in a park visitor's automobile. It read in its entirety:
Weapons. No person, except a member of the Park Police or other peace officer, shall possess a firearm, explosive compound, or knife designed for the purpose of offense or defense.
Few visitors even knew about this blanket restriction, but police officers in the park confidently stated that they would charge violators and confiscate their firearms as contraband. Stone Mountain Park Chief of Police Chuck Kelley assured GeorgiaCarry.Org's President, Ed Stone, in writing, "Firearms are prohibited inside the park. We have made cases for possession of firearms that have been upheld by the court."
GeorgiaCarry.Org believes that the inherent human right of self defense should not be denied to a peaceable citizen, regardless of location. Stone Mountain Park has been the site of occurrences as diverse as a multiple pit bill attack on a jogger (Stone Mountain Park has miles of jogging trails, as has been reported here at the Examiner) and, just this week, a child molester attacking a girl in a park restroom. GeorgiaCarry.Org attempted to negotiate a repeal of an ordinance that so clearly conflicted with state law and the constitution, but they were met with complete stonewalling. Even the Georgia Attorney General's office, normally supportive of the right to bear arms, wrote a response to GeorgiaCarry.Org stating they had reviewed GeorgiaCarry.Org's position but "respectfully disagree with your position." Accordingly, GeorgiaCarry.Org was left with no choice but to abandon the right to bear arms at Stone Mountain Park or sue. GeorgiaCarry.Org chose to sue.
Stone Mountain Park defended the lawsuit at first, but shortly afterward changed its ordinance to permit licensed gun possession in the park, but only after notifying the park police. GeorgiaCarry.Org continued the lawsuit until the park decided to follow state law.
Predictably, not all have been happy about the result. Alice Johnson, of Georgians for Gun Safety, made a statement calling those who exercise the right to bear arms wanne-be police officers and dangerous.
The folks who are adamantly in favor of that see themselves as substitutes for law enforcement and that’s very dangerous.
A recent television news report (video here) interviewed a woman who claimed she will not come to the park anymore, because now it will be dangerous. Somebody should tell her that licensed carriers have been carrying in the park since last November, after the park changed its ordinance the first time, and also inform her that the park is just following the rules applicable to the rest of the state. What did she do outside the park gates?
These same cries of hysteria have arisen each time GeorgiaCarry.Org takes down a new gun ban, and, later, nothing happens. When a another gun ban falls, the same type of statements are issued again, as if they have never been heard before. How long will people continue to believe these people and restrict the right to bear arms in the name of hysterical predictions that do not reflect reality and experience?
