Stepping on our rights

[BEARCLAW]

Peoples Rights Organization4444 Indianola Avenue Columbus, Ohio 43214
Ph: (614) 268-0122
http://www.PeoplesRights.org
8/11/2005
[size 5]Columbus Gun Ban Goes Into Effect TODAY[/size]

8/11/2005
The City of Columbus's draconian gun ban goes into effect today. There is a 90-day grace period, during which time gun owners can register their guns they feel may be affected by this ban with the city.
PRO IS RECOMMENDING that people NOT register their guns, but move them out of the city until this matter is settled in the courts. There is a great deal of confusion about what guns this ban covers. Because a provision in the new law stipulates that guns that are registered cannot be later sold or willed to a gun owners' heirs upon her death, this is essentially a gun "surrender/confiscation" law, as well. It makes no sense to register lawfully owned guns for later surrender to the city with no compensation, so we urge you to move and store your firearms outside the city limits.
Peoples Rights Organization historically has taken legal action in these kinds of matters. We will have an announcement in the coming weeks.
Gun owners in the city are fuming, but most everyone else is indifferent. The only people cheering this move are Mayor Michael Coleman, who continues to promote the fact that he drove away the NRA and its $20 million in economic benefits that the 2007 convention would have brought to the financially beleagured city, and the out-of-state anti-gun groups (Toby Hoover's Toledo-based Coalitition Against Gun Violence; the San Francisco Legal Community Against Violence, which wrote the Columbus ordinance; and the former Handgun Control Inc., now known as the Brady Campaign). Council Member Michael Mentel is staying quiet on the issue, since Council recessed for the month of August.
One lawsuit has already been filed by a Columbus City Council candidate who says the ordinance violates state probate law. Additional suits are expected to be filed. And as stated earlier, PRO will have an announcement in the coming weeks.
Stay tuned for more information on this matter.
8/3/2005
Columbus city officials today will unveil their registration scheme through which citizens are to "register" their firearms if they meet the definition of a so-called "assault weapon" under the wide-ranging gun ban passed by City Council on July 11. The ban goes into effect on August 11, and city residents have 90 days from that date to register or dispose of their firearms that meet the city's definition of an assault weapon.
The city has devised a form, which can be accessed via the city's website, to be mailed in. The mail-in method is hoped to to encourage people to comply with the controversial new ordinance. Of course, easy process or not, criminals still won't be registering their guns. Even the assistant city attorney who worked on the language for City Council, Josh Cox, admitted to the Columbus Dispatch in a story a few weeks ago that the ordinance will have no effect on criminals. One lawsuit already has been filed on this issue, and others are expected.
Look for media coverage on the registration forms on August 3. The city website, where residents can learn more about the ban, print a registration form, and try to determine whether their gun meets the ordinance description, is [url "http://www.columbuscitycouncil.org/assaultweaponban/awbfaq.htm"]http://www.columbuscitycouncil.org/...weaponban/awbfaq.htm[/url].
The city's website includes links to illustrations of various types of guns, even though the vaguely worded ordinance appears to cover many more guns than members of City Council mentioned when they worked for nearly nine months to terrify Columbus residents into supporting this law. There also is a link where you can download the form that is to be sent in to the city to register a firearm that is suspected of being an "assault weapon.
A REMINDER: Peoples Rights Organization is recommending that residents move any firearms they suspect might be covered by the ordinance outside the city limits until this matter is settled by the courts. This is important because the new law includes a draconian provision that prohibits gun owners who register their guns from ever selling their firearms, or leaving their guns to their heirs or loved ones upon their death.
[signature]