In early May of this year, TMJ4, a Milwaukee television station, set off a flurry of interest in Oconomowoc and Wisconsin open carry laws. A Wisconsin mother was in the park, took the above picture, posted it on Facebook, and asked if open carry was a legal practice. TMJ4 talked to Oconomowoc officials who told them that a local ordinance made it illegal. TMJ4 broadcast that information to hundreds of thousands of Milwaukee homes.
Local Second Amendment supporters were outraged. Nick Clark, President of Wisconsin Carry, contacted the television station and reporter, and informed them that they had received bad information. He cited the Wisconsin statutes involved, which made clear that any local Oconomowoc ordinance as described, would not be valid and not be enforceable. An online debate occurred in the comments where, as usual, Second Amendment supporters cited the law and the facts, and clearly triumphed.
Oconomowoc Police Chief Beguhn checked the facts, and graciously contacted Nic Clark. Chief Beguhn told him that he realized that the ordinance was unenforceable. He said that he would ask the city council to remove it.
City Administrator Diane Gard refused to admit to any error, only switching her position to say that the law was "under review". TMJ4 titled their semi-retraction/correction "City suspends enforcement of 'open carry' law".
While covering a gun turn in event in Milwaukee, a private buyer informed me that a victory open carry picnic was planned in Oconomowoc that afternoon. By luck and circumstance, I was able to attend. I had wondered if such a picnic would be organized. Below is a picture of the Second Amendment supporters in the same location as the original photograph above.
At the picnic, everyone was having a good time. I was able to interview Krysta Sutterfield, who is working to appeal the outrageous 7th Circuit decision against her lawsuit to the Supreme Court. That is for another article.
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| Open Carry at the Picnic |
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| The difference between toys and real guns is learned at an early age |
TMJ4 was in attendance at the gun turn in event in Milwaukee. Perhaps they did not get the word about the celebratory open carry picnic in Oconomowoc. It would have made a great companion story to their original one with the Facebook photograph.
©2014 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included. Link to Gun Watch
45 state allow the open carry of properly holstered handguns. 30 of these states - including Wisconsin - require no permit to open carry.
ReplyDelete45 states allow the open carry of properly holstered handguns. 30 of these state require no permit to open carry, including Wisconsin.
ReplyDeleteOh, no, all the local media were told about the picnic.
ReplyDeleteAs you could see, they all declined to visit us.
We're going to have another picnic later in the summer, when it's warmer. (18MAY was pretty chilly this year!)
But the best part is what isn't shown in that picture...
As the guys were lining up for it, a little girl (maybe waist-high to them) excused her way through to use the slide.
Not at all afraid, nor was her mom, who was on the ground with those of us avoiding the picture.
(Nor were the other kids & adults using the play space.)