Soccer parents wince at prospect of guns at games

[CQB]

Don't know if this was already posted or not...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/ind...at_prospe.html
Soccer parents wince at prospect of guns at games
by MONICA VON DOBENECK, Of Our Lebanon County Bureau
Friday October 17, 2008, 10:48 PM
JIM ZENGERLE, The Lebanon Daily NewsIsabella Hain, 5, gives her mother, Meleanie Hain, a hug before heading onto the soccer field on Sept. 23 at Optimist Park in Lebanon. Meleanie Hain's insistance on wearing her loaded Glock 26 to the game has other parents up in arms.

Sharon Gregg-Bolognese, the president of the Central Pennsylvania Youth Soccer League, has been getting an earful from parents and coaches who are worried that people will start packing pistols to their children's soccer games.

In a case that gained national attention, a Lebanon County judge ruled Tuesday that Meleanie Hain should get back her concealed-gun permit, which the county sheriff revoked after Hain openly carried a gun to her 5-year-old daughter's soccer game.
CHRIS KNIGHT, The Patriot-NewsGun owner Meleanie Hain speaks to the media after her gun-permit hearing at the Lebanon County Courthouse in Lebanon on Tuesday.

Since then, dozens of readers have posted comments on PennLive.com either applauding or attacking the ruling and Hain's comments that she will likely continue to carry her gun at her children's soccer games. Comments on the PennLive forum use words such as "arrogant jerk," "idiot," "dufus," "cowards" and "sheepish."

Most of the comments on PennLive have come from people applauding the right to openly bear arms.

But a lot of the parents at soccer games feel differently, Gregg-Bolognese said.

"Come on, a 5-year-old's soccer game?" she said. "I mean, really. But if she was in my club and I told her she cannot carry, I would be sued."

Gregg-Bolognese said some clubs have approached her about hiring security guards. Some fathers have threatened to take a gun away from anyone who arrives at a game with one, an idea she tries to squelch. Referees have asked if they should carry guns.

She is trying to come up with a policy to deal with the situation, but it is not easy, she said.

Tom Dougherty, the president of the Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer Association, said he has been consulting with lawyers, but he believes his hands are tied.

"We could put a rule in our books, but we can't enforce it," he said. "We're really kind of powerless."

Gregg-Bolognese suggests clubs check with their school districts and municipalities to see if there are fields where guns can be banned. Guns are generally not allowed on school district property, for instance.

She also tells them to abandon a game if they don't feel safe.

"We don't want kids at risk. Sometimes canceling the game is the only option," she said.

Many people were surprised to find that anybody who is allowed to own a gun -- which is anyone who has passed a criminal background check and is mentally stable -- can openly carry a firearm pretty much anywhere. Permits are required only for concealed weapons.

That includes grocery stores, streets and even the public areas of airports.

"The airport is a public facility like a park or any other public place," said Timothy Edwards, the executive director of Harrisburg International Airport. "You're not screened until you get to the security checkpoint."

Guns are prohibited in courtrooms, prisons and schools.

State regulations have traditionally prohibited guns in state parks, but the Legislature recently voted to overturn that rule. The change is awaiting Gov. Ed Rendell's signature.

Several municipal parks prohibit guns, among them those in Derry Twp., Lower Allen Twp. and Upper Allen Twp.

Derry Twp. administrative assistant Lisa Watford said the law has been on the books for at least 24 years, and she doesn't think guns have any place in parks.

According to Deborah Bitting, a spokeswoman for the Pennsylvania League of Cities and Municipalities, the constitutional right to bear arms would pre-empt any local gun control laws.

Greg Rotz of Pennsylvania Open Carry said there is even some question about whether guns can be prohibited in schools. The law banning them also says guns may be used "in conjunction with a lawful supervised school activity or course or if possessed for other lawful purpose."

Rotz said the more people openly carry guns, the safer society will be. He hopes the ruling in Lebanon County will encourage more people to carry guns.

When asked what parents should do if they want gun-free soccer games, he answered, "They don't have that right."

Gregg-Bolognese said many of the parents in the central Pennsylvania clubs will not feel safer if someone is carrying a gun at the games.

"There are so many parents who will freak out at this it's not funny," she said.

Staff writer Matt Kemeny contributed to this report.

(Comments link at the bottom of the page)




Some should think of what they are going to say before they say it!

One thing you should all remember is that we, as gun owners, fight everyday to keep the rights that we have. Against a whole gambit of atacks. Anything from, it's not your right to it shouldn't be allowed etc.

To make a bold statement as was made here, in my professional opinion, is no better than the Brady camp saying take their guns away.

Reading this makes me want to hide away and not OC. It doesn't make me want to go out and promote OC/CC or gun ownership!

"They don't have that right."

That comment alone is going to hurt our cause.

You may not agree with me on this. But this is something that should be looked at for future referance.

[gnbrotz]

WOW - that's a total misquote on all three points!

I didn't say the first two things AT ALL, and my last quote, while accurate, was in response to a different question, not the one they printed.

They asked me about parents having "the right to feel safe". THAT's when I said that "They don't have that right".

I don't think "more people" should carry guns - I think that anyone who chooses to should be permitted to. I don't carry if they conceal or not, and I don't think this case will make a big difference either way.

Talk about sensationalism! This is some of the worst reporting I've seen on this whole ordeal.

[LastManOut]

Too bad one can not sue newspapers or politicians under say, a truth in advertising, or slanderous speech.

[gnbrotz]

I've responded appropriately in their comments.

[RocketFoot]

This is a horrible article! The author is absolutely clueless about gun rights. We all need to sign up and post a comment!

http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/ind...at_prospe.html

[shefearsnothing]

Well I could have told you the Patriot News would do something like this because the issue I picked up on Wednesday was terribly slanted but it was probably already too late by then. (The main focus was on the lecture given by Judge Eby).

Reading this is a perfect example of the difference between "us" and "them". Here they are using their "freedom of speech" and "freedom of the press" to run their mouths and slander people and the way they exercise their own freedoms and rights not caring how slanderous or offensive it is and at the end of the day WE resign ourselves the fact that it's their RIGHT. We ACCEPT that and are not trying to have their pens taken away from them or some sort of license revoked. HOWEVER, they are a horse of a different color. When we come along and are exercising a right they don't like or find offensive they expect us to hide it, stop it, change it, or that they have some "right" of their own to infringe on it. I am quite pleased to be a member of THIS group. We recognize the ENTIRE constitution and believe we're all entitled to those rights and freedoms that our forefathers outlined for this country and not just the ones we're "comfortable" with on a given day and circumstance. So thank you all again. You are just the kind of company I'd like to keep.

[LorDiego01]

Some fathers have threatened to take a gun away from anyone who arrives at a game with one....

WoW! I can't imagine a better way to get shot..

who the hell are these people?

[RocketFoot]

Originally Posted by LorDiego01

WoW! I can't imagine a better way to get shot..

who the hell are these people?

Well, they talk big, but those guys would be the first ones to pee their pants if they even saw a gun, let alone a criminal with an illegal gun!

[press1280]

I've got an idea, if they're worried about her carrying, why don't they carry(OC or CC,their choice) just to "make sure nothing happens"?

[Butlerite]

Originally Posted by LorDiego01

WoW! I can't imagine a better way to get shot..

who the hell are these people?

OR to get themselves arrested for battery!