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American Morning
Firearms Firestorm
Aired December 02, 2003 - 07:40 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: One small southern town in Kansas is sharply divided over a law that would require every household to have a gun. It's on hold for now. But to many of the townspeople, the issue isn't really about firearms. Most of the arguing is because the law would tell them what to do.
Here's more now from CNN's Jeff Flock.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is just your basic little 22.
JEFF FLOCK, CNN CHICAGO BUREAU CHIEF (voice-over): Mick Cooke (ph) already has a shotgun, handgun, BB gun.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's just a squirrel killing machine.
FLOCK: But he doesn't want anybody telling him and the rest of Buttes Springs, Kansas, they have to have one.
John Brewer, on the other hand, does.
JOHN BREWER, CITY COUNCILMAN: All we want to do is protect our community.
FLOCK: With no police in the tiny rural farm town of just 200 people, Brewer got a law passed requiring every head of household to have a gun. But fearing a court challenge, the law provided only a $10 fine if you didn't have one, and exempted anyone who essentially didn't want a gun.
BREWER: There's no teeth in it.
FLOCK (on camera): So, what's your point?
BREWER: My point is, is that we have to have a law on the books to cover our butt when it comes to protecting ourselves.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're taking away from the rights of the people who do not want to have one.
FLOCK (voice-over): It all came down to an angry city council meeting, where there were concerns the city could be sued if there was a gun accident. And while no one spoke against guns, some said the law went too far.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My constitutional rights are getting infringed on because I'm being told I have to own a firearm.
FLOCK: When it was done, Mayor Ed Lacy (ph) vetoed the law, asking the city attorney to try another draft. But it's unlikely to compel residents to own a gun.
John Brewer said even if his idea doesn't prevail, there's already been one benefit.
BREWER: It's got out across the country that the bad guys better stay away from Buttes Springs.
FLOCK: The city council takes up the ordnance again at its February meeting.
I'm Jeff Flock, CNN, Buttes Springs, Kansas.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
O'BRIEN: The exemption clause in the Kansas gun bill covers almost anyone, including people who suffer from physical or mental disabilities, paupers, and people who -- quote -- "conscientiously oppose firearms." Were going to keep an eye on this story, of course. And when it comes back up for consideration early next year, we'll bring you the results.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
Aired December 2, 2003 - 07:40 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: One small southern town in Kansas is sharply divided over a law that would require every household to have a gun. It's on hold for now. But to many of the townspeople, the issue isn't really about firearms. Most of the arguing is because the law would tell them what to do.
Here's more now from CNN's Jeff Flock.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is just your basic little 22.
JEFF FLOCK, CNN CHICAGO BUREAU CHIEF (voice-over): Mick Cooke (ph) already has a shotgun, handgun, BB gun.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's just a squirrel killing machine.
FLOCK: But he doesn't want anybody telling him and the rest of Buttes Springs, Kansas, they have to have one.
John Brewer, on the other hand, does.
JOHN BREWER, CITY COUNCILMAN: All we want to do is protect our community.
FLOCK: With no police in the tiny rural farm town of just 200 people, Brewer got a law passed requiring every head of household to have a gun. But fearing a court challenge, the law provided only a $10 fine if you didn't have one, and exempted anyone who essentially didn't want a gun.
BREWER: There's no teeth in it.
FLOCK (on camera): So, what's your point?
BREWER: My point is, is that we have to have a law on the books to cover our butt when it comes to protecting ourselves.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're taking away from the rights of the people who do not want to have one.
FLOCK (voice-over): It all came down to an angry city council meeting, where there were concerns the city could be sued if there was a gun accident. And while no one spoke against guns, some said the law went too far.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My constitutional rights are getting infringed on because I'm being told I have to own a firearm.
FLOCK: When it was done, Mayor Ed Lacy (ph) vetoed the law, asking the city attorney to try another draft. But it's unlikely to compel residents to own a gun.
John Brewer said even if his idea doesn't prevail, there's already been one benefit.
BREWER: It's got out across the country that the bad guys better stay away from Buttes Springs.
FLOCK: The city council takes up the ordnance again at its February meeting.
I'm Jeff Flock, CNN, Buttes Springs, Kansas.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
O'BRIEN: The exemption clause in the Kansas gun bill covers almost anyone, including people who suffer from physical or mental disabilities, paupers, and people who -- quote -- "conscientiously oppose firearms." Were going to keep an eye on this story, of course. And when it comes back up for consideration early next year, we'll bring you the results.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
