Gun Control Supporters Quietly Gathering Signatures

Josey1

Gun Control Supporters Quietly Gathering Signatures Saturday, October 6, 2001 BY DAWN HOUSE THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE Advocates of a ban on guns in Utah churches and schools quietly have been gathering more signatures, despite their failure to get an initiative on the state ballot last year. Supporters of the Safe to Learn, Safe to Worship Coalition have until June 1 to get the required number of signatures that would place the issue before voters in November 2002. They say recent terrorist attacks won't dampen voters' willingness to place limits on where concealed weapons permit holders can carry their guns. "No one with a concealed weapons permit could have prevented what took place," said Gary Sackett, board member of Utahns Against Gun Violence. "Terrorists operate on a substantially different plane than run-of-the-mill criminals who make life unsafe for Americans generally. All we want to do is make sure that people have a safe place when they worship or go to school." But Janalee Tobias, president of the Utah-based Women Against Gun Control, said a connection exists between disarming residents and "the political horror that took place on Sept. 11." "Families have a right to protect themselves,'' she said. "We must meet any terrorist force with equal force. I'm so tired of these gun haters trying to disarm me, and make me and my kids victims." Almost 37,000 signatures have been collected for the initiative, far short of the 76,180 required by state law. The signatures must represent 10 percent of the voters in 20 of Utah's 29 counties. Currently, only Rich and Daggett counties have reached the required 10 percent; Tooele County is close, said Maura Carabello, executive director of Utahns Against Gun Violence. Along the populous Wasatch Front, three-fourth of the required signatures have been collected in Salt Lake County, leaving supporters with 6,000 more signatures to gather. About 6,400 more signatures are needed in Davis County, and 10,000 are required for Utah County, where only 2,000 people have signed the petition. "Our focus is on the rural counties,'' said Dave Jones of Safe to Learn, Safe to Worship Coalition. "We haven't needed any publicity or fanfare. We simply go to places where people gather, explain what we're doing and ask for signatures." http://www.sltrib.com/10062001/saturday/137911.htm