[cuchulainn]

from the KXLY

http://www.kxly.com/common/getStory.asp?id=32067Photo Controversy in North Idaho

A photo in the Coeur d'Alene Press is drawing fire because of what the person in the picture is holding.

The photo accompanies an article about senior football standout Carl Roeller. The problem is, he is holding a gun and posing in the end zone of the Coeur d'Alene High School football field. The picture has school and police officials investigating whether this violates any gun laws. Apparently it does not, but the Press's managing editor says everyone involved should have known better.

A free lance photographer took the picture and even supplied the gun to illustrate Roeller's love for hunting. Neither the paper nor Roeller will face any legal consequences.

[Quartus]

Sad that this is a news article.

[Brian Dale]

Looks like there are a lot of immigrants in Idaho now. When my family lived in Boise, a picture like that in the paper would have been a reminder for the kids to ask Dad to take us out shooting again the following weekend. The answer would have been "yes, once your homework's done."

Edited to add: by "immigrants," I mean left-leaning and urban folks from other states who have escaped their previous places of residence, only to begin trying to re-create them.

[sm]

Well, nobody tried to mug them during the photo shoot...goes to show guns are a deterrent-huh?;)

Boy, these opponents would of had a hissy fit seeing us kids shooting air rifles in the gym as I did growing up...times have changed...

[geekWithA.45]

AAAAH! a GUN! :what: In the hands of a CHILD! On SCHOOL GROUNDS!

Quick! Sound the "lockdown alarm!"

[RocketMan]

We had 03's for drill and .22's for for the rifle team when I was in high school.
Holy smokies, how times have changed.
And not for the better. :mad:

[KC]

You think that's bad?
A few years ago the local high school band teacher was instructed to discard the 'rifles' in the 'flag and rifle' team. Some officious creature decided that it was inappropriate for youg girls to be 'playing with guns'. When I was there we had to change the band logo to get rid the evil gun-shape that was a prominant feature.

I dont know how much longer the PC nazis will allow bands to have martial names. Havent heard anything from the hoplophobes recently, but certainly the local band was forced to discard their new and expensive uniforms (about $350 per) in favor of these ridiculous one piece jumpsuits that they now use.

At least the guy in Idaho was not arrested and expelled.

[Futo Inu]

That is one of the most unbelievably stupid news reports I've ever seen. Definitely going to re-think moving to Idaho if the local press would be that incredibly anti-gun in its news stories. Wouldn't be given much of a thought in OK, or if it was, it wouldn't have such a sickeningly biased story.

First of all, the gist of the story is that the newspaper is all contrite and sorry for being "irresponsible" :barf: In WHAT WAY is it irresponsible, I'd like to know? His finger is not on the trigger...it's not pointed at anyone... WTH.

Second, the live report from the infobabe makes her attempt at reading the federal law which she thinks applies (and thus led her and apparently others to the conclusion that no laws were broken), and out of her own mouth comes the definition of "dangerous weapons", which excludes "ANTIQUE firearms which..... [blah, blah, blah, blah]". ANTIQUE. ANTIQUE, get it? That gun is in no way antique. Yet she can't even understand the first word in a plain English definition. Dunno whether it's illegal or not, but I do know that the USC code she read is not the one Okaying this action, if any. Not necessarily anything making it illegal either though....

Third, the story emphasizes that it was the taking (and publishing) of the PICTURE which was apparently the irresponsible thing. The PICTURE. ***. If it ain't illegal or otherwise wrong to do it, then why on earth would it somehow be wrong to take a picture of something perfectly fine to do, and subsequently publish that picture?

Absolutely shocking. I'm extremely surpised at the blissninny quotient in ID. Sigh...I'll have to cross that state off the list of possible destinations. Grrr. I'm running out of places.

There's only two questions: 1. Is it illegal (or against school policy) to possess the gun on school grounds. I don't know, but I do know that US v Lopez struck down the "Gun Free School Zones Act" as violative of the 10A, as they should have. So it would have to be state law or school policy at work.

2. If it is legal and not against school policy, is it otherwise wrong? Well, I think we know the answer to that.

[JeanC]

SIGH! Then again, this is Coeur d'Alene we are talking about where a lot of the folk from California are moving to. This wouldn't have caused a single raised eyebrow in most of the rest of the state.

[DCR]

The part that strikes me as funny is that under state law it is illegal - Idaho Code §18-3302D - but the infobabe quotes (and misapplies) federal law and says it is thus not illegal!

Hey, if they think it's legal after all, let them; maybe they'll start accepting it and not arresting or expelling law abiding folks who possess weapons on school property.

[JeanC]

here's a link to the story in the Spokesman:

http://www.spokesmanreview.com/news-story.asp?date=102403&ID=s1429370

Friday, October 24, 2003

Idaho

No charges expected for shotgun brought to school

Taryn Brodwater - Staff writer

A newspaper photograph of a star athlete holding a shotgun on the Coeur d'Alene High School campus has launched concerns about possible violations of the school district's zero-tolerance weapons policy, as well as state and federal law.

But apparently no charges will be filed against Coeur d'Alene Press photographer Cory Rust, who brought the shotgun to school, or Carl Roeller, the student who posed with the weapon.

The photograph appeared in the sports section of Thursday's Press. Dressed in a camouflage jacket and holding the gun, Roeller, 18, is pictured leaning against a goal post on the school's football field.

The story and picture were meant to showcase Roeller's dual fall passions: football and hunting.

"Absent that process of getting permission, weapons are not to be on school property," said Coeur d'Alene schools Superintendent Harry Amend.

The school district issued a press release Thursday saying Roeller would not face disciplinary action because the gun wasn't his. Rust brought the gun as a photo prop.

The district described Roeller as "an exemplary student/athlete and citizen at CHS."

According to Idaho law, possession of a firearm on school grounds is a misdemeanor. The Coeur d'Alene Police Department is not pressing charges, however.

"It's poor judgment, but it doesn't constitute a crime," said Sgt. Christie Wood, who is also a member of the Coeur d'Alene School Board.

"There's always an exception," to the law, Wood said, but she did not detail which exception applied to this case.

-snip-

[Standing Wolf]

"It's poor judgment, but it doesn't constitute a crime," said Sgt. Christie Wood, who is also a member of the Coeur d'Alene School Board.

There's a lot to like about Idaho, starting with most of its people.

[Al Norris]

Here's the relevent section of Idaho Code:

18-3302D. POSSESSING WEAPONS OR FIREARMS ON SCHOOL PROPERTY.
(1) (a) It shall be unlawful and is a misdemeanor for any person to possess a firearm or other deadly or dangerous weapon while on the property of a school or in those portions of any building, stadium or other structure on school grounds which, at the time of the violation, were being used for an activity sponsored by or through a school in this state or while riding school provided transportation.
(b) The provisions of this section regarding the possession of a firearm or other deadly or dangerous weapon on school property shall also apply to students of schools while attending or participating in any school sponsored activity, program or event regardless of location.

Note the highlighted portions? While you may possibly be arrested for this "misdemeanor," as long as the possession was not during a sponsored activity you have an argueable exception. I'm guessing that the photo-op was done outside of normal school hours, hence the attitude of the police.

There are other exceptions to these rules. You can have the tacit permission of the school board to carry concealed, as I do. My job causes me to be at several of our schools once in a while. I asked and received written permission, so I wouldn't have to disarm and leave my gun in my pickup.

As JeanC said, this is Coeur d'Alene! Fast becoming as liberal as Hailey/Sun Valley. Sometimes I think Boise is not far behind!

[jimpeel]

... police officials investigating whether this violates any gun laws. Apparently it does not ...

... Neither the paper nor Roeller will face any legal consequences.So why even bring this up????

[0007]

Coeur d' Alene = Hollywierd in Idaho... :scrutiny: :barf: