Lawsuit Filed To Carry Weapons In Atlanta Airport

ATLANTA — The nation's busiest airport dueled with gun rights advocates Tuesday over whether a new Georgia state law allows visitors to carry firearms at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

City officials in charge of the airport declared it a "gun-free zone" when a law allowing people to carry guns on public transit and other places took effect Tuesday. Gun rights supporters, including a state legislator who helped pass the law, quickly filed a lawsuit in federal court challenging the designation.

"My message is simple: Leave your firearms at home," airport general manager Ben DeCosta told reporters at a news conference.

Atlanta officials said anyone carrying a gun at the airport could be arrested and charged with a misdemeanor.

The new state law allows people with a concealed weapons permit to carry guns into restaurants, state parks and on public transportation.

John Monroe, an attorney for the gun rights backers who filed the lawsuit, argued the Atlanta airport qualifies as public transportation. There are also restaurants in the terminal, which Monroe said should be accessible to gun-toting visitors under the new law.

Rep. Tim Bearden, a Republican from Villa Rica and a former police officer, is a plaintiff in the lawsuit. Bearden sponsored the state law.

He had told a newspaper he would carry a concealed weapon to the airport Tuesday when he picked up his family. But he told The Associated Press by telephone Tuesday morning, "There will be no reason for any confrontation at the airport."

The gun group argues that weapons should be allowed in the terminal up to the point where passengers pass through security to board their flights. The parking lot is off limits under the state law, but it allows travelers to carry a gun on MARTA trains and buses, which run directly to the airport.

Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin said citizens can't bring guns into the terminal and argued that airports remain attractive targets for terrorism.

Allowing citizens to carry firearms "would create an environment that would endanger millions of people," she said.

Franklin said she will lobby Congress to withhold federal funds from facilities that allow firearms on their premises.

Comments

[separatingwheatfromchaff]

Just imagine if there were no guns in the world,what would people do?

[djkrlsn]

they would be just as violent as they are now

[Tao21Zen]

Exactly, violence wasn't created with/after the invention of firearms. People were using swords, bows, knives, axes, etc. to commit acts of violence long before firearms were invented. All gun-control does is divert attention and blame aware from the person using the firearms and onto the inanimate object they are using. This is why gun-control, like every other form of 'weapons-control' thought the history of humanity, is destined to fail.

[separatingwheatfromchaff]

All I know is when I go to church on Sunday morning I'll feel a lot better knowing "Old Betsy" is tucked nicely in my shoulder holster,loaded and ready for anything,praise the Lord.

[michael429]

let them own Muskets.....their rights should stop there.....idiots that won't educate their kids but need to have weapons......

[Tao21Zen]

Need I remind you that the Founding Fathers didn't have computers in mind when the wrote the first Amendment? You are exercising your 1st Amendment right using a modern day device not around when that Amendment was written to tell people that the 2nd Amendment doesn't protect their modern day devices.

Can you say, "hypocrite."

[djkrlsn]

And your rights to free expression stop with the quill pen and the Guttenberg press--both sides can play that game.

[Erdgeist]

Violence and violent intentions are America's problem. Guns or no guns, Americans are a violent people. And of all her wars, it was the Civil War that slaughtered the most Americans--Americans killing Americans.

[Elmo]

the level of hysteria in these comments is frightening me, and making me laugh. most of the posters haven't bothered to read the article, or have serious cognition problems.

[ccpostman]

To bad for you, most of us have.

[doctorwang]

I think it's a great idea to be able to carry loaded guns into the Atlanta International Airport. Now I can feel as safe in the airport as if I would if I were in an Atlanta courthouse. You know, where all those trained deputies carry their loaded pistols......just like they did on March 11, 2005.

In case you've forgotten:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,150119,00.html or

http://www.cnn.com/2005/LAW/03/12/atlanta.shooting/

[huzzah]

I think concealed carry is stupid. If people want to carry guns in public, they shouldn't conceal their weapons. They should wear them on their hips in clearly visible holsters. That way, if something happens, the rest of us will have an idea of where the crossfire is going to be and we can get the hell out of the way.

[djkrlsn]

But concealed carry has reduced violent crime in every single state that it has been tried--that strikes me as being smart. Self defense is an extremely basic human right.

[Thirdpower]

Illinois Factoids according to the 2006 IL Uniform Crime Report and Chicago Crime Report.

Chicago has a HS drop out rate of 50%. 95% of murders this year have been committed by people w/ criminal records. Over 70% of victims have had records. Murder rates this year alone have risen 13% in the city with Robbery up 10%.

Illinois had a population of 12.8 million w/ a murder rate of 6.1/100K (780) .

Chicago had 22.2% of the population of Illinois yet accounted for 60% of murders w/ a per capita rate of 16.4/100K .

Cook County had 41.4% of the population of Illinois yet accounted for 73.6% of murders w/ a per capita rate of 10.83/100K .

The Cook County murders in raw number/per capita increased 4.4% and 4.9% respectively while arrest numbers and rates dropped over 18% from '05 to '06.

If Chicago were to fall into Lake Michigan, the Illinois murder rate would drop to 3.14.

Were the rest of Cook County to follow suit, the rate would drop to 2.74.

Guns are effectively banned in Chicago and severely restricted in Cook County.

Where's the problems again?

[huzzah]

Perhaps the problem has something to do with the common theme of desperation in urban areas -- areas which generally have poorer schools, fewer extra-curricular activities for kids, lower incomes, etc. All of which mean that kids growing up there tend to see their chances of success in our society as a huge long shot. So you can bust your ass in a dilapidated school building with outdated books and equipment, maybe get your grades up enough to get accepted to college which you then will not be able to afford. If you grow up in those conditions, dropping out as early as possible and selling drugs might seem like your best bet to provide for yourself.

And if your statistics are accurate, it sounds like theres no need for Illinois residents to have a gun if they don't live in Chicago.

[djkrlsn]

Since when does need have anything to do with the exercise of an individual constitutionally protected right

[AmericanSinceFeb08]

Wonderful example on how to lie with statistics!!!!

More guns means less violence is your hypothesis. Are there other differences between Chicago and rural Illinois? It is time for you to look beyond the statistics.

[Thirdpower]

That's my hypothesis? Really? Perhaps you should read the very first section of my post that exemplifies some of the differences between Chicago and the rest of the state (which you classify as exclusively rural in your ignorance) before you go spouting off.

[DWX]

Western interpretation of the 2nd amendment “The right of the People to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed”. Eastern interpretation of the 2nd amendment “Those who live by the sword shall die by the sword”

[Rubyfoo]

This is great. Let's all carry guns onto planes, then we can shoot any bad guys if we're careful not to kill too many bystanders or put too many holes in the plane. Guns anywhere, everywhere. Let's settle home arguments with duels. Great for gun dealers. Good for emergency room trauma centers.

[muffinman2]

I don't know. It seems to work for the Isrealis.

[AmericanSinceFeb08]

Maybe you should move there, if it is so much safer.

[Tao21Zen]

Good thing the areas in America with strictest gun control laws (Washington DC, Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, etc.) are the safest, most peaceful and non-violent areas. Right?

Oh wait, no those areas are always the most dangerous and unsafe places.

[dragn1]

I am so glad Franklin and Decosto can break the law like this. They do not have to listen to laws passed by those bad people. It always seems that liberals are so flustered when laws are passed they do not like and then well we just will not accept them. Funny it does not seem to work in reverse. I wonder what laws I get to break because I do not like them.

[RTIII]

It's called Civil Disobedience and it has a LONG, proud history in the United States.

[Tao21Zen]

So are you then saying that we too can break the country's anti-gun laws under the guise of "civil disobedience" or does than only apply to the elitists that break laws the far lefties disagree with?

It must really be great to not have live by your own rules.

[Hoelder]

It amazes me what the right wing gun totting folks come up with. Since 911 we have continuously being told that they are working on making flying safer. The terrorists do not need to fear anymore. Box cutters are a thing of the past. Now they can bring guns with them because the right wing Republicans want the right wing fundamentalist to bring down a plane before November, so the right wing Republicans can scare the sh*t out of us and McCain can win. Deviancy at a supreme level. The supreme I ya told'ya Cheney and the supreme Ayatollah kiss each others ears.

[Tao21Zen]

My God, do you folks every apply reason and logic to anything you say?

"The terrorists do not need to fear anymore. Box cutters are a thing of the past. Now they can bring guns with them.."

All of the terrorists that hijacked planes on 911 were here on expired student visas NOT US citizens so they DO NOT and WOULD NOT have the 2nd Amendment rights a US citizen has.

Shall I remind you that it is you lefties that want to extend Constitutional rights/protections to our enemies. 4 of the 5 justices that voted to confer Habeas Corpus to Gitmo detainees are the 4 most liberal justices on the Supreme Court and they are the only justices that voted against the Heller decision. On the other hand, 4 of the 5 justices that voted in favor of the Heller decision voted against conferring Habeas Corpus to Gitmo detainees and are the most conservative members of the Supreme Court.

[huzzah]

"All of the terrorists that hijacked planes on 911 were here on expired student visas NOT US citizens so they DO NOT and WOULD NOT have the 2nd Amendment rights a US citizen has."

But if the NRA had its way -- NO gun regulations, PERIOD -- there would be no measures in place-- i.e. background checks, waiting periods -- to let us know that the person buying a gun ISN'T a citizen and DOESN'T have that right. We'd be almost completely unable to ensure that we weren't selling a gun to a terrorist.

RE: the Habeus decision...Why should we NOT allow detainees Habeus Corpus? The decision doesn't free them. It lets them challenge their detainment. Maybe most of them deserve to be there, but some definitely do not, and up until now the innocent have had no means to plead their cases. How comfortable you must be in your black-and-white, circular-logic world in which the detained SHOULD be detained BECAUSE they are detained. Wait, it's because they aren't citizens that we deny them Habeus, right? As it stood before the court ruled, YOU could be declared an enemy combatant, thrown in Gitmo, and denied Habeus Corpus. "But," you say, "I'm a U.S. citizen!" Well, that may be, but without Habeus, you cannot challenge your detainment, ergo you have no way to PROVE you are a citizen.

[benEzra]

Umm, you do realize that the law only deals with lawful carry on public transportation to and from the airport, the airport parking lot, and the ticketing/baggage claim area, yes? And that it only applies to those already authorized by the state of Georgia to carry a firearm?

The rules are still the same aboard airplanes, in the concourses, etc.; no weapons past the checkpoints, period. All guns have to be unloaded, locked in check baggage per Federal regulations, and declared to the airline staff/TSA, same as it's always been.

[AmericanSinceFeb08]

What about non law abiding folks? Are they wearing signs that say so? How secure is this program (government know its ability to be effective).

That is the problem. Conservatives hate government, unless ... it is to their advantage (voter ID, life choices, concealed weapon).

If you are so brave to carry a gun, you better show it to all of us, so that we know.

[Cheryllou]

I'm mentally unstable at times, and I'm so grateful that I can have a gun with me at all times because you know, sometimes I think I see someone holding something that looks like a gun and I might have to shoot that person. I travel by air a lot, so being able to carry a gun to the airport is fantastic!

[LeaveArtieAlone]

This is brilliant (SARCASM). Terrorist now don’t have to bring their own guns they can just take one away from someone in the airport. And worse yet, some idiot who believes someone is acting suspiciously can shoot an innocence person(s) they mistakenly perceive to be a terrorist. Why WHY does one need a gun IN the airport? If you must carry a gun to the airport, why the hell can’t you just leave the damn thing in the car? We have marshals for Pete’s sake!

[Hillrick]

So terrified for your personal safety that you always have to pack heat? If I drove through the worst section of town to do business maybe but take a gun to the mall? Or the airport? How about daycare? You never know when a preschooler is gong to get a sugar rush and goes crazy with his teacher's Glock. If Dodge City mentality was what we needed to survive then why did Dodge City outlaw side arms? Maybe there is some deeper desire at work here.(Note to self: Must help society crumble so I have more legal opportunities to kill some one...)