—–Original Message—–
From: FF2B Moose <[email protected]>
Newsgroups: rec.guns
Date: Saturday, October 21, 2000 9:22 AM
Subject: Utah – Anti Gun issue. Please read.

>Hello there,
>
>In advance, I thank you for taking the time to read this letter. Here is
the
>story I have to tell. It’s a story that I, that we 3 involved, feel that
all
>gun owners need to hear.
>
>My name is Luke Hansen. I live in Clinton, Utah. I’ve been married for 4
and a
>half years, and am expecting my first baby (girl) in February. My two
friends
>are Jason Melling, and Paul Carlson. Jason has been married for about 2
years
>and has just bought a house. Paul is not married. Paul and I are both Utah
>state Concealed Weapons Permit holders (CCW).
>
>The three of us worked for America Online (AOL) in Ogden, Utah. We’ve
worked
>there for varying numbers of years. Paul for 2, Jason for about 3, and
myself
>for over 4 years. All 3 of us were good employees, great reviews, good
stats,
>and not “Problem” employees.
>
>On September 14th, Jason, Paul and I met after work in the AOL parking lot
to
>go shooting. This parking lot is open to the public, and denoted as AOL’s
only
>by white stripes for the stalls. Jason took his .30-06 in a case, and his
S&W 9
>mm (again, in a case) from his car, walked 10-15 feet and placed them in my
>truck. Paul took his .45 long colt in a holster, and his KBI (7.62×39) not
in a
>case, and walked 5-10 feet and placed them in my truck as well. I waited
>patiently, never once touching the guns. We left the AOL parking lot to go
>shooting at the gun range just outside of Eden, Utah.
>
>The following Monday, the three of us were fired for violation of company
>policy – Weapons on premises. AOL allows no weapons anywhere that they deem
>their property. Inside the building, or anywhere in the parking lot that
they
>lease. If you’re an AOL employee in that lot anywhere with a gun, you will
be
>terminated. If you are a non AOL employee, or a customer of one of the
other
>stores in that mall, you are fine. AOL’s no weapons note inside the
building
>states that they are classified as a “Secure Facility” under state law.
Well,
>Utah State law says that Secure Facilities are only Airport Terminals,
Court
>Houses, Olympic Venues, jails, federal buildings and Mental institutions
(UCA
>76-10-523.5).
>
>AOL’s illegal company policies do more than just restrict what happens on
their
>leased property. It restricts what their gun owning employees do to and
from
>work. As well as their CCW/Employees do to and from work. By not allowing
them
>in their employees cars (Again, legal under state law in the constitution:
>Article 1 Sec. 6, and UCA 76-10-501.i). Their policy restricts their
employees
>to carry a gun in their car to go hunting after work, or to go to the
gunsmith
>on lunch. It restricts CCW holders from lawfully carrying their gun to and
from
>work.
>
>AOL has violated several different express Utah Public Policies, Utah’s
State
>Constitution, and the Second Amendment to the US Constitution by firing us
3.
>The 3 of us have began to take legal action against AOL for wrongful
>termination. We have enlisted the help of J. Vilos, Attorney, and author of
>”Utah Gun Law: Good, Bad and Ugly.” If AOL is allowed to continue with
illegal
>company policies like this, then ALL companies in Utah can adopt similar
>policies. Your employer can whittle away at your gun rights, and get away
with
>it. The 3 of us have chosen to take a stand, because this is something that
we
>feel very deeply about. We believe that this is truly an issue that affects
ALL
>Utah gun owners and ALL Utah CCW carriers. These aren’t just our rights
that
>were violated, they are your rights too.
>
>We are looking for any help that can be offered by any Utah gun owners who
feel
>as strongly about their gun rights as we do. Any help that you can give, be
it
>monetary, some resources that we may have overlooked, knowledge that we may
not
>have that may aid us, personal contacts you feel we should get in touch
with,
>or even a “Good luck, I stand behind you” would be greatly appreciated.
>
>Again, I thank you for taking the time to read this.
>~Luke Hansen
>
>You can reach me at: >