—– Original Message —–
From: “Phil Murphy” <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Friday, January 28, 2000 12:17 AM
Subject: Press Release and Comment

> After reading the following press release, I would appreciate it if
you
> would take just a moment to reflect upon what you’re witnessing.
>
> This is what it takes to defend YOUR rights.
>
> This is what a handful of Americans are willing to do to make sure
that our
> children and yours don’t exist in the fascist police state this
country is
> rapidly becoming.
>
> If you are appalled by the preceding statement, please don’t fret. You
and
> your ilk are in the firm majority. You are quite safe. Your apathy and
> self-imposed ignorance will guard you against the horrors of reality.
You
> can sleep well.
>
> Some of us won’t, but we don’t ask for your pity or your patronizing
> well-wishing. We ask only that you accept the following quote in the
spirit
> it’s intended:
>
> “If ye love wealth greater than liberty, the tranquillity of
servitude
> greater than the animating contest for freedom, go home
from
> us in peace. We seek not your consul, nor your arms. Crouch
> down and lick the hand that feeds you. May your chains set
> lightly upon you; and may posterity forget ye were our
> countrymen.” — Samuel Adams
> –
>
>
> FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
> January 26, 2000
> For information, contact:
> Scott Wood or Bernie Oliver
> Brassroots, Inc.
>
>
> Rineer trial concludes four-year-long civil rights challenge to City’s
> authority
>
> Tucson, AZ — In a cramped city courtroom at 103 East Alameda in
Tucson
> this coming Friday, January 28, Arizonans will finally learn if the
laws
> and constitution of their state actually mean what they say.
>
> At 2:00 PM, Tucsonan Ken Rineer will finally stand trial for the
charges
> brought against him by the City of Tucson for a legal challenge Rineer
> kicked off after planning his own arrest with city police back in
October
> of 1996.
>
> While City Magistrate Eugene Hays dismissed the charges against Rineer
in
> January of 1997, due to the ordinance’s conflict with state law and
> unconstitutionality, the City of Tucson immediately appealed the
judge’s
> decision and pursued Rineer in the state courts where Hays’ ruling was
> later overturned. Rineer’s case was remanded back down to City Court
where
> he now faces trial.
>
> Refusing to bargain with the City Prosecutor and plead guilty to the
> weapons violation, Rineer, a twenty-year veteran of the Air Force,
husband
> and father of two, stated, “Either the laws of this state mean what
they
> say or they don’t, it’s that simple. I just want this to end.”
>
> If found guilty, Rineer could face up to six months in jail for
initiating
> the legal challenge.
>
> Rineer’s legal battle centered on his right to keep and bear arms (as
> provided for in the Arizona Constitution) while carrying firearms in
city
> parks and how state law prohibits local government from enacting their
own,
> more restrictive ordinances.
>
> Scott Wood, outgoing president of Brassroots, Inc., the pro-gun civil
> rights organization to which Rineer also belongs, said the
organization was
> standing behind Rineer’s decision to go to trial instead of plea
> bargaining, but qualified his statement with, “It will be a very
difficult
> thing to watch our friend and colleague stand alone in that courtroom.
You
> simply won’t find a more dedicated defender of freedom than Ken
Rineer.”
>
> “Ken and I served together in the Air Force,” said Wood, “and I know
Ken
> considers this part of a lifelong duty to defend this country against
all
> enemies, both foreign and domestic. Ashamed as I am to say it, it
seems we
> now face a lot more enemies of the latter variety than the former.”
>
> “What’s even more embarrassing is, we’re the ones who voted for them
in the
> first place.”
>
> -30-
>
> For more information, please visit the Brassroots web site at:
> www.brassroots.org
>
>
>
> *************************************
> Phil Murphy
> Brassroots, Inc.
> 9420 E. Golf Links Rd., #246
> Tucson, AZ 85730-1340
> Phone: (520) 298-4357
> http://www.brassroots.org
> [email protected]
> [email protected]
>
> *************************************