Few comment on plan to push gun ownership

GREENLEAF, Idaho – A proposal to encourage gun ownership in this southwestern Idaho town is drawing national attention, but mostly bemusement from local residents.

“It’s odd,” Ruben Cruz, who said he doesn’t care whether the ordinance is adopted, told the Idaho Statesman.

On Tuesday, the City Council held a meeting that included the second reading of Draft Ordinance 208. The meeting was moved to a larger venue to handle an expected big crowd, but only about 15 people attended.

Only three spoke about the proposed ordinance, and two made only passing reference to guns and instead talked about other parts of the measure.

Besides encouraging gun ownership by heads of households, the ordinance calls for development of an emergency operations plan and a city emergency operations center, and it authorizes promotion and support of citizen emergency response teams and neighborhood watch groups.

City Councilman Steven Jett said the proposed ordinance asks homeowners to buy a gun and receive proper firearms training. The rule is modeled on a 1982 law passed in Kennesaw, Ga., requiring each head of household to keep at least one gun.

Jett said the council toned down the rule’s original language, which would have made gun ownership mandatory.

Still, the ordinance has drawn attention, including a mention by “Tonight Show” host Jay Leno, as well as Comedy Central’s news satire “The Daily Show.”

If the ordinance passes, area residents don’t expect any change.

“I don’t think it will have any real impact,” said Art Bailey, a supporter of the ordinance. “I just think an armed community is the right thing.”

The draft ordinance states: “In order to provide for the emergency management of the city, and further in order to provide for and protect the safety, security and general welfare of the city and its inhabitants, it is recommended that every head of household residing in the city limits maintain a firearm, together with ammunition therefore, and obtain appropriate training relating to proper, safe and lawful handling of firearms.”

Greenleaf, population 862, was named after Quaker poet and abolitionist John Greenleaf Whittier, and the 100-year-old Greenleaf Friends Church counts about 200 practicing Quakers as members.

At the meeting on Tuesday, Alan Weinacht, pastor of the church, said he supported the measure except for the gun recommendation.

“Maybe a better course of action is to prepare to care,” he said.

A City Council vote on the measure has not been scheduled.