S.F.'s Lone Gun Store Draws Neighbors' Fire

[majormadmax]

All I have to say is, thank God I live in a state and city that doesn't play these bullshit games!

S.F.'s Lone Gun Store Draws Neighbors' Fire

I just got back from Bosnia, and the only guns I saw were rusted relics in makeshift museums.

Somehow the capital, Sarajevo, managed to emerge from four years of hyperviolent siege with lots of bullet-pocked buildings and mortar casings as objects d'art in street stalls but with no apparent firearms problems.

Back here in San Francisco, though, where plastic bags, soda drinks and mishandled recycling cause health-hazard panic, the reopening of a totally legit gun store was bound to catch some neighborhood flak.

These aren't gangbanger street guns but licensed firearms, complete with background checks and more official limitations than we put on torture.

Still, the Northwest Bernal Alliance and three other local groups are urging authorities to deny a permit to High Bridge Arms gun store on Mission Street after a brief closure because its members don't want such a place "near our homes and/or schools."

Officially, the organizations are not opposed to people owning guns, Alliance member Jaime Ross told me. They'd just "rather have something the neighborhood could enjoy - a laundry or wine and cheese shop."

Do we really need to make a high-caliber stink about reopening the only legal firearms sales outlet in the city, even in a nice neighborhood? No. The place has been a gun store for 50 years, and local Ingleside police Capt. Louis Cassanego says that as far as he knows, "there's never been a problem." The captain is for the permit "so long as certain precautions are taken," including all legal requirements and then some. But e-mails he's seeing are running 10-1 against the store's permit application.

It's not a puppy store, after all, or community center. Neither is it a bordello.

High Bridge manager Steve Alcairo was working on the shop last week. He said he hasn't talked with anyone from the alliance and was hoping to reach out to them. Steve is a soft-spoken San Francisco native and Woodrow Wilson High grad. He believes in legalizing pot and gay rights. His Vietnam vet dad kept no guns in their Visitacion Valley home. Steve saw a kid's eye put out with a BB gun when he was 12 and knows people who have been shot.

But he feels he runs a stand-up business where customers get both examined and practical help on gun safety issues.

"I want to know where their fear comes from," he says of the store's opponents. "This is the most scrutinized and regulated business on the whole street. We're watched more closely than the health department watches restaurants."

Not to mention that the store has a steady client traffic of cops.

One group rooting for High Bridge is the Pink Pistols, a gay gun rights organization. Local chapter head Tom (he wouldn't give his last name) put a uniquely green spin on this. "California now has a law that you can't receive ammunition through the mail. And many people in San Francisco don't have cars." Therefore, a city gun store is helpful and encourages the use of mass transit.

OK, maybe that's a stretch. But Tom notes that High Bridge is "a lawful business conducted in a lawful way for people who want to lawfully participate in the shooting sports." Lawful. I get it.

Now can everyone just be sensible?

Phil Bronstein's column appears on Mondays. E-mail him at pbronstein@sfchronicle.com, and read his blog at sfgate.com./blogs/bronstein.

I will admit I never heard of "Pink Pistols" (a gay gun rights organization), and while the name may be amusing I wonder why they would pick something so self-deprecating and which propogates the stereotype.

Still, they seem to have the right mindset!

The Pink Pistols are a gay gun rights organization in the United States and Canada. Their mottos are "Pick on someone your own caliber" and "Armed gays don't get bashed."

Cheers! M2

 

[West Texas]

...

...I will admit I never heard of "Pink Pistols" (a gay gun rights organization), and while the name may be amusing I wonder why they would pick something so self-deprecating and which propogates the stereotype.

Still, they seem to have the right mindset!

The Pink Pistols are a gay gun rights organization in the United States and Canada. Their mottos are "Pick on someone your own caliber" and "Armed gays don't get bashed."

Cheers! M2

Wonder if Texas Skeeter is a member yet....

​

 

[Texas1911]

I will admit I never heard of "Pink Pistols" (a gay gun rights organization), and while the name may be amusing I wonder why they would pick something so self-deprecating and which propogates the stereotype.

Still, they seem to have the right mindset!

The Pink Pistols is a rather underspoken group, especially in Texas, but they've been around for a while.

 

[MR Redneck]

 

[texas skeeter]

Wonder if Texas Skeeter is a member yet....

Of course!!!! and dont think my Pink AR or Pink 1911 wont put a hole in ya just the same!!

 

[West Texas]

Of course!!!! and dont think my Pink AR or Pink 1911 wont put a hole in ya just the same!!

My friend, I woulda bet MONEY that you would have that response!

 

[Texasjack]

After reading the article, my first reaction was to thank God (once again) for letting me live in Texas.

I did think that the part where "Tom" from "Pink Pistols" "..put a uniquely green spin on the (situation).." was particularly colorful.

 

[Vance]

This sort of makes me think about a local outdoor gun range that has been getting some heat from their local city hall types.

This gun range has been out in the sticks for decades, and now that some developers have decided to build up some subdivisions downrange, the range has become a public nuisance.

Fortunately the owner has prevailed so far, but I can see the writing on the wall sad to say.

 

[AcidFlashGordon]

This sort of makes me think about a local outdoor gun range that has been getting some heat from their local city hall types.

This gun range has been out in the sticks for decades, and now that some developers have decided to build up some subdivisions downrange, the range has become a public nuisance.

Fortunately the owner has prevailed so far, but I can see the writing on the wall sad to say.

That's a similar situation to one here in Las Vegas. The Clark County Shooting Park just opened after being under consideration and finally construction after 20 years. The plans were in the County Assessors office that entire time. The land was originally miles away from any kind of city development. Then, over the years, homes were built closer and closer to the site. Once construction began, a group of homeowners about 2 miles away (the closest any development will be....supposedly) started bitching and whining that they didn't want this "thing" near their homes, even though they were supposed to have known about it...their realtors should have had all that information in the home sales contract. There were even complaints of noise of gunshots heard MONTHS before the facility even opened.

It's now in operation and I can tell you that you hear nothing from the range until you've crested the hill leading up to the range firing line.

As for the situation in San Freakcisco, that's typical for the People's Яepublik of Kalifornia. There are too many gun-grabbing libiturds running the state and too many

(sheeple) following these libiturds. They believe guns are evil even though a gun is just an inanimate object and can do nothing without some kind of outside influence. These same asshats move here to Nevada and try to pull the same crap over gun ownership. Fortunately, for now, we have the right to own any legal firearms. We can open carry wherever it's not prohibited. A CCW (concealed carry license) is relatively easy and simple to acquire and doesn't cost an arm, leg and half your left nut. I can walk into any gun store and walk out with a revolver, semi automatic pistol (because once you've bought one hand gun and passed the 3-day waiting period, you no longer have to wait) or rifle that same day.

 

[rsayloriii]

... I can walk into any gun store and walk out with a revolver, semi automatic pistol (because once you've bought one hand gun and passed the 3-day waiting period, you no longer have to wait) or rifle that same day.

That's ok, but you* need to get rid of that initial 3 day wait. If you* don't, then it won't be long before it's upped to every time you have a 3 day wait. Then it just keeps escalating until you get to Commiefornia laws. And like you said, the Commies move from Commiefornia and then try to pull the same crap they did there. So, you* gotta nip it in the butt to try to keep it from escalating too far.



*general term, no one specific

 

[rsayloriii]

As for the original post, I sure hope the gun store wins this. Too much crap in Commiefornia.

 

[texas skeeter]

This sort of makes me think about a local outdoor gun range that has been getting some heat from their local city hall types.

the range has become a public nuisance.

but I can see the writing on the wall sad to say.

You are'nt wrong there Vance!! ive been looking for 10 acres here in N. texas approx. the Sanger area lately. due to the fact STUPID A$$ RULES continue to pop here at the local ranges. for example, 1-No FMJ ammo 2-No 50 cal. weapons 3-No Full Auto Weapons etc....... WTF??? soon enough a guy wont be able to shoot nothing but a BB gun here!! so ill buy some land and build MY OWN PRIVATE SHOOTING RANGE!! I cant wait to get started. QUESTION THOUGH,, what if eventually the city moves in next to my land, can they stop me from shooting on my 10 acre PRIVATELY OWNED PERSONAL LAND??? its legal now, but could they stop me later?? im not to sure of laws and this kind of stuff....

 

[West Texas]

...

...QUESTION THOUGH,, what if eventually the city moves in next to my land, can they stop me from shooting on my 10 acre PRIVATELY OWNED PERSONAL LAND??? its legal now, but could they stop me later?? im not to sure of laws and this kind of stuff....

There is a really long thread on that very issue...before we start rehashing it here...