Update 2: In a win for liberty in Tamworth, the Selectmen beat a retreat on the firearms issue and removed their policy. Pro-Gun New Hampshire’s website declares “Reason and Law Defeat Prejudice in Tamworth“, describes Selectmen as having the enthusiasm of a “9-year-old going in for a root canal” in removing their employee policy.

The Carroll County Independent today published an article covering the melee over gun rights in Tamworth at the last two Selectmen’s meetings, specifically covering the firefighter’s initial objections, the illegality of the town policy, and the gun-toting town’s folk open-carrying firearms to the last Selectmen’s meeting to show the bureaucrats “that peaceful and responsible gun owners are not a problem”.

As well, the following e-mail from Ossipee Selectman and former NH State Representative Harry Merrow is reportedly making its way around the region:

From: Harry C. Merrow [mailto:{omitted}@myfairpoint.net]
Sent: Tuesday, September 01, 2009 12:47 PM
To: undisclosed-recipients:
Subject: Tamworth Guns

Take a look at the attached web site. What is happening in Tamworth goes against present state law (which I supported) and is clearly illegal. If the town reg. is enforced and/or expanded I will not be able to support or vote for John [Roberts] if he runs for a second term as a State Rep. unless he takes a clear stand against the town reg. on guns. Go to    livefreeandcomply.org

Harry

The volunteer firefighters in town are less than enthusiastic about their firearms rights being suspended whilst being on town property. This would all be a valid discussion if the Town of Tamworth were a private business, who may regulate firearms or anything else on their property as they please, but as a government entity, this position doesn’t apply morally, nor per state law, the latter of which the town government likes to follow some of the time, when it suits them.

The volunteer firefighter’s concern brought to light the clear anti-gun mentality of the town government in Tamworth, of which every hard-working gun-toting good person in Tamworth ought to object to. Below is a bevy of shocking quotes coming out of the most recent Selectmen’s meeting showing utter contempt for firearms possession by peaceful people:

Tamworth Selectman Willie Farnum
“Every time you volunteer, you give up a right…Unfortunately, that’s the way it is.” – Next week, your first amendment rights are on the chopping block. And we’ll just work our way down the list of the Bill of Rights if you’re a really nice person and volunteer a lot.

“If a fireman goes into a situation and he’s got a pistol on his side and decides that I’ve got a pistol on my side and that guy’s in my way and I’m gonna tell him to get out of my way and starts pushing him around and the other guy grabs his pistol, guess who’s going to get sued.” – And if a purple elephant got angry with a flying lemur and prompted the flying lemur’s pet hamster to attack with a gun…guess who’s going to get sued. That’s a bit of a stretch, Willie.

“Our job as Selectmen is to protect the financial interests of this community.” – Might consider reducing spending and lowering taxes a bit then, eh Willie?

“I will not condone firefighters and rescue personnel, unless there is a shown direct cause and reason, why they need to be armed, to be armed while they’re serving the town of Tamworth. If there’s a cause and a reason, let’s address that. If there’s no cause or a reason, they should not have a weapon.” – Apparently Tamworth has now turned into a “may issue” jurisdiction, rather than “shall issue”.

Tamworth Selectman and State Representative John Roberts
“I don’t want them in the station with [their firearm] on, or riding around in the town equipment, the fire trucks or anything, for that matter.” Farnum continues: “Highway equipment, or any equipment. It’s town property.” – And we Selectmen are doing our darndest to keep guns off town property, over which we preside with our infinite wisdom.

“We as the Board of Selectmen are telling them that they are [in violation].” – Alas, the state of New Hampshire begs to differ.

“That weapon could still go off. Even if that body burned, that weapon could go off. We don’t want that to happen, but it could.” – Can’t you just feel the deep concern for the charred remains of the volunteer firefighter?

“If you’re coming down to the station, I would rather you would leave [your firearm] at home.” – We’d really rather you Selectmen stay at home: if you’re not meeting, you’re not getting anything done. And if you’re not getting anything done, good people are getting left alone.

Tamworth Police Chief Dan Poirier
“They have a right to carry a gun, it’s their right. But it’s also a violation of town policy.” – Clearly not much of a right, in Dan’s eyes then, now is it?

“When that weapon discharges…” And yet Dan’s SigSauer made it through the whole meeting without discharging: seems that firearms don’t actually have a mind of their own.

“I’m just giving you my opinion as Police Chief: I don’t want firefighters showing up on scene with a weapon.” – Nice to know the armed representative of our local government has such contempt for peaceful folks being armed.

“There are a lot of your volunteers that, frankly, I would quiver if I saw them carrying a gun.” – This is the most scary quote of the discussion: the Chief of Police has a personal litmus test for firearms possession. Also a pretty offensive statement to the guys and gals volunteering their time.

“I just see it as a huge liability…huuuge liability.” – Ask Dan how many hours of training he and his officers partake in, what rifles they’re issued in their vehicles, and how many training rounds they’re issued every month. Then we can talk about the town’s liability.

Administrative Bureaucrat Cassandra Pearce
“If they’re bringing their firearm in a town building, then they are in violation.” – Thank goodness we’ve got over-paid career bureaucratic secretary Cassandra to keep on top of all the rules.

Hero Of The Meeting, Jim Bowles, Representing The Gun Toting Volunteer Firefighters
“I’m not sure why the town ever adopted [the employee policy prohibiting firearms]. It looks like it came from Massachusetts, if you ask me.”

“Some silly policy that ought not even be in this state; that’s Massachusetts stuff.”

“I think some of the guys will still have a problem giving up their rights, to volunteer.” Farnum: “Every time you volunteer, you give up a right.” Bowles: {sarcasm} “Yeah, thank you, thank you for your time [volunteering].”

Good for you, Jim.

“Once again, the earth has become wicked and over-populated, and I see the end of all flesh before me.  Build another Ark and save two of every living thing along with a few good humans.”

He gave Noah the blueprints, saying, “You have 6 months to build the Ark before I will start the unending rain for 40 days and 40 nights.”

Six months later, the Lord looked down and saw Noah weeping in his yard – but there was no Ark.
“Noah!” He roared, “I am about to start the rain!  Where is the Ark?”

“Forgive me, Lord,” begged Noah, “but times have changed. I’ve been arguing with the fire chief about the need for a sprinkler system. My neighbors claim that I’ve violated the town’s 25 foot wetlands buffer zone by building the ark too close to a stream. We received a certified letter from the Selectmen, and had to go to the Planning Board to beg for a waiver.”

“Then the NH Department of Transportation along with PSNH demanded a bond be posted for the future costs of moving power lines and other overhead obstructions, to clear the passage for the Ark’s move to the sea.  I told them that the sea would be coming to us, but they would hear nothing of it.”

“Getting the wood was another problem.  I did not have my Notice of Intent to Cut Timber filed with the town, and the Conservation Commission objected to cutting so many trees through a known wildlife corridor.  I tried to convince the environmentalists that I needed the wood to save the wildlife – but no go!  When I started gathering the animals, the NH SPCA sued me. They insisted that I was confining wild animals against their will. They argued the accommodations were much too restrictive, and it was cruel and inhumane to put so many animals in a confined space.”

“Then the NH DES ruled that I couldn’t build the Ark until they’d conducted an environmental impact study on your proposed flood.  They did seem excited that this would expand their purview over wetlands to pretty much everywhere. I’m still trying to resolve a complaint with the NH Department of Employment Security on how many minorities I’m supposed to hire for my building crew.”

“The New England Carpenters Union says I can’t use my sons.  They insist I must hire only union workers with Ark-building experience. FOCUS is complaining that they may hear all the sawing and hammering from across town, for which they are also suing me. The town tried to pass an Ark Ordinance, and I had to buy off a couple politicians in the NH senate to prevent this.”

“To make matters worse, the town tax collector seized all of my assets, claiming that I have not converted my ark building site out of Current Use.  So, forgive me, Lord, but it would take at least 10 years for me to finish this Ark.”

Suddenly the skies cleared, the sun began to shine, and a rainbow stretched across the sky.  Noah looked up in wonder and asked, “You mean you’re not going to destroy the world?”

“No,” said the Lord. “The government beat me to it.”