Murder. BART and CSU Peace Officers. Legislative Initiative Amendment.
	Argument Against Proposition 19

Arguments on this page are the opinions of the authors and have not been checked for accuracy by any official agency.

California, 1885: The Sheriff says, "OK, men, let's get the posse together and ride out of town. There are two gunslingers hiding out in the desert and we're going to bring them in."

California, 2000: The BART train officer says, "OK, train riders, you're now a posse. If you don't help me capture the crazed gunman in the next car, I can arrest YOU and have you fined $1000!"

We thought that posses went out a hundred years ago. But Proposition 19 will expand the power of government so that police on BART trains and at college campuses can force people to help capture criminals--without arms, training or pay. Don't want to help? Well, you could be fined $1000!

Most of Proposition 19 is reasonable. Indeed, BART police, University of California police and California State University police should be treated the same as other police officers. But some existing police powers should be ended rather than extended.

There's nothing wrong with a voluntary posse. An officer can ask for help, and should do so if he needs it. But to force a random citizen to help with possibly dangerous police work is downright crazy.

In the Wild West days, most men carried firearms and knew how to use them. So when the sheriff asked for volunteers, he could be sure the men were able to help.

Now it's policy for local sheriffs and police chiefs to refuse to issue permits for concealed weapons--except for prominent, politically well-connected individuals. Any citizen who is not a violent felon or a mental patient should be issued a permit. We all have a 2nd Amendment right to keep and bear arms for self-defense.

Proposition 19 also gives off-duty and retired BART and university police the right to carry concealed weapons. This is fine. But why not recognize this right for the rest of us as well? Shouldn't teachers, grocery clerks, dentists and plumbers have the same right and ability to defend themselves?

Please vote NO on Proposition 19.

GAIL K. LIGHTFOOT
Past Chair, Libertarian Party of California

TED BROWN
Insurance Adjuster/Investigator

LARRY HINES
Legal Secretary

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