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NEWSGuns & Ammo …and Austin PoliticsTexas’ entry into the post-Newtown massacregun debate has been predictably …Texan. As most state officeholders were gearingup for what they see as a hearty defenseof the Second Amendment, the local wingnutcontingent burst onto the national stagewhen Alex Jones did his best Sam Kinisonimpersonation for CNN host Piers Morgan.Locally, too, Austin municipalities arejockeying for position. The Travis CountyCommissioners Court kicked around theidea of a moratorium on gun shows at thecounty’s Exposition Center (which sits oncity-owned land). On Tuesday, however,commissioners decided to maintain the currentcontract with Saxet Gun Shows through2013. Word is that they will continue toreview the matter. At City Hall, the issuewas claimed by the City Council’s PublicHealth and Human Ser vices Committee(chaired by Mike Martin ez), where discussionTuesday afternoon ran the range ofpossible responses, but did not yet formulatespecific recommendations.Austin City Council Member Laura Mor rison– who sits on the PHHS Committee withMartinez and Chris Riley – requested that ittake up the issue, and in principle is lookingtoward something beyond a gun show ban,from a public health perspective. “In thewake of the Sandy Hook tragedy, I believekeeping our children safe is a public healthissue,” Morrison wrote in an email. “It’simperative that we take a holistic view on theissue of gun safety and responsible gun ownershipin our community in order to developa comprehensive plan moving forward,” shecontinued. “For example, we need to thoroughlyunderstand the state laws that are inplace, what policies other cities have implemented,what education is needed to promotesafety and responsible gun ownership,the potential for gun show bans at publiclyowned facilities, as well as other areas ofj o h n a n D e r s o nA gun rights rally outsideAustin Police headquarters in 2010concern. I see the discussion at next week’sPHHS subcommittee as an important firststep in developing a thoughtful comprehensiveapproach to a safer community.”Martinez also indicated that he would beready to take more comprehensive action –if the city can do so within the bounds ofTexas law. “If we could find something thatwe felt like … would make a difference andis within our legal [purview], then yes – Ithink I could be in favor of it.”It’s hard to argue against keeping kidssafe – but in Texas, somebody is going totry. Gov. Rick Perry has already suggestedthat one potential response to school shootingswould be arming more teachers; andon Tuesday – the day the CommissionersCourt discussed the idea of banning gunshows at the Expo Center – Attorney General(and likely gubernatorial candidate) GregAbbott offered this to his Twitter followers:“If Austin or Travis Co. try to ban gun showsthey better be ready for a double-barreledlawsuit.” Questionable metaphor there.Spokes people from Abbott’s office did notrespond to a request for clarification aboutwhat grounds the Attorney General’s Officemight use in a lawsuit.Also playing a role in all of this is thenational bank of gun enthusiasts. Lastweek, the offices of Riley and CouncilMember Kathie Tovo each received a phonecall from Long Island, N.Y., in which a mancalling himself Paul Caruso offered vaguethreats about potential danger should theCouncil move to ban gun shows. Tovothought it worrisome enough to check inwith her colleagues about the call.THE HIGHTOWER REPORTWhy Is It So Dark at This Time of Year?The moon sinks low on the horizon, as ifit’s trying to hide. Frightened animals fleeinto the woods, even though nothing seemsto be chasing them. Nature has turned topsyturvy.It can mean only one thing: TheLegislature is back in session.I’ve seen enough state legislaturesin action – Michigan, forexample, Florida, and, ofcourse, Wisconsin – to knowthat our Texas bunch doesn’thave a lock on lunacy, but wecertainly have more than ourshare of loco lawmakers. TakeGeorge Lavender. Yes, please.This right-wing peer of thelower chamber became a hero of the kookycaucus in 2011 by sponsoring and passing abill intended to save us Texans from anunspeakable horror: energy-efficient lightbulbs.Because of a 2007 federal law(enacted by that notorious lefty presidentGeorge W. Bush), lightbulbmakers wererequired to produce high-efficiency bulbs toreplace the old energy suckers.For more information onJim Hightower’s work – andto subscribe to his awardwinningmonthly newsletter,“The Hightower Lowdown”– visit www.jimhightower.com. You can hear his radiocommentaries on KOOPRadio 91.7FM, weekdays at10:58am and 12:58pm.The only public official not playing his orher presumed role might be Land Com missionerJerry Patterson. Patterson, who hasalready announced a run for lieutenant governor,called Austin Mayor Lee Leffing wellwith one potential solution: Offer gun showattendees a one-card-serves-all opportunityto get a background check at the entranceto the event. If you pass, you can buy all theguns you want (and can legally own). If youfail, no can do.Leffingwell confirmed that Pattersongave him a ring “like a lot of people have.”Though he called the conversation “positive,”he added that he referred Patterson toMartinez. As for his own views, the mayornoted that he is on record (along with hundredsof mayors nationwide, via MayorsAgainst Illegal Guns) for stronger federalrestrictions on ammo clips and strengthenedbackground checks. He notes that he’sfocused on action at the state and federallevel, where any restrictions might be moreeffective. Still, Leffingwell could well entertaina move to take action locally.Should the city enact such an effort,based on Patterson’s proposal, it wouldmark something of a banner compromise:The proposal would close the widely criticizedgun show loophole that allows folks topurchase guns “person-to-person” withouta background check at those events. Itwould also represent a rare instance of astate-level political power-player reachingdown to help the city of Austin.Not that any of it will ward off continuedstrong opposition from the gun lobby, or thelegislators and state-level executives whopay it homage. At least, if the likes of Abbottcontinue to play their assigned roles.– Mike Kaninby jimhightowerOver my dead body, cried Lavender! It washis Alamo moment, as he rose in defense ofthe holy right of Texans to waste as muchenergy as we damn well please. To counteractthe big bad feds’ outrageous attempt to saveenergy for America and savemoney for consumers, Lavender’slaw invited bulbmakers toset up shop here and freely producethe old-style, high-wattagebulbs. Where else but Texas?Imagine how proud DavyCrockett would be to know thathe died to make this possible.Unfortunately for Lavender,major bulbmakers were alreadyprofiting from the burgeoning conservationmarket, so they had no interest in goingbackward. “The most disappointing thing tome,” Lavender now says dimly, “is that wehaven’t found anyone willing to put in a plant.”And that’s why the moon hides and animalsflee when legislatures convene – it’sscary to see so many 5-watt bulbs sitting in100-watt sockets.18 T H E A U S T I N C H R O N I C L E JANUARY 18, 2013 a u s t i n c h r o n i c l e . c o m