Search didn't turn up anything on this.www.nbc13.com/news/4979856/detail.html?rss=bir&psp=newsMONTGOMERY, Ala. -- While unaware he was being recorded at a civic meeting, Montgomery Mayor Bobby Bright offered a crime solution that has stunned the city of Montgomery and the nation.
"What we need to do... Is there any media? Chief, can I say this? I've said it one time…Get a gun and teach our folks how to use them and shoot' em," Bright said. "Now, I'm telling you, that's what we need to do."
Bright was speaking on the issues of having an understaffed police force, clogged courts and a vast majority of crime in Montgomery committed by the same relatively small number of people over and over again.
"That's the only thing that we can really tell our folks to do at this point in time," Bright said. "If there's anything else that you know that the chief and I can do to keep this crime down, keep these guys from stealing... let me know."
The Montgomery Police Department was asked what their response was to the mayor's statements.
"The mayor made some good points. If a person chooses to own a handgun, then we think it is important they know how to use that handgun and they know when the law allows them to use it," said Lt. Huey Thornton of the Montgomery Police Department.
So far, Bright has not commented on his statements.
Until now.................. and he's scared some Libtards www.accessmontgomery.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050916/NEWS/509160347/1001Bright stands behind comments on guns
By Sebastian Kitchen
Montgomery Advertiser
Mayor Bobby Bright is unapologetic and stands firm behind comments he made this week about the need for residents to buy guns and learn how to use them to protect themselves from criminals.
It is a solid concept for people to protect themselves since the criminal justice system is not working, Bright said.
"In my opinion, people need to buy a weapon, buy a gun, ed-
ucate themselves on how to use that gun and they need to use that weapon to protect themselves from the criminal element out there," he said Thursday.
"I will not back away from that concept. It is a sensitive issue. It is simply me as the mayor wanting and caring enough about our citizens here to tell them this may be the best way they can help us protect themselves."
Bright said he will not budge from his stance.
"We have got to put the career criminal on notice, we are not going to take it anymore," he said. "They are not going to walk in and walk out and rob our innocent citizens in Montgomery."
When asked why he asked if any media were present before making comments to a civic group on Tuesday, Bright said he will make any statement at any location but did not want to create hysteria in the media. He said he made a similar comment several years ago and it was reported widely.
Before being elected mayor, Bright was a lawyer. He emphasized the need for people to educate themselves on gun use and understanding when to use a weapon.
The mayor said he is not promoting vigilante justice but is in favor of people protecting themselves and their property, he said.
Montgomery residents had mixed reactions to Bright's comments.
"I think his comments were taken out of context," said Adam Flowers. "It was an appropriate thing to say because it draws the public's attention to the crime problem in Montgomery."
A mother of two children disagreed with the mayor's statement.
"That's ridiculous," said Linda McCree. "That is not how to solve the problem. It's outrageous for our mayor to say something like that."
David Lanoue, chairman of the political science department at the University of Alabama, said he was not familiar with Bright, but said it is not unheard of for politicians to make "intemperate remarks that appeal to members of their constituency."
"You do get political officials that make statements like that now and then," Lanoue said. "It certainly appeals to certain kinds of voters, voters who are particularly concerned about law and order issues. People who agree with the NRA on the gun control issue."