Don’t dust off those ammunition belts quite yet. The Juneau chapter of Veterans for Peace has appealed a permit for Juneau Mercantile and Armory LLC to build an indoor gun range and retail shop near the airport.
“We were concerned about the idea of a shooting range in which people were going to be allowed to handle weapons of war,” Phil Smith, president of the Juneau Chapter of Veterans for Peace, said. Smith is referring to the Armory’s plans to rent automatic firearms for supervised use on site. “The idea of stuffing an arsenal of these things five minutes from the airport raised our concerns. Many of us are combat veterans and we know exactly what these weapons can do. They are not toys.”
Smith submitted an appeal on Jan. 2. The City and Borough of Juneau Assembly is scheduled to decide whether or not to accept the appeal at its meeting today.
The proposed 13,000-square-foot Mercantile and Armory would house a 10-lane indoor gun range below ground level and a retail space on the first floor on the corner of Yandukin Drive, Crest Street and Airport Boulevard. If built the range would be encased in concrete and insulated for sound.
Dan Miller, Jason Tarver and Sloan Swendsen incorporated the Armory on Aug. 13, 2012.
The owners could not be reached in time for this story. However, during testimony before the planning commission Swendsen commented on safety.
“Our goal is to provide a safe facility,” Swendsen said, “To educate the youth and their parents.”
The commission approved Conditional Use Permit 20120016 on Dec. 11, 2012.
Smith said he was surprised when the City and Borough of Juneau Planning Commission approved the permit. He said he had assumed the process would take longer and that there would be more discussion of health and safety.
“We thought the record was very, very thin to make a decision of that importance,” Smith said.
Smith said Veterans for Peace is not anti-gun.
“We are not trying to repeal the 2nd amendment,” Smith said. “We are concerned about that type of weaponry being in a populated area. And we think the assembly should take a look at it.”
• Contact reporter Russell Stigall at 523-2276 or at russell.stigall@juneauempire.com.
Comments (58)
Add commentThanks Empire
for providing us with an "Ignore user" button.
Humanbeing,
325th AIR, 82nd. And 325th ABCT, SETAF. We only wore the c*nt caps in basic and jump school, berets after that. One unintended misrepresentation, the patch in the .gif is an officers patch. I was enlisted.
Same Phil Smith
Sorry for the ignorance but is this Phil Smith the same one that was on the Juneau School Board (and its president for a couple of years) about 10 or so years ago, or just an unfortunate coincidence? Thanks.
funny
How some people question someone’s veteran cred for things like this, but as soon as someone like Bush II (Air Guard) or Cheney (deferments for marriage) lie to get the country into a war you don't give a darn.
your either with the constitution or your with the terrorist!!!
wake up and live and let live! this is a right givin to you! any law that allows the idiots to take your guns in not a law and is null and void!
funny
How some people are all "up in arms" about the 2nd amendment, but endorse violence against people using the 1st; see no problem with gross violations of the 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, or 8th since they find the victims politically distasteful; find it agreeable to deny the existence of the 14th when people love someone of the same gender; and think it wonderful to deny people rights in the 15th and 24th for political gain.
If you 2nd amendment protectors cared half as much about other rights maybe you would not need to be so worried about the 2nd amendment...
FYI the opening sentence in the Constitution “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”
Veterans for Peace
Thanks for speaking up. Am at a loss to see how a shooting range has anything to do with #2. If you added up all numbers of people, cars, TVs, and houses with indoor plumbing is the total more or less then the number of guns in the USA? Enough is enough of guns already. When will there be enough senseless killing to put an end to it. Or go ahead make the case that the tragic killing of 20 was somehow in defense of #2.
better in the range than elsewhere
...for those especially lethal weapons. But, I understand the concerns. I'm in favor of the range, along with bans on any further sales of high capacity magazines. I'm almost as sick of the NRA and gun manufacturers profitting from horrific mass shootings as I am of the monsterous acts themselves. Somehow the idiotic gun idolatry that's grown in the US has to be reversed.
I don't have a problem with the range
neither do I have one with VFP---If they want to voice their concerns, more power to them. If there is substantial community concern over this venture, lets hear it: The 2nd amendment doesn't trump the 1st. It's certainly no reason to hurl childish insults from behind a handful of masks on this forum---Not very impressive, by the way. A better course, maybe, would be to go down to the assembly meeting and have your say, if they'll let you, but you gotta give your name
humanbeing
This conversation reminds me that the "probable minority" is the "squeaky wheel." The opinion votes look efforted - instead of constrained to reason.
A property right is a property right. HOWEVER, promoting or allowing something potentially dangerous near an airport is a wrong. Just the fact of someone having a conversation about their shooting triumph (near the airport in the state capital of Alaska) with an automatic weapon could cause a panic, or loss of tourism. They shoot what near the airport?
This is a calmer conversation than the nude painting here at REACH, or machine guns (shootable), drugs and Harleys at a lower 48 motorcycle rally (of unmarked veterans).
ChickenLittle does not appreciate porn, drugs & automatic weapons. Does the Assembly? Harley riders?
HA HAA HAAAAA HAA HA!
humanbeing
Try again? Was online for your attack at my organized thoughts about Alaska. Almost four years of this state makes me sick. I previously looked at Alaska as cruise ships, tourism & pretty winter stuff. ALASKA IS A BIG TOURISM LIE!
Ask me how I got a fake Alaska ID! They made me take it! I already reported it to JPD. This state is CORRUPT, CORRUPT, CORRUPT!
Hate me, I DO NOT CARE! WHEN I HAVE ENOUGH MONEY, MOVING OUT OF HERE TO TELL PEOPLE TO NEVER SHOW UP HERE TO SAVE THEM FROM DESTRUCTION IS GOING TO BE A RELIEF! ADD A GUN RANGE NEAR THE AIRPORT WITH EVERYONE'S PREVIOUS COMMENTS? HAVE FUN GOING POSTAL AT THE TARGETS AT THE RANGE (AS THE US Navy Junior ROTC would call their shooting competition.) Shoot to kill is fun with those guns, huh. What are my ending opinions about active duty military or recruitment efforts using that gun range?
Does the previous sound like protester statements? To you, probably yes. Oh, No! (you say) The woman is emotional. Oh, No! (I say) The man is condescending. Argue? I do not protest, I have opinions. I don't underline my opinions, the supreme courts underline their opinions.
I shall miss very few people in Alaska, and one way or another I shall provide them with work or better pay. There is no way that Alaska can repiar it's reputation with me. I shall continue to smile until I leave on a flight or ferry out of here.
Try again humanbeing? Almost four years of all of you.
Is this better? Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, you're all stuck here (I feel sorry for the children). All I need is money to get out of here and then to fight my lease.
Have a nice trip...
Have a nice trip...
Let's get on with it
The proposed armory and shooting range is good business for the community, let the show go on!
Mickeypinko ,,, & Chicken Little
you and your ilk keep using the deaths of those kids for your political postering. Its insulting to thier memory and you misrepresent the facts.
A nut case stole a legally acquired weapon from his mother. Killed her and then the people at the school. It sux and was a terrible thing. But he stole the gun, and HE committed the crime.
Chickenlittle, I am sure in your mind that rant actually said something. Think again. Its easy enough to leave Alaska. Save your $$ for that goal and give your brain a chance to level out. Your priorities on how you choose to party but if you want to leave ,,,,, Have a nice trip doesnt sound like you'll miss being here and with your inability to write a clear message maybe your loss will be Alaskas gain.
My previous post got taken down because someone disagreed with my support of the range. As mentioned previously this is not a 2nd amendment issue its a nut case fringe group who is bored and trying to act like LCCC and tell everyone else how they would live thier private lives.
You dont like the range then simply dont go How hard a concept is that. And if you are a ut case that would shoot up the airport and acquired your weapon legally then some people know your a nutcase and chose not to say anything about it when you got that weapon so you and them have some issues to deal with.
Veterans For Peace
I would like to address ggcrackers’ comment of 7 January, where he/she asserted that our local Veterans For Peace chapter was once headed by a non- veteran. That is not true. Ever since Chapter #100’s formation in 2003 by 15 Juneau veterans, we have had a veteran as chapter president. The notion that we once had a non-veteran head may stem from an allegation made several years ago in Empire Comments, to the effect that I (chapter president at one time) was not a veteran. The commenter, whom I did not know, had claimed that he/she knew me and that I was not a veteran. Since I do not generally read Empire Comments, I was not aware of this allegation for some time, but then posted a rebuttal several days later after being warned about the allegation by a friend. My posting to that thread was way at the bottom, with no comments following it, which leads me to believe that commenters (and perhaps readers) had ceased to follow the thread, so this misinformation may have persisted. I would like to think that this years-ago commenter had honestly confused me with someone else. For the record, the relevant fact is that I am a veteran, US Army 1964-1968. This is not to diminish in any way the fact that our non-veteran Associate Members are highly valued within Veterans For Peace. They are spouses, family, and friends of veterans and active military, and their experiences yield crucial insights into the real costs of war and militarism.
Facts
I know this gun range brings many fears and questions to people who know little about it. But before you shut an idea down take the time to atleast hear it out.
The only thing different from JMA, the shooting range, Rayco's, WesterAuto, Fred Myers, and Walmart. Is that JMA allows you to shoot or purchase the guns in a safe enviroment with all the proper training and knowledge that may come with the purchase.
Did you know that you can buy simi automatic guns in three places in Juneau that are legal? Two of which are out of someones garage. Rayco has sold out of the simi automatic wepons. Gun ammunition is on back stock till April. If not further. So it may be as dangrouse as walking down the street now adays as opening a controlled indoor shooting range. JMA is giving people the opportunity to have a safe and controlled enviroment to see which guns may or may not be for them.
Think about it. People go to the gun range all the time and shoot their own personal simi automatic weapons without anyone to control them but themselves. And even out the road. How many people do you think on your street alone own a gun? Would you rather someone purchase a gun with NO knowledge about it or have someone be informed on how to properly use it. That way there is no "Well I didn't know" like I used to say when I was a child.
This comment is not to start a fight or dispute, everyone is entitled to their own opinion because isn't that one of our many god given rights? Just take a look outside the box before calling it good.
Because if Gun sellers are accomplices of crimes..... Then spoons made me FAT.
Burp guns are dangerous.
Burp guns are dangerous. Therefore, it seems like a no-brainer to me that it is a good idea for people to have a safe place to shoot their burp guns. I would rather have people going to a special building to shoot their burp guns than having them out blasting away with their burp guns anywhere they please.
By the way, I like to shoot burp guns myself.
In a way I feel bad for
In a way I feel bad for Juneau and Juneauites. We want small town intimacy with big town amenities. You really can't have both.
alaskan29512
http://juneauempire.com/local/2012-03-05/juneau-gun-shop-owner-heart-ak-...
Just sayin
Assault Rifle Training for Kids
“Our goal is to provide a safe facility,” Swendsen said, “To educate the youth and their parents.”
Isn't that what the shooter's Mom was doing for her "special" son before he went on that rampage at Sandy Hook? He was very well trained by the best that the NRA had to offer. Now we're offering people a credible reason for transporting carloads of weapons right by the airport and next to a shopping mall. What could possibly go wrong with that?
My husband purchased a .38 for me.
We agreed that I would not even load the gun or have anything to do with it until I was properly trained in how to load it, use it, clean it and become comfortable with it. He was raised and trained in using guns from his father and then in the Army while in Vietnam. He knows guns and is an avid collector. He does not go hunting, he only shoots them at the rifle range. I'm slowly learning about them and beginning to understand them. I have shot my .38 several times and absolutely love it! It's a sense of freedom I cannot explain. I'm so glad he took the time needed for me to make the decision myself and I have no regrets. I know, for myself, that I am a safer gun owner because I know how to use one, when to use one and to respect the weapon. I don't carry it on me, no need to, not in Juneau. But, I'm also not afraid of it anymore and that's because I was taught the right way, in a controlled environment! We are all "for peace", but that doesn't mean we can't go shoot our guns at the gun range!