Pa. Patriot ARRESTED at the OC dinner @ The Old Country Buffet in Dickson City 5/9

[Cougar8045]

I know I should've not watch the news because I am way beyond piss about this. WNEP did good. But WYOU & WBRE make up their own news. At one point both WYOU & WBRE played the 911 call that night and it was a male's voice. How can that be?? The manager that night was a woman.

Even if the male manager did call 911, they why did OCB took our money to go in to the dining room and then call 911. It doesn't make any sense. OCB should've tell us to just go away before we hand them the money. In fact, we even have to wait on the side for a while after we pay before going in because the tables are not ready.

In fact, I saw when one of the officer came in to the dinning room and ask the manager does she has any problem the gun owner eating at the restaurant. She said "NO".

This is totally bull crap. I am really pissed.

[Hugo16]

I just saw the report from channel 16 and I'm sickened by the police chiefs comments. "If it happens again we'll check it out." So let me get this straight. No laws were broken the first time and no laws would be broken if it was done again but "We'll check it out". Looks like Dickson city police have nothing better to do on their shift. I guess this is how the township is run and why they are in so much debt. I'm so disgusted right now how stupid people can be. I've lived in Northeast Pa most of my life and things have changed around here. 15 years ago you could leave your doors open or walk around town without even thinking of being robbed. Our top stories use to be a person was hurt after hitting a deer on 309. Now look at our top stories, rapes , murders, robberies every day. We have the right to carry. I still can't believe that this was done and it just reinforces my thoughts on the uneducated town officials. If they are elected into or represent a town they should be educated in the laws. If they make a mistake ADMIT IT!!!!!

[SteveXD]

Wow, that video pissed me off.. Talk about one sided view. And I can't believe that the manager called the cops instead of just asking you guys to leave/cover up...

[GlockJock]

http://www.thetimes-tribune.com/site...d=415898&rfi=6

From the Scranton Times web site, there is also a video on the site of Bill being interviewed & part of the Dickson City council meeting ( Above link )

Gun owners protest police action with video
BY CHARLES SCHILLINGER
STAFF WRITER
05/14/2008
Email to a friendPost a CommentPrinter-friendly
DICKSON CITY — A Friday evening police incident spilled over into a Borough Council meeting Tuesday, with gun-rights advocates alleging harassment by two police officers.





The regular monthly meeting erupted into a full-blown debate on the Second Amendment, with more than 20 Pennsylvania Firearm Owners Association members — many of whom were openly armed — arguing their right to carry a weapon in public.


Police have yet to release a report of the incident in which a group of customers at Old Country Buffet were questioned about openly carrying handguns in public. At least one of those customers, Rich Banks, of Luzerne County, was detained for refusing to cooperate with police in regard to his concealed .38-caliber handgun, Police Chief William Stadnitski said. Mr. Banks’ weapon remains confiscated, but the chief said he can pick it up at any time.

Pennsylvanians are required to carry a permit for a concealed weapon; however, there are exemptions, such as in the case of Mr. Banks, who Dickson City police later found out had a federal gun-dealer license.

“We don’t feel there was any misconduct. We did what we had to for the safety of the customers,” Chief Stadnitski said of his part-time officers, Karen Gallagher and Anthony Mariano, who responded to the restaurant after 911 received complaints. The chief said no charges will be filed.

But some, like Andrew Koch, disagreed. Mr. Koch drove more than five hours from Pittsburgh to speak out for Mr. Banks and the other gun owners who were “embarrassed, oppressed, harassed and violated” by the police.

“These officers need to be disciplined, and criminal charges need to be brought against them,” Mr. Koch said.

Firearm association members turned out from all over the state at Tuesday’s meeting after postings on Internet sites, such as www.opencarry.org. The co-founder of that site, Lancaster resident Mike Stollenwerk, drove from Washington, D.C., to protest the police conduct.

“Normally when hiccups like this happen, they don’t go as far as gun seizure. ... Usually it gets cleared up much quicker,” he said.

Bill Grumbine, of Kutztown, carrying a Springfield XD-45 handgun, said he brought his 15-year-old daughter, Emily, for a “real-life civics lesson.”

“The last thing we want to do is use our guns, just like the last thing you want to do is use the air bag in your car,” he said. “But we believe in being prepared, and we believe in exercising our rights.”

Several council members and Mayor Anthony Zaleski defended the police officers.

“Our officers did not know what to expect. They could be walking into situations similar to shootings at school campuses and other public events,” said council President Barbara Mecca.

Contacted by The Times-Tribune, Lackawanna County District Attorney Andy Jarbola declined to comment on this specific case, but said people have a right to openly carry a weapon without having to show identification or a permit.

“Police can ask, but if they don’t want to give it, they don’t have to,” he said. “It’s going to be surprising to the public, but that’s the current state of law.”

Contact the writer: cschillinger@timesshamrock.com




©The Times-Tribune 2008

[GlockJock]

From WNEP.com

http://www.wnep.com/global/story.asp?s=8320639


Group of Gun Owners Protest Treatment

Posted: May 14, 2008 05:16 AM EST

Last Updated: May 14, 2008 05:17 AM EST


A group of gun owners attended the Dickson City council meeting Tuesday.





By Bianca Barr

A group of gun owners aimed for justice in Lackawanna County. They want two Dickson City police officers disciplined for the way they handled a situation involving guns.

A group stood outside the Dickson City municipal building, guns visibly on their hips, talking to people before the council meeting began.

Inside, there was more discussion about the second amendment and whether two part-time Dickson City police officers should be reprimanded for their actions last week at Old Country Buffet, a restaurant in the borough.

Police responded to a 911 call that there were people in the restaurant with guns. Officers arrived to find a group of people having dinner.

Officers detained one man for a short time and confiscated his gun because they said he wasn't cooperating.

Alex Arnau of Scranton was part of the group and believes the police were in the wrong.

"The community doesn't have a right to exclude people if they are contributing to the community like we are spending our money in their community."

But Joanne Clancy of Dickson City said she doesn't want to see a person carrying a sidearm in a public place like that.

"A part of feeling safe is a community standard where firearms being worn like the wild west isn't accepted."

Dickson City police chief William Stadnitski said no charges will be filed and the man whose gun was taken can get it back anytime. But he also insists his officers did the right thing.

"We did what we had to do for the community. We verified their ownership, verification and everything was fine. And most of the individuals were very cooperative."

Since the incident, the Old Country Buffet now has a sign posted on the front door, forbidding anyone carrying a weapon to enter.

"If it happens again, if we're uncertain of something, we will check it out. We feel we are obligated to do that for our community," added Chief Stadnitski.

[sgser]

Over the years I’ve written a lot of letters to various reps. and, other than expressing my point of view, I have come to believe I wasted my time. My one letter carried no more weight with these guys that the paper it was written on. What is needed is many letters expressing the same concerns.

My most recent, to my state rep. (About the Gary Young situation) went unanswered. Not even the simple courtesy of an acknowledgement that it was received. My point is that one letter doesn’t seem to impress them at all.

What I firmly believe is that we need a blizzard of letters to those who have the power to make changes. A single letter to the reporter who wrote an uninformed article is likely read, by that individual, and forgotten. But, many letters to the editor of the paper that the article appeared in would get their attention, it would surely get to the reporter and several would likely get printed.

Since the level of awareness about this issue is so high, maybe it is time to organize a letter writing cadre to bring our concerns to the people who will affect our rights in the future. Our reps. live to be re-elected and if there is a groundswell on a singular issue they will most likely start to take notice.

I saw a phrase in the media reporting on the OCB incident. That was, “Community Standards.” There are many voices in the gun community and if we value the rights we still retain, we must become more pro-active. Pa.Patriots flyers and OC events are a good start. And judging from the length of this thread, PaFOA members want to be heard. I believe that we must also become politically active if only to make our reps. know that we have rights and that we want them to support those rights or leave them alone.

One letter, as I said above, is a waste of time. Hundreds might just make them rise up and take notice.

[crlovel]

Originally Posted by Mrs. Pa Patriot

Hi!

Fly swatters make flies cry, yanno. Think of the maggots!

It's 7:00 am, and this thread has more people watching at this hour than we typically have members on. The world is watching.

Gary, great pictures. Let's see names with the pics so we know who's who, and we can make fun of them accordingly!

Good job last night, guys. Thank you all much!

Chris

[Montanya]

Originally Posted by jofreder

That Guy Corbet was just so off base making up stuff an generally painting a bad picture regardless of what any one said to him. Tomorrow he will continue his rants. He constantly used the term fringe group and painted a perception of a group of men walking into the resturant with these huge ( his word) loaded guns right there on their hips just to prove a point. He was clearly trying to paint a picture to scare people.

Well I was glad I got a chance to call in and express SOME of my opinion, like usual Corbett twisted the show to what he wanted to express and he made it very clear from the start that he was AGAINST Open Carry period. If anyone was listening, I was Mike from Oakdale and was on the show around 6:45

[Hugo16]

So now old country buffet posts a sign "No firearms allowed". The 911 call was placed because customers were complaining. I'll make sure the next time I go to Old country buffet that I complain when there are a bunch of "Gang Bang" looking adolesents in there. Lets see whats more threatening to people in Northeast PA???? A group of men and women openly carrying firearms sharing stories and eating dinner or a group "being politically correct here", young "gang bang looking teenagers"??? Please be honest here.....
I would never think this would have happened especially in an area that gives school children the first day of hunting off. Again this makes me sick......

[rwilson452]

A better idea. don't eat there. go somewhere else. save your receipt and drop it off at OCB with a note saying, "no guns, no sale". If enough people do it they will feel the pain of lost revenue.

yes do it over and over. until the sign comes down.

Originally Posted by Hugo16

So now old country buffet posts a sign "No firearms allowed". The 911 call was placed because customers were complaining. I'll make sure the next time I go to Old country buffet that I complain when there are a bunch of "Gang Bang" looking adolesents in there. Lets see whats more threatening to people in Northeast PA???? A group of men and women openly carrying firearms sharing stories and eating dinner or a group "being politically correct here", young "gang bang looking teenagers"??? Please be honest here.....
I would never think this would have happened especially in an area that gives school children the first day of hunting off. Again this makes me sick......