Two weeks ago Lincoln City Councilman Jon Camp suggested people supporting a potential safe gun storage law could better use their time educating others than talking at council meetings.Ìý
On Monday night, four women who support a safe gun storage ordinance criticized Camp for those comments and more.
"We elect you to sit there and represent us. That means respectfully listening to our voice regardless of whether you agree or disagree,†said Judy King, during Monday's public comment time.
“I don’t expect you to agree with everything I say. I do expect you to listen to me,†she said.
Camp is out of touch with public opinion, said Trish Wonch Hill. She pointed to a Pew Research Center survey showing that 66 percent of Americans believe gun owners should lock up their guns.
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Opponents to a safe storage ordinance are outnumbered two to one, she said.
Mo Neal told Camp that he gives letters from the National Rifle Association more credence than the opinion of his constituents. “You are going to see us again and again until you decide to investigate safe storage and potentially establish a safe storage gun law.â€
The women spoke during the open microphone section of the council meeting, where people can talk about issues that are not on the agenda.
This is the third council meeting where people have addressed the safe gun storage issue during the public comment session. The open mic sessions are scheduled twice a month.
No council member has indicated any plans to propose a safe storage ordinance in the near future.
On Monday, Camp asked each of the women if she was a member of Betsy Riot (a neo-suffragette, punk-patriot resistance movement) or Antifa (an umbrella term for a loose collection of anti-fascist groups and individuals).Ìý
Two women said they were not members of either group and two others refused to answer the question.
Neal suggested Camp's questioning was intended to stifle the opposition and pointed to the constitutional rights to associate, assemble and petition government.
There is more in the Constitution than the Second Amendment, she said.
Several of the women said they were offended when Camp walked out of a public hearing on a proposed mayoral term limits charter amendment in August because he didn’t want to listen to political comments.
When a man started talking about Mayor Chris Beutler's accomplishments in office, "you jumped up and left the room," said Neal.
"I was appalled when I heard you got up and left a meeting because it was too political," said King.Ìý
Camp, reached on Tuesday by the Journal Star, declined a request for comment.