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Syracuse becomes first Kansas city to adopt resolution
Published 3/16/2013 in Local News : Area coverage
By ANGIE HAFLICHahaflich@gctelegram.com
SYRACUSE — Syracuse is a western Kansas town where hunting is a way of life and the majority of the town's residents believe in the right to protect themselves and their families. For these and other reasons, the city of Syracuse became the first municipality in the state to adopt a resolution supporting the Second Amendment.
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Becky Malewitz/Telegram Syracuse Mayor John Stephens wipes one of his guns. Syracuse recently became the first city to pass a resolution to preserve and defend the second amendment.
"There's lots of talk about it, from the local doughnut shop to the convenience store and bowling alley even, there's a lot of talk about the second amendment and what's going on in Washington, D.C., and that's what kind of prompted us to do this," Syracuse Mayor Joe Stephens said.
Resolution No. 2013-02 was approved by the Syracuse City Council March 11, after being introduced by Councilman Vance Keller.
Stephens said they had no idea that Syracuse was the first city in the Sunflower State to adopt such a resolution, but he hopes other towns will follow suit.
"We're hoping everything will just go northeast and it will go across the state," he said.
On Feb. 25, Seward County became the first Kansas county to adopt a resolution regarding the Second Amendment and Stephens said they used that resolution's language in drafting theirs.
"Our 10th Amendment right says the states have a right to govern themselves. In Kansas, we have a home rule that says the cities have a right to govern themselves and so that's what we're trying to do," he said.
He also said he chose not to be involved in drafting the resolution, because he also owns a local gun shop and is a concealed carry instructor and didn't want any conflicts of interest to interfere with the meaning of the resolution.
"I knew that if I was involved in it, it would take something away from the meaning of it, because that's what people would think, 'Well he owns the gun shop or he's a concealed carry instructor and that's the reason he's doing it,'" he said.
When asked if locals have been talking about the resolution at Q's Corner Daylight Donut shop on Main Street, owner Rebekah Platt said, "We're a doughnut shop. People come in here and try to solve the world's problems all the time."
Kathryn Phillips, a second-grade teacher at Syracuse Elementary School, said she is thankful for the resolution. As a teacher, she said she is very concerned about school safety, in particular.
"If you wanted to hurt this community, it's just like what has happened in other communities. If you wanted to devastate our community, (the school) is where you would go," she said, adding that she thinks the resolution is a very smart move for Syracuse.
Both Phillips and Stephens said that they haven't heard any negative feedback concerning the resolution, regardless of political party affiliation.
"Most people probably in general are very much in favor of it," Phillips said. "This really isn't a party issue. It affects everybody,"
Found 6 comment(s)!
Seward County did the same thing awhile back.
Posted by: Anon on 3/19/2013
Syracuse Resolution
Isn't that sort of silly. All one has to do is read the Kansas Consstitution, in particular the Bill of Rights, #4, and Article 8 as well as Section 14 of Article 15, stating all elected officials will hold and protect the Constitution of the United States. Why do you need an resolution to protect what is already protected???
Posted by: Rod Hogg on 3/18/2013
up with the second amendment
way to go syracuse! Long live the 2nd Amendment!
Posted by: zman on 3/17/2013
Chuckle
So can we expect to see the entire town of Syracuse running through the woods, wearing camo, carrying wannabe-AKs grunting hut hut hut…..?
Posted by: Tad on 3/16/2013
Whoopie
I'm really glad Syracuse City Council voted on this important issue. The town is dying, its various governments are shafting employees constantly, it can't or won't attract a business base into the community, but they have their guns. Soon, they'll be shootin' them in the streets. It'll be safe, because the streets are empty with little or no business or population anyway. The town is almost dead. It just needs the dirt thrown over it.
Posted by: Gave Up on 3/16/2013
adoption of resolution
Way to go Syracuse !!! Hope other city and Towns follow..
Posted by: Cheryl Martin on 3/16/2013