By Alice Waugh
Citizens’ petitions on national gun safety and fossil fuel divestment both passed at Town Meeting on March 19.
Article 36 asked voters to endorse “A Petition to the U.S. Congress to Adopt a Uniform National Gun Safety Law” and for town officials to convey this sentiment to federal officials. “We want to tell elected officials that we’re tired of the lack of progress in curbing the epidemic of gun violence,” said Gary Davis of the Lincoln Democratic Town Committee, which sponsored the Town Meeting measure.
The United States has the highest rate of firearm deaths among industrialized nations, and more than two-thirds of guns used in crimes in New Jersey and New York were brought there from other states with more lenient gun laws, Davis said.
“Overall, the background check system does not work,” he said, adding that in many parts of the country there are no laws barring felons, suspected terrorists and the mentally ill from buying guns at pawn shops, swap meets or online.
“We should not be quick to cede power to the federal government. Once you let it go, it’s very difficult to get back,” resident Barbara Darling said in opposition to the measure. “I would urge careful consideration of assumptions put forth in this article. It’s very easy to go out on the Internet and find all kinds of data supporting both sides of the argument.”
Saying she had no problem with owning guns for self-defense, hunting and sport, Joanna Hopkins argued that 33,000 annual gun-related deaths in the U.S. “are both heart-breaking and unacceptable.
“If enough cities and towns stand up and make our voices heard, eventually Congress will enact a nationwide gun safety set of standards. This is a sensible step for a safer and more civilized society for us all,” she said.
Fossil fuel divestment
Article 37 sought support for a bill (H.2269) that would require divestment of state retirement funds from holdings in fossil fuel companies. Resident Al Schmertzler said the issue was one of “acute moral, financial and long-term survival.” The warrant article focused on statewide pension investments because Lincoln has limited control over how its local pension funds are invested, he added.
Resident Len Darling argued against the measure, saying that many pension liabilities are already underfunded. “We need either better investment performance or higher contributions” to the funds, he said. “This is not our money. It’s really state employees who are depending on it for their retirement. Why do we want to tell investment professionals how to manage this money? We should not be micromanaging other people’s money.”
Fossil fuels in general are not the evil portrayed by some, Darling added, noting that natural gas is cheaper and produces less carbon dioxide than other fossil fuels, and the industry “has raised standard of living for billions of people.”
Both articles passed with a handful of “nay” votes.