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45,000 Maryalnd hunters who paid at least $6 each for hunting permits have been forbidden by the governor of Maryland from hunting because of the sniper. He is quoted as saying "hunters shooting might scare people". The governor has refused to issue refunds to the hunters however. More over, every person who owns a firearm in the state of Maryland has paid for the permits and priveledges of being able to shoot at all and no refunds are being offered. We have been assured that this is a temporary thing.

My question is...is this reasonable? or should people be allowed to shoot? or should they be given refunds for the taxes and charges they have paid ahead of time to be able to practice the sport of their choice?

There was early justification that they needed to make this ban so special military surveilance equipment wouldnt be confused by spurious gunshots, only this "exuse" was shot down when the Governments of DC and Virginia did not issue the same decree.</font>

[ 10-16-2002, 05:26 PM: Message edited by: MagiK ]

They ought to at least get their money back! Gee!

I think stopping the hunt for one season is appropriate considering the circumstances.

I agree that not allowing hunting until the sniper's killed is reasonable. I can't imagine how scary it must be! Even hearing a car backfiring or something would be terrifying. But I think they should be refunded their money, or some of it anyway.

Sounds fair to me. Extreme times call for extreme measures.

<font color = lightgreen>I agree with instituting a ban on hunting in that area until the Shooter is caught. Not being able to hunt for a while is not going to cause any lasting harm.
On the other hand, this is the kind of disruption the Shooter wants to cause. *sigh*</font>

Well they should at least get their money back. I can understand the ban on hunting though, as I have seen many reports on the news that the police have been getting bunches of calls from people who heard gunshots, which of course makes the police run to the scene thinking it may be the sniper, which takes up a lot of wasted time on their part when they are trying to find the real sniper. There are only so many police out there, and right now we need them where they can be the most useful, not running about to all sorts of locations because of some overly frightened civilian who hears a "bang" (which could be from a real gunshot or something else). I'm sure the hunters will get over it, I imagine they want the sniper caught as well, the deer will always be out there another time, another year. Not to mention I don't think anyone is going broke cause they are out of six bucks.

Yes, the right to hunt should be suspended until they catch the b*****d. That way, anyone with a rifle in his van or auto will be under a higher index of suspicion than before, when it could be some harmless hunter. As for the dough, let them have next year's free.

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Oh Im not so upset at the postponing of a hunting season, unless it stretches out for years. Im upset at the idea that they colelcted money from people for a specific purpose. If you remove what they paid for, you should pay them back.

Speaking as only one single voice of someone who lives in the heart of sniper territory, I got to tell you. there may be some people running around all higgledy piggledy because of this bozo...but I for one am not "living in fear" And I have yet to actually see any one running from their car trying to dodge a possible bullet. As near as I can tell...except for after school activities...we are living life as normal, only with worse than usual traffic problems. The press says we are all paralyzed with fear.....Don't know why they talked to but it wanst any one I know.</font>

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Morons showed an AK-47 on tv describing this as the possible weapon...they don't chamber the 47 in .223 sheesh.</font>

Well from the interviews I have seen on TV with business owners and citizens alike, and the coverage of the (New York based) Guardian Angel's arrival to pump gas for people and risk their lives to save others, it appears and sounds like a lot of the population is afraid to go outside.
Business owners are admitting that their outdoor eateries are totally screwed and even indoor business has slacked significantly everywhere because of the sniper's activities.
No one is going to "run from their car doging a possible bullet"...people are going to try to live their lives as normally as possible and get taken out for it as has already been proven.

[ 10-16-2002, 06:02 PM: Message edited by: Moni ]