Guns. They're bad. Or good. Depending. They kill people, sure; but Shockwave, our first Transformers action figure, turned into a gun. Obviously, like a profound game of chess played at an East Coast liberal arts institution, it's a complicated issue. Or not. They're guns. Pew, pew.

Anyway, gun control was a scorchingly hot topic in August, with High Bridge Arms, the city's only (legal) gun shop, at the forefront. As Mission Mission reported, High Bridge Arms, after a brief closure, wanted to re-open by year's end, "making the Mission the home to the only gun store in SF." The Northwest Bernal Alliance and three other local groups, however, were none too thrilled, which sparked this email campaign:

Friends and Neighbors,

Once before we asked that you write letters to SFPD Permit Office telling them to deny High Bridge Arms (3185 Mission Street) a permit to sell guns in our neighborhood. That hearing has been continued 5 times and is now due to be heard SEPTEMBER 8TH.

It’s become more urgent now.

There have been several robberies at gunpoint right in our neighborhood and one recent hold up with a gun, at the Cancun restaurant right next to the High Bridge Arms Gun Store.

We’ve been successful in causing delays in the permit process by forcing the owner to comply with the SF Planning Code but the hearing is slated for Sept 8th and we believe unless there is a great outcry from the neighborhood, the permit will be granted and once again we’ll be home to the ONLY GUN STORE IN ALL OF SAN FRANCISCO.

No matter how you feel about guns, I think you’d agree that they should not be anywhere near our homes and/or schools. PLEASE WE URGE YOU- take the time to send an email to the SFPD Permit Office and let them know how you feel. And if you can call the Sergeant directly 415.553.9550

Attached is a sample letter - re-arrange it - add to it - write your own - but please send it before Sept 7 to:
ATT: Permit Code/Enforcement Sergeant Coggan
CC —Ingleside’s Permit/Code Enforcement Officer
CC—-Ingleside’s Captain Cassanego
CC—-us so we know it was sent - northwestbernal

And then, Phil Bronstein chimed in today with a choice article on the controversy. Bronstein talked to Alliance member Jaime Ross, who explained that, while the group isn't opposed to people owning guns, the group would "rather have something the neighborhood could enjoy - a laundry or wine and cheese shop."