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Thats a real shame...

One that reinforces my belief that we rely too much on our government to help us...

I feel sorry for Mr. Ward as he was a great supporter of others who were securing our freedom by his actions and mere presense in the community...

And that communities government turned their backs on him...

I hope his family gets through this challenging time in their lives...

As for the topical nature of this subject... I am sure the "city counsel" will be reviewing their security and other weapons restrictions policies to ensure "their" safety...

Something to follow up on...

This is a shame. I kept hoping the article wouldn't spin into a "this is why gun ownership is bad" retoric. What a wake up call for those on committees who need to recognize the personal impact their decisions can make on people.

Ward had said the rezoning would increase his property value, allowing him to secure a loan to offset debt he incurred when he expanded his shop.

If governing entities were in the business of bailing out people from their "bad" business decisions, then what integrity would there be in these bureaucracies. Zoning laws are not made for the benefit of one person, there are to benefit the community.
I don't think this is a gun issue or a government issue. This is a personal financial issue where this guy probably was up to his eyes in debt and looking for the city council to bail him out. The same happens here in Houston and many cities where homeowners go down to the Appraisal Districts to protest their appraisal values and tax figures. So if he decides to blow his brains out, that is his choice.

"Civilization began the first time an angry person cast a word instead of a rock." - Sigmund Freud

..........dang That's just horrible. Poor guy.

Probably was about more than just zoning (as intrusive as I think zoning is) that pushed Mr. Ward to do this. That's just horrible

Some times the govt can really step on peoples toes

I bring up the situation of the Killdozer where the guy took his fight to the same people that pretty much destroyed his livelyhood

I agree that this is a real shame.

I don't agree that this is the fault of the city council. A zoning decision should not be a life or death strugle. This man was obviously sick.

I know if my neighbor wanted to rezone his house to allow a commercial business that involved customers constantly coming and going I would be opposed to it.

Where I live the city council is elected by about 10% of the population. That's all that generally bothers to vote in those elections. If they are doing a bad job it should be pretty easy to get them ousted.

KRM45 wrote:I agree that this is a real shame.

I don't agree that this is the fault of the city council. A zoning decision should not be a life or death strugle. This man was obviously sick.

I know if my neighbor wanted to rezone his house to allow a commercial business that involved customers constantly coming and going I would be opposed to it.

Where I live the city council is elected by about 10% of the population. That's all that generally bothers to vote in those elections. If they are doing a bad job it should be pretty easy to get them ousted.

You don't know the whole story...noone here does

Molon_labe wrote:
You don't know the whole story...noone here does

No, I don't. I stand by my assertion that you have to be sick to stand in front of a group of people and take your own life.

Molon_labe wrote:You don't know the whole story...noone here does

Y'all just "drive me crazy" with these kind of comments. Especially when faced with the facts. You don't have to know the whole story when you know the process of city councils and zoning issues. Just think for yourselves sometimes. If you think this is the first time he walked up to council and they made a final decision then you are misinformed. He had to be before the council on MANY occasions, going back and forth and submitting more information, more documentation, more signatures, more appraisals, etc to substantiate HIS case. Plus the City Council has to allow a set time period (eg. 30days) for ANYONE in the public to object to his application and they can state their case. Then the City Council sets a date when they will make their final decision by vote. Everything done is on PUBLIC RECORD in the minutes of the meeting.

Ronald "Bo" Ward, owner of Bo's Barber Shop, had told the council his business would go under if he couldn't get his home rezoned as commercial. After the 5-7 vote Thursday night, Ward stood and walked toward the council.
"Y'all have put me under. ... I'm out of here," he said before shooting himself in the head with a small handgun.
Ward had said the rezoning would increase his property value, allowing him to secure a loan to offset debt he incurred when he expanded his shop.

Nobody made these statements up. This is what he stood before the council and said while making his case for his application to be approve.

So why can't you call a spade a spade. Why must there be a hidden reason. Why can't it be exactly what he said it was?

"When a gun gets whipped out like that, someone is going to get shot, but I didn't know who," Councilman Bill Summers said. "You could've been right next to him, and I don't think you could have stopped that."

Thats the part that ticks me off about this story. Antis will jump on that and say "Look ! A GUN killed him! It could have killed anybody! OH! Would somebody PLEASE think of the children!" and go off into their anti-gun spiel.

In this case, the reporter was quoting, but in many cases, they pull stuff out of their hats. I think we need to take all the reporters and editors shooting. Show them how much fun it is, and that guns aren't the boogeyman they make them out to be.

So why can't you call a spade a spade. Why must there be a hidden reason. Why can't it be exactly what he said it was?

Because the media consistently gets it wrong or omits important details in shooting cases. IE take a look at how the story changed over time as documented in this thread.

The initial story is: "The guy pulled out a gun and shot him. Just for bumping him." but we find out later the shooter was threatened and approached, and the guy that got shot had attacked people on the bus before.

So, dont trust the news story any farther then you can throw the studio. Feel free to go check the public records for us and let us know.