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  Barry Bernstein August 19, 2010 at 4:18pm

  Here the latest info on the gun thing: The decision was made that it was better to amend the contract and let people openly carry their handguns at the show. This was better than denying them and having them make a big show of it with a big protest. Nobody involved in this is in favor of allowing guns into the event, not the city of Royal Oak, not Jon, Lisa, Connie or anyone else on the committee, not the 20+ corporations, not the charities, musicians, the people of Royal Oak, not the vast majority of patrons(67% against in the Detroit News online poll). This small group chose this week and this event to press their point. They knew that there was no time to do anything about it and they figured AB&E was an easy target. They would never try this at the Arab-American festival in Dearborn. In fact, you have to give that Dearborn festival credit. They wouldn't stand for this. Their security group has an active presence to make sure there is no trouble.
  
  Most of us feel the controversy will die down in the next two weeks. I've communicated with Jon and he tells me in the next two weeks there will be a strong campaign to bring back all the people who have said they won't come because of guns. We will assure everyone that they will probably not see even one gun carrying person at the event. In fact, they've said themselves that they have no interest in coming to the show. And, Jon has a few enticements, a few perks, for anyone who is unsure about coming to the show.
  
  This group and their tactics have really upset a lot of people and there already is a group forming to work on changing the gun law to ban guns at festivals, which to me is the only rational choice. L. Brooks Patterson, the longtime Oakland County Executive, and very powerful political figure in lower Michigan, is incensed, and has already started calling legislators to get the law amended. Patterson is the person who had the idea for the festival 13 years ago. After the show, there will be a heavy push to get guns banned from festival, like they are in chuches, ballparks, etc. This will not be a problem next year, and, hopefully, any other art fair in Michigan.
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  Connie Mettler August 18, 2010 at 11:31am

  Here is my reply from the Mayor:
  
  Ms. Mettler,
  
  The City of Royal Oak and the festival changed their policy because they thought they would be violating state law. Nothing more. Neither I nor any of the Royal Oak City Commissioners think guns should be allowed at the festival, and we join a vast majority of our society including many gun owners in agreeing on that.
  
  One thing I’ve learned in the last couple of months is that individuals in Michigan and 43 other states actually have the rights to carry a holstered side arm in virtually everywhere they travel. This includes Oakland County Parks (which just had to change their policy) or walking into downtown Royal Oak for dinner. Knowing this I’ve actually seen people carry weapons, though rare, but I’ve seen it.
  
  If the City and festival upheld its policy, I believe two things would have actually happened: First, the city would have been open to many costly lawsuits, and secondly, the gun owners would have rallied outside the festival with a large amount of people to protest. By making this change now, we are actually reducing the number of gun owners that will be at the festival. Such a scenario could easily be a worse situation. It would be a drain on police and law enforcement and put the media spotlight on the people who want to promote carrying guns. Since our decision was announced, the group that challenged us have publicly stated that they will not be there in protest, since they now have nothing to protest. I believe that in spite of changing the agreement to eliminate the no gun clause, we have made the event safer by avoiding a sure confrontation. That is the bigger picture in my mind.
  
  Again, since we changed our policy, it does not mean that myself, or the festival, or the City Commission of Royal Oak lacks principle or back bone. In fact I have been told by residents that it took more courage to disagree with those wanted us to ban them, then to agree to remove the clause.
  
  As I said, the organization that fought for their rights to carry guns has no plans to come to the festival in any large group, and the majority of this very small group won’t even be attending. It’s an absolute fallacy that there will be any visible amount of weapons at the festival, and you are letting them win if you choose to not attend the festival. By not attending you will take your frustration out on 60 charities, artists, musicians, restaurants, unique Royal Oak businesses and cultural organizations that have been a part of the festival for years. You would be penalizing a festival that completely agrees with you!
  
  The answer is to change the laws. You have my word that I will be among those leading the charge after the festival to amend them by the end of the year.
  
  Thank you for input and I hope you will reconsider your stance and come and enjoy what I expect to be a safe and wonderful family event.
  
  Mayor Jim Ellison
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  Connie Mettler August 17, 2010 at 9:16pm

  and here's the latest from the Royal Oak Tribune: http://www.dailytribune.com/articles/2010/08/16/news/doc4c6a05d5896...
  
  I'm thinking someone should be making holsters to sell for us to carry our bananas in.
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  Michael Skeen August 17, 2010 at 1:57pm

  Could be a market for portraits of .357 Smith and Wessons. Cartridge casing earrings and matching cartridge necklace sets.
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  Barry Bernstein August 17, 2010 at 1:36pm

  Not too many intelligent ones, I'm afraid. I hope I am wrong, but, this decision by the Royal Oak City council, in my opinion, is just asking for trouble, where there has never been any before. Here's what I just posted:
  
  There has never been any violent crime at any show that I've ever done in 30 years of doing shows, including the 10 times that I've done Arts, Beats, and Eats. If you add up all the people that have passed my booth in those 10 years, it adds up to millions of people. There is no need to protect oneself at this event or any event where artists are selling their art. This is an incredibly stupid decision made by Royal Oak city council. All it's going to do is keep serious art buyers away while replacing them with a few people who want to walk around with a holstered gun just to prove a point.
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  Connie Mettler August 17, 2010 at 1:17pm

  So, I just went to the Free Press site to see the story -- already 857 comments!
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  Barry Bernstein August 17, 2010 at 11:53am

  Munks, I'm going to be as clear as possible. 1) I never said the show was going to suck. 2) I strongly disagree with allowing guns into the event. All it's going to do is allow a few people to walk around with their guns, just to prove a point. What it will do, as has been voiced, is keep many people away from coming to the show who could potentially be buyers. I don't believe the gun toters are interested at all in the art. 3) I was trying to get so called artitsts, here at AF Insiders to be aware of the situation so they would send emails to the mayor of Royal Oak in an attempt to keep guns out. And, again, I see it as an economic issue because the guns will keep people away, some of which may be serious buyers. 4) I've always learned that it was important to speak up. It's the only power we have sometimes. 5) As far as I know, only Connie responded to my plea. It didn't do any good because they voted to allow guns into the event, but, at least I tried.
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  Connie Mettler August 16, 2010 at 9:09pm

  Okay, okay. I hope I'm not too late. I am emailing the mayor right now, maybe he has a Blackberry!
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  Barry Bernstein August 16, 2010 at 9:09pm

  Update, I offered 20% off any purchase, from me, to anyone carrying a banana, cucumber, or summer squash.
  
  Read the comments at the bottom of the article:
  http://www.freep.com/article/20100816/OPINION05/100816046/1322/Roya...
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  Barry Bernstein August 16, 2010 at 6:22pm

  Nope, not a mess at all. In fact, it's precisely because I'm doing the show that I am voicing my opinion, in hopes that other artists sees this and sends emails to Royal Oaks city council.
  
  This is going to be a great show. It's in a new location, having moved from dreary Pontiac to upscale Royal Oak. The advertising is second to none. Where else do you hear radio ads for a show 4 hours away and full coverage by both major Detroit newspapers? There is new corporate sponsorship: Ford Motors, Citizen Bank, AT & T, Comcast, Meijers, to just name a few. The show has procured 10,000 parking spaces in outlying areas with buses running all day to and from the show. This is a festival of music, food, and art and it is unique among shows. It is always intelligently laid out, so that the 3 venues do not overlap. There are over 200 musical acts on 4 stages with the jazz and folk closest to the art. There is no other event like this. My brother, who lives in the area emailed me to say that the talk in the upscale Northern suburbs is that the event is going to be huge.
  
  As far as the artists go, the promoters really take care of the artists. There are many, many volunteers. We get over $50 in food tickets with many of the food vendors being from the nicer restaurants in the area. Artists can stay at the Radisson in Birmingham for $68 per night. The only hotel better in Birmingham is the 5 star Townsend Hotel. Setup and breakdown is easy. Have I left anything out? I wouldn't think of not doing this show. They have presold Visa cards to supporters that artists are going to give a 5% discount and a portion of the pre-sales goes to charities.
  
  Of course, I am doing this show.