The good news is that the West Long Branch Borough Council is dropping consideration of an ordinance to ban gun shops within 1,000 feet of a school.
The bad news is, the only reason the ordinance is being dropped now is because the borough has plans to pass the same regulation a different way some time in the next year.
Rather than pass the ordinance at its last meeting, the governing body has decided to include the ban in the revision to the borough’s master plan.
Either way the council chooses to regulate gun shops, will force them out of the borough is wrong.
The foolish notion behind either measure, which came up for consideration after Kodiak Arms opened on Locust Avenue, is that by passing such a law, somehow the community will be safer.
There is absolutely no reason to believe that is true.
The willingness of the council to put off passing the ordinance for a year indicates that its members recognize that.
New Jersey gun laws are among the most restrictive in the nation.
On top of that, the owner of Kodiak Arms, Brian Evichin, has instituted rules that strictly control who may enter his shop.
Despite going beyond the call to alleviate concerns about safety, the council continues to do all it can to force Kodiak Arms out of town.
Making decisions, particularly decisions on who is welcome in town and who is not, based on irrational fears can only lead to trouble.