Rev. Nathan Dannison.jpg

The Rev. Nathan Dannison has an online petition calling for a boycott of Battle Creek's minor league baseball team if it continues with a 2nd Amendment Education Night at its Friday, June 24, game. The sponsor of the event has invited patrons to bring and openly carry their handguns. Dannison is shown speaking in Bronson Park at the June 13 vigil for those shot and killed a day earlier at an Orlando, Fla., nightclub.

(Al Jones | MLive/Gazette)

KALAMAZOO, MI -- A Kalamazoo minister has started an online petition to tell the owners of the Battle Creek Bombers minor league baseball team that mixing handguns, baseball and beer is wrong.

And he is asking area people to boycott the team in the future if it holds what it is calling "2nd Amendment Education Night" on Friday, June 24, at C.O. Brown Stadium in Battle Creek.

The sponsor of the event, Freedom Firearms of Battle Creek, has invited licensed gun owners to bring their handguns to the 7 p.m. game. It advises that guns are to be openly carried and holstered. Joel Fulton, co-owner of Freedom Firearms says the event -- which also occurs during Boy Scout Night at the game -- will have informational displays about 2nd Amendment rights and firearms safety.

Those carrying firearms will be given wristbands indicating they are not allowed to buy alcoholic beverages at the game.

But Rev. Nathan Dannison and several of the 60 people who had added their names to his petition as of Friday afternoon see the idea of mixing guns and youngsters as hazardous and insensitive in relation to recent criminal shootings.

Dannison is senior pastor of First Congregational Church in downtown Kalamazoo.

"Kalamazoo and Battle Creek, Mich., are still reeling from a recent mass shooting," Dannison states in the petition, referring to Feb. 20 incidents in which eight people were shot at random by a Uber taxi driver in and around Kalamazoo. Six of the victims died.

Dannison was inviting others to sign their names to the petition "and tell Northwoods that you will be boycotting all future events."

He states that the petition will be delivered to Dick Radatz Jr., owner of the Battle Creek Bombers and co-founder of the Northwoods League in which it plays, as well as Matt Bomberg, vice president of development for the Northwoods League.

Dannison insists that the minor league baseball team: cancel the event, apologize for endorsing gun violence, "and make all of your games gun-free zones."

"An open-carry night at our local baseball game is adding insult to the very real injuries we are struggling to recover from," said Dannison, who described himself as a gun owner but also a church pastor in a community that has been devastated by handgun violence in recent months.

Among supporting petition signers were:

-Pamela Keesler, of Kalamazoo, who wrote: "Guns and alcohol are always a dangerous combination. Add a crowd, children acting like children, confusion, and you're inviting trouble. Please use common sense and ban guns from baseball games."

-Fran, of Kalamazoo, who wrote: "Sports, alcohol, children and GUNS? Really? Northwoods, you have seriously misread our community."

-Linda Brundage, of East Lansing, who wrote: "Baseball not ballistics."

-Nicole Milcarek, of Kalamazoo, who wrote: "Kids deserve better than to be in an environment with drinking and handguns. My family will never again visit one of these establishments until this madness ends."

-Mark Dunham, of Kalamazoo, who wrote: "This is just appalling and embarrassing."

-Jeremy Rilko, of Kalamazoo, who wrote: "Ask a family member of the Kalamazoo shooting if they think this is a good idea."

-Megan Dooley, of Kalamazoo, who wrote: "Beer and baseball I get. ... Adding handguns to that equation after the multiple tragedies we've suffered as a community this year? Just disrespectful. Flaunting them in front of children playing a game? Just insane."

-Michael Flora, of Fenton, who wrote: "This type of promotion is foolish and potentially dangerous. Use your heads please."

MLive writer Al Jones may be contacted at ajones5@mlive.com. Follow me on Twitter at ajones5_al.