Category: OFF Alerts

02.10.15

 

Today Polk County agreed to pass a pro-gun resolution.  The actually signing is expected tomorrow. Our sincere thanks to everyone who came to support this declaration of freedom and very special thanks to Micky Garus of American Outdoors who worked so hard to make this happen.  You are all a testimony to the power of grassroots activism.

Also today was a discussion of a pro-gun resolution by the Clackamas County Commissioners.

No action was taken today, they will be hearing public testimony on Feb. 19 at 6PM.  Based on what we heard at today’s discussion, we’d better be prepared to have lots of public testimony.

The resolution in question is a good start but needs to go a lot further. Let’s try to get the rational members of the commission to consider that.

“Rational” is a key word here.

The discussion started with the Chair, John Ludlow, and Commissioner Tootie Smith, explaining the intent of the resolution. From there, things got weird.

Commissioner Martha Schrader, ex-wife of anti-gun Congressman Kurt Schrader, launched into a bizarre ramble that was clearly taken from a badly written Wikipedia page, explaining (horribly) the history of the musket.

What first  seemed simply inappropriate, soon became incoherent until someone finally interrupted her to ask if she was “filibustering.”

It became clear eventually that Schrader was trying to make the point that modern firearms were far more dangerous than the firearms used in the War of Independence and therefor, of course, had to be treated differently. There was some oblique reference to bayonets.

Schrader repeatedly mentioned that her family members owned guns (though she was “not allowed” to have them.)

Schrader has made a habit of parroting anti-gun extremist, Floyd Prozanski, by claiming she is not “anti-gun” and then going on to insist on all kinds to rights restrictions.

Schrader  made several demands that a list of “gun owner responsibilities” be included in any Second Amendment Resolution. This was motivated by her desire to require that firearms be locked up, a position she takes because her 12 year old nephew accidentally shot and killed himself when his parents irresponsibly left a loaded firearm where an untrained child had access to it.

While certainly tragic, this event has led Schrader to conclude that all  junior high school age kids are “nuts” and can’t be trusted. An assertion she might reconsider if she ever visited the gun club in her own town, where every year dozens of young people responsibly handle firearms at hunter safety training.

Schrader also repeatedly referred to the US Constitution as a “living document.” (Meaning, anything she decides it means at any given moment.)

Schrader’s breath-taking ignorance of reality was demonstrated over and over as she suggested that gun owners are “paranoid” if they think anyone wants to take their guns.  Apparently she was on leave when HB 3200 was introduced a few years ago banning all modern firearms and authorizing warrantless searches of gun owners’ homes.

She also must not be reading the news from places where gun confiscations are becoming an everyday occurrence. In a response to a comment by Chairman John Ludlow, Schrader demonstrated a total and complete lack of knowledge of American history when she declared that the “militia” was the National Guard!

Schrader also commented that if the Clackamas County Commissioners were to pass a pro-rights resolution they should expect retribution from her Democratic colleagues in the Oregon Legislature.

Commissioner Jim Bernard agreed with most of what Schrader said and threw in a few comments of his own indicating his complete lack of knowledge about firearms while claiming he had a “hunting rifle.” (Bernard has stated he will not be at the Feb 19th meeting.)

The Clackamas County Sheriff sent an undersheriff to answer questions.  The one point he made was that if a “universal background check” were to pass, the Clackamas County Sheriff would not have the manpower to enforce it.

The display of misinformation on the part of several people at this meeting was disturbing. We believe there will be a well organized effort to derail this resolution. So we need to get to work.

If you can be at the Commissioner’s meeting on Feb. 19th at 6PM please come and testify in favor. Please ask them to  include a specific notice of opposition to any expansion of the failed background check system.

Please contact the commissioners with a message of support.

Email address and a suggested message you can cut and paste or alter follow.

bcc@clackamas.us

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Dear Commissioners,
Thank you for joining many other Oregon Counties and considering a resolution defending my Second Amendment Rights.

Please make this resolution as direct and strong as possible. I strongly urge you to include a specific objection to any expansion of Oregon’s failed “background check” system.

I also urge you to not allow this resolution to become a vehicle for a list of demands on gun owners to lock up their defensive firearms. While the loss of Commissioner Schrader’s nephew to a firearms accident was certainly tragic, it is not proof that all firearm’s owners are irresponsible.

The Democrats in the Oregon Legislature have promised to introduce and pass bills attacking my rights. Please stand proudly against them.

Yours,

__________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

02.07.15

Douglas has now been added to the growing list of counties sending a message to Salem to keep their Portland loving mitts off our guns and our rights.

On Feb. 4, the Douglas County Commissioners passed a resolution, modeled after the Yamhill County resolution, putting the state on notice that they opposed more pointless and counterproductive gun restrictions.

Commissioner Tim Freeman was the driving force behind this resolution. Take a few seconds to call the commissioners and tell them they did the right and honorable thing.  You can reach them at (541) 440-4201.

On Tuesday, Feb.10 the Polk County Commissioners will be discussing a “Second Amendment Resolution” that will be presented by Micky Garus. If you are a Polk County resident, please do all you can to show up and show support for Micky and a resolution from Polk. These resolutions are incredibly important and your support and participation make all the difference.

Finally, we have learned  that on Feb 10,  at 2pm, Clackamas County will be discussing a 2nd Amendment Resolution. This is a very, very important event. Clackamas County is as close to Portland as you can get. In fact, in some places it IS Portland. We need to get as many people to this meeting as possible.

Any action taken on this will be at a subsequent meeting on Feb. 19 at 6PM. Please plan to be at both meetings. They will be held at the Public Services Building, 2051 Kaen Road, Oregon City.  Phone is 503-655-8581.

You can email the Board at bcc@clackamas.us .

Two of the five board members are anti-gun. Martha Schrader, ex-wife of anti-gun Congressman Kurt Schrader, and Jim Bernard.  The swing vote will be Paul Savas who has sought support from pro-gun organizations in the past but is in no way committed to protecting our rights.  Contact him and tell him to support a pro-rights resolution to defend the Second Amendment. Savas’s email is psavas@co.clackamas.or.us .

Don’t forget the Constitutional Rights Rally on the Capitol Steps on Monday, Feb 9!

 

02.05.15

We are very pleased and excited to be able to inform you that another county has gone on record opposing more restrictions on your rights.

Today copies of the following letter were sent to the legislature.
     One more indication that all your hard work is paying off and the people of Oregon do not want their rights trampled on by gun grabbers in Salem.

If you want to congratulate the commissioners for their courage, you can find their contact info here.

Typos in the original letter, posted above, were corrected in the final version.

02.04.15

Yesterday, the Klamath County Board of Commissioners passed another in a growing number of pro-rights resolutions by counties across the state.

While the Portland dominated legislature continues to insist that the overwhelming number of Oregonians want to see the failed “background check” system expanded to transfers between friends and family members, it’s becoming increasingly clear that’s a fantasy.

Klamath Commissioner Tom Mallams said :

Particularly reassuring was the presence of  Sheriff Frank Skrah and his uncompromising stand on protecting the Second Amendment. Said Skrah  “People have the right to bear arms, and I will not abridge that right to bear arms. Ever. I’ll say it again: ever.”

We need more sheriffs with that commitment.

Yesterday Coos County also discussed a pro-gun resolution but deferred action. The commission there needs to hear from you.

Reports are that the sheriff there, Craig Zanni also spoke up in favor of your rights. He is to be commended.

Keep in mind, all these actions by county commissions are the result of your action. Please keep it up if your county has not gotten on board.

We have an uphill battle, but we always have, and because of the commitment and passion of those who cherish their rights we will continue to win.

For some inspiration, watch this video.

 

 

02.02.15

In a last minute retreat, the Lane County Commission reversed its plans to consider a pro-gun resolution and now says it may not discuss the issue until May or even June. Of course, given the nature of the current legislature, that will clearly be too late.

Obviously the commission is seeking to hide from the coming attacks on the citizens of Lane County. It makes no sense to consider possible action long after the damage has been done.

Here is a screen shot of their agenda when we sent out our earlier alert.

Gun Rights is clearly on the agenda.

After our alert went out, the item was suddenly pulled off and pushed back to early summer. See the followup screen shot.

The Lane County Commissioners are playing games with your rights and your valuable time.

Please contact them and tell them you do not appreciate them playing “bait and switch” with your liberty. Remind them that waiting until June is a dodge intended to make sure the damage is done before they have to address it. Tell them you will not stand for this kind of shameless political maneuvering. With other counties stepping up now, Lane County’s stall is a disgrace. The Lane County Commissioners contact info is can be found here.

On a more positive note, the Wasco County Commission will be discussing Second Amendment rights on Feb 4. See their agenda here. Contact info for the Wasco Commissioners can be found here. Please encourage them to take a principled stand in defense of the 2nd Amendment.

02.02.15

Well, they’re coming faster than we can keep up with them.

Tomorrow, Lane County adds itself to an ever expanding list of counties that have passed, or will be considering, pro-gun ordinances or resolutions.

You can see the agenda here.

We have not seen the official resolution so we cannot say for certain what it will contain. What we do have is a draft for a proposed resolution which may be what they will be considering. You can view it here.

While not nearly as direct as some others that have been proposed or passed, it is a statement of support for our rights, and at least helps send a message to the gun grabbers in Salem.

Contact info for the Lane Commissioners is at the top of this page.

02.02.15

As the legislature kicks off with promises by the Democrat majority to ram through a mandatory gun registration scheme, one more county is considering a response.

Tomorrow, Klamath County will  review two pro-rights resolutions. You can see them here. The difference is in the last paragraph.

The growing list of counties saying “no” to dangerous restrictions and registration attempts is a powerful tool in our battle to keep the state’s sticky fingers off our rights and our guns.

Please send a message of support to the commission at  bocc@klamathcounty.org .

The Speaker of the House, and others, have made it clear that they plan defy reason and ignore the facts and expand a system that even the State Police themselves have proven does nothing to stop criminals, but does attack the rights of the law-abiding.

We are making progress thanks to the tireless efforts of gun owners around the state, who are independently working on their county commissions to stand up for their rights. But we have a long way to go. If it’s not happening in your county, you could be the person who makes it a reality.

Consider contacting your commissioners and sheriff to let them know that many counties are taking courageous steps and they should too.

If you live in Klamath County and can be at the commission meeting tomorrow, please go and voice your support.

01.31.15

Another Oregon County is considering a resolution in opposition to the expansion of Oregon’s train wreck “background check” system!

On Feb. 4, Douglas County will consider a “Resolution that the Douglas County Board of Commissioners objects to any expansion of Oregon’s failed “background check” system to firearms transfers between qualified, law-abiding persons.”

This resolution, by pro-gun stalwart Commissioner Tim Freeman, will, if passed, add Douglas County to the growing list of counties telling Portland, and a few other leftist enclaves, that their dangerous gun grabs will not be tolerated.

The meeting starts at 9am at the Douglas County Courthouse, Room 216 Roseburg, Oregon. Be there in support if you can.

The Douglas County website lists no email addresses for the three County Commissioners, Tim Freeman, Susan Morgan and Chris Boice, but does list a phone number, 541-440-4201 if you want to call and voice your approval. (You can communicate with Chris Boice through his Facebook page.) But showing up is best.

UPDATE 02.02.15, Douglas County Commissioner email addresses are :

morgan@co.douglas.or.us,

boice@co.douglas.or.us,

freeman@co.douglas.or.us

We have been told that Lane County is also considering a possible resolution but we have not seen it. However, we have been reliably informed that they don’t plan to act on one until May at the earliest!   That will be too late.

Please consider contacting the Lane County Commissioners and telling them to act on a strong resolution or ordinance right away. This can’t wait until the damage in Salem is done. Contact info for the Lane County Commissioners can be found here.

A sample message follows.
————————————————————————————————————————–
Dear Commissioner,

Numerous Oregon Counties have stepped up and passed ordinances or resolutions protecting the  2nd Amendment rights of their citizens and opposing expansion of the failed firearms “background check system.”

I strongly urge you to follow their lead as soon as possible. We cannot wait until after the legislature passes another dangerous and counterproductive gun control bill.

Yours,

______________________

——————————————————————————————————————————

You can reach all the commissioners at this email address  lcbcccom@co.lane.or.us

Another County that should be acting on this is Clackamas.  The Clackamas County Commissioners have been contacted and asked to create a resolution or ordinance to protect the citizens of  Clackamas County, but so far have done nothing.

Three of the five members of the committee should be solidly on the side of gun owners but so far only one, Tootie Smith has even brought it up. The other two, Chairman John Ludlow and Commissioner Paul Savas have pointedly avoided the issue.

If you live in Clackamas County please contact John Ludlow and tell him you expect him to take the same steps to protect your rights that other county’s commissioners have. You can reach him at (503) 655-8581. You can reach all the commissioners at this email address  bcc@clackamas.us

Ludlow does not list his commission email address but his business contact info can be found here.

Paul Savas’s is psavas@co.clackamas.or.us

01.30.15

Another County Steps Up. Gun Rights Rally Reminder.

 

As we count down the last few days before the start of the 2015 session on Monday, and prepare for one of toughest fights in Salem, we wanted to let you know about another positive development.

On Feb. 3rd the Coos County Board of Commissioners will be discussing a 2nd Amendment protection resolution.

The meeting starts at 9:30 am in the Owen Building (201 N Adams Coquille, OR 97423)

If you can, please come and show your support for this important measure. The presence of  pro-rights voters makes an amazing difference at these events.

As we have said, the key to protecting our rights now will be at the county level with both commissioners and sheriffs. The momentum is certainly increasing with the commissions, but so far the Sheriff’s Association has refused to take a stand.

We should expect more from them.  If unconstitutional restrictions are placed on our rights, they will have to decide whether they are going to enforce them against us.

We need to keep the pressure up and add more counties to the list of places where liberty rules.

The legislature will convene on Feb 2.  We expect to start seeing a regular introduction of anti-gun bills right away. So please, if you can, be sure to be at the Capitol on Feb 9 when our friends the Heirs of Patrick Henry will he holding a pro-gun rally to remind the legislature that we’re here and we will not accept any attacks on our liberties.

01.29.15

On January 21, the Wheeler County Court (their county commissioners) joined a growing number of Oregon counties that are standing up to the bullies in Portland and saying “no” to more restrictions on the rights of their citizens.

By a unanimous vote the board approved a “2nd Amendment Preservation Ordinance“. We have been informed that the audience cheered!

This is another great victory for gun rights in Oregon and another strong message sent to the legislature that Oregonians will not be steamrolled by the well-funded but poorly informed groups doing the bidding of Mike Bloomberg.

This ordinance goes even further than the resolution just passed in Yamhill County.  Our thanks go out to the courageous members of the Wheeler County Court.

While this is an important victory, we still have a long and expensive fight ahead of us. You can help by contacting your county commission and telling them you expect them to take the same steps that counties like Yamhill and Wheeler (among others) have taken.

If you have not already done so (or even if you have) take a moment to remind the new legislature that you oppose any expansion of Oregon’s failed background check system.

The real show starts on Feb 2 when we expect an avalanche of anti-gun legislation to be added to the already introduced gun bills.

With your tireless help, OFF has been winning these battles for over 15 years.  Let’s not let up now!

1.22.15

Today the Yamhill County Commission unanimously passed Resolution  011415.

This resolution expresses the County’s opposition to any expansion of Oregon’s failed “background check” system.

This was a great victory and a terrific first step to getting other counties to stand up to Portland and say “not here.”

We are grateful to all who came and voiced their support for the resolution. Oregonians traveled from as far away as Rogue River to express their approval. No one testified against it.

Now we need to get other counties to step up. Yamhill has taken the lead. Where does your county stand?

It’s critical that each of  us hold our county commissioners accountable. If the bullies from Portland try to control the entire state, it is the sheriffs and county commissioners who can stop them.

We have just received the latest numbers from the Oregon State Police concerning their denials of firearms purchases. Once again they demonstrate that the entire system is a joke intended to do nothing more than harass the law abiding.

In December of 2014, 197 persons were denied firearms purchases. Of those, the Oregon State Police claim that 139 were “prohibited persons”, you know, bad guys who are breaking the law if they try to buy a gun. Of those 139, the number arrested and taken off the streets so they could not commit further mayhem was a whopping 3.

Yes, you read that right. Three.

Thanks again to everyone who took the time to write the Yamhill County Commissioners. Special thanks to everyone who took the time to come and testify, and of course, our thanks to the Commissioners for their willingness to stand up for the people they represent.

 

 

 

01.16.15

The 2015 session of the Oregon Legislature begins on Feb.2.

As you well know, we will be dealing with plenty of attacks on our rights. With both houses under the control of anti-gunners and with a vocally anti-gun governor, we can expect to see all manner of anti-gun legislation squeezed in between tax hikes.

So get ready. We have listed the gun related bills that have been introduced so far here. Rest assured there will be plenty more, so keep an eye out for updates and what you can do.

We continue to believe that one of the best ways we can counter the anti-gunners in Portland is by getting sheriffs and county commissioners to stand up and oppose new restrictions. If your county and sheriff have not taken a stand, contact them. Remind them that their first obligation is to protect your rights and that an uncompromising position on their part in defense of your freedom will go along way in putting the brakes on any further infringements.

Numerous counties have already drafted or passed pro-gun resolutions or ordinances. We need more. On January 22, Yamhill County will be hearing a resolution opposing expansion of Oregon’s failed background check system.   Please contact your county commissioners and tell them to step up now before anti-gun  bills are racing through the legislature.

Meanwhile, be sure to get active yourself. Send a message to the legislature that you will not tolerate the proposed universal gun registration and background checks by using our legislative communication page.

You can also sign a postcard to the Speaker of the House with the message that you expect her to protect your rights and you’ll be entered to win a S&W 9mm Shield. See the details here.

12.17.14

 

Once again the numbers are in from the State  Police. Once again they show the sheer folly of expanding the failed background check system to transfers between friends and relatives. This proposal, which is causing chaos and resistance in Washington State,  will be introduced in Oregon for the February legislative session, if not before. No doubt the bill is already drafted.

Based on the numbers provided by OSP, it is clear that the current law, which applies to sales at gun stores and gun shows, serves only to harass the law-abiding.

As we have seen from previous reports, here and here, in spite of the hype and lies from anti-gun politicians and tiny, but well funded, anti-rights organizations, virtually no criminals or persons with mental illness are being prevented from getting guns due to background checks. Of course plenty of qualified people are!

Echoing the statistics we have from previous months, while lots of people are told they may not exercise their rights, almost no one is arrested for an illegal gun purchase. So, if they really are prohibited persons (and we hear from plenty who are not) they are almost always free to walk away and get a gun elsewhere. This, in spite of Kitzhaber’s rule that a State Trooper must be removed from patrol to “investigate” every denial.

We have received reports from gun dealers that they were directed by the OSP ID unit to lie to customers they knew were “denied” so they could be kept in the store until a Trooper arrived to conduct an “investigation.”

In one such case, after a wait of an hour, a Trooper came to the gun store, informed the “buyer” that he was denied due to an “outstanding warrant” in another state. The Trooper then turned and left the store taking no action against the desperado in question. And while the gun haters love to throw around the numbers of denials, as if they meant anything, they don’t tell you this part of the story.

In November, the State Police denied 203 transfers, less than 1% of the total attempted transactions. Floyd Prozanski and Moms Demand Action will be touting that number as a great success story. But of all those denials, the number of people who were actually arrested, and prevented from getting guns (for however long they were in custody)  was a whopping 8 people!  Of those 8, 6 of them were actively wanted at the time of the attempted transfer. That means that over 80% of people who were actively wanted at the time of the attempted transfer walked out of the store!

And they tell us this is keeping guns out of the hands of the “bad guys.”

We have no way of knowing how many people who were denied never should have been, but we do know that of the 203 who were told they could not buy a gun, 69 were being “investigated,” 11 were challenging the denial, 7 were given “tickets” and 39 were closed out as “Investigation Complete, No Action.” So, over 96% of the denials were dubious at best, and many were clearly totally unjustified.

Think of when this policy applies to your loan or gift of a firearm to a friend or relative! Imagine what it will be like when the police falsely flag your friend or loved one as a “prohibited person” and send a cop to your house to “investigate” them.

Not only will this be a law enforcement nightmare, it will turn the police and their natural allies, gun owning citizens, against each other. Since this law is obviously not being used to stop criminals, will it only be used to stop you?

It is clear that we need to rally our sheriffs to oppose this nonsense. OFF has contacted every sheriff in the State asking that they stand up and say “no” to this infringement. The Sheriffs Association’s position is that it will be up to each sheriff to determine where he stands on this. Where does your Sheriff stand?

If he won’t step up to help us stop this, will he send a deputy to arrest you if you give a gun to a friend? If he won’t go on record opposing these dangerous restrictions, does he deserve your vote?

It might be time to ask him.

We are working on new tools to help you track your sheriff’s stand. But for now, you can use the bottom of this link for contact info for your sheriff.

Meanwhile be sure to plan to be in Salem on Feb.9th for a rally for gun rights. You can learn more here.