04.19.13
Yesterday, the Multnomah County Commissioners moved forward on anti-gun ordinances in a largely staged and theatrical hearing.The video of the hearing is available on this page.
They had several panels of anti-gun, anti-freedom speakers who regurgitated the worn cliches we have come to expect from people who prefer platitudes to solutions. We heard the usual message that while these changes would do little, if they saved “just one life” they would be worth the erosion of liberty they would cause.
The beauty of the “just one life” canard is that you never have to actually prove that it did any such thing. The usual array of anti-rights fanatics were joined by family members of the Clackamas Town Center shooting. While you cannot help but sympathize with anyone who has lost a family member, you cannot ignore that nothing being proposed here would have made a difference. One victim’s family member admitted as much but urged the County to adopt these pointless measures anyway. The urge to “do something” even when that “something” does nothing is quite strong.
We expect the normal line-up of freedom haters to trot out their tired and disproved rhetoric. We even expect them to be invited and be given special treatment by the deceitful political hacks who push this nonsense. But what was truly disturbing was seeing Multnomah County Sheriff Dan Staton come out in support of this pointless, symbolic posturing.
While other Oregon Sheriffs are making bold stands in defense of the people of their counties, Staton came and testified in favor of these useless attacks on liberty.
The proposed ordinances (which will probably be formally adopted on April 25) start by listing biased and unsubstantiated opinions as fact.
“About one-third of U.S. households contain a gun, and half of gun-owning households don’t lockup their guns, including 40 percent of households with children under age 18.”
The ordinance calls for an end to Oregon’s pre-emeption law so that our state can once again become a patchwork of confusing and contradictory regulations putting all lawful gun owners at risk.
The ordinance will outlaw “loaded carry in public places” for all non CHL holders. That includes armed security guards who don’t work for banks. It will make it illegal for non-license holders in rural parts of the county to be safely armed.
It will make it illegal for non-license holders to have a loaded magazine! That means if you have a handgun locked in your trunk and a loaded magazine in your locked glove box, you are a criminal.
It will force you to allow a police officer to inspect a magazine in your possession even if you don’t have a gun!
It will require you to lock up your firearms to prevent a minor from getting them. It does not require you to lock up your car keys, your chain saw or your kitchen knives. It does not require you to secure household chemicals.
It will fine you $2500.00 if your firearm is stolen and you don’t report it, with serial numbers, within 48 hours of “knowing, or having reason to know it was stolen or cannot be located through reasonable effort.” Really? Are you serious? OK, so, we draft another meaningless attack on victims of crime but we let them off if they just say “I didn’t know.” Is this a reasonable use of tax-payer dollars? Is this going to stop the criminals and madmen? Are we electing imbeciles?
The ordinance can be seen here, although the County changes this URL often so it might disappear.
Sheriff Dan Staton can be reached at (503) 988 – 4300.