03.26.13
Multnomah County Commissioner Deborah Kafoury has proposed numerous new gun restrictions.
You can read her draft proposals here.
Largely these rules would copy Portland’s and require mandatory gun storage and an end to open loaded carry county wide.
As of today these proposals have not been acted on. Please contact the County Commissioners and tell them you oppose the new ordinances. They can be reached here.
If history is any indication, this will be a small crowd. (They got maybe a dozen for the last one.)
What follows is the latest email from proven liar Senator Ginny Burdick.
Burdick often complains that anti-gunners don’t show up or write their legislators. Maybe, just maybe, not too many people agree with her hysterical rants. By the way, a Google search for “Oregon Alliance to End Gun Violence” turned up.. no hits.
Just another fantasy of Burdick and the folks at Ceasefire.
______________________________________________________________________________
Thank you for your support for reasonable gun laws. Now it is time for action!
The Oregon Alliance to End Gun Violence is hosting a gun violence lobby day at the State Capitol on April 4th. I encourage everyone to attend a rally at the Capitol steps at noon, and visit your legislators, if possible. We need to show the people of Oregon that our passion for preventing gun violence is greater than gun extremists who oppose even the most reasonable gun safety measures. You can access more information by clicking here.
A number of people have asked about the bills that will receive hearings this session.
They are:
1.) SB 347 – No Guns in K-12 Schools
Removes the current exemption in the law that allows individuals with concealed handgun licenses to carry loaded guns into K-12 schools. Law enforcement officers will still be able to carry their guns into schools. School districts may opt out of this restriction and allow concealed handgun license holders to carry guns into schools.
2.) SB 700 – Universal Background Checks (An amendment is being prepared)
Requires a background check prior to the sale or transfer of ownership of all guns, except between family members. The State of Oregon already requires background checks when purchasing a gun from a licensed dealer or at a gun show, and it is time that we extend those provisions to the purchase of all firearms.
3.) SB 699 – No Open Carry in Public Buildings (An amendment is being prepared)
Requires concealed handgun license holders to conceal their firearms if they carry in public buildings.
4.) SB 796 – Concealed Handgun License Proficiency Test (An amendment is being prepared)
Requires all people applying for a concealed handgun permit to pass a firing range test.
Many people have also asked how they can get involved. You can do four things to help in the effort to pass sensible gun safety legislation:
1) Come to the gun safety lobby day at the Capitol on April 4!
2) Have your neighbors, friends and family contact the state senator and state representative from their district and ask for their position on the bills. Urge them to sign onto the legislation and support it if it comes up for a vote. Members listen to constituents. You can find your legislator by entering your address here:http://www.leg.state.or.us/findlegsltr/ . Sign up for newsletters. Attend town halls for your legislators and bring up the issue of gun safety at every opportunity.
3) Get involved in groups supporting gun safety. Ceasefire Oregon is a great organization and would love additional support. http://www.ceasefireoregon.org/cfo/index.html ceasefireoregon@gmail.com. One Million Moms 4 Gun Control is another great organization that would love additional support.1mm4gcpdx@gmail.com and (503) 610-2749. You can also check out the Facebook page of a new advocacy group, Oregonians for Gun Safety at https://www.facebook.com/#!/OregoniansforGunSafety.
4) If you are a member of law enforcement or a gun owner who is looking to make a difference, please contact Colin Cochran and let him know you are interested in getting involved. Email himatccochran@hilltoppublicsolutions.com.
We’ve seen too many tragic stories in the news. It’s time to take action.
Again, thank you for your support! Please continue to stay in touch with my office as we work together to reduce gun violence in Oregon.
Yours truly,
Senate President Pro Tempore
Serving District 18
sen.ginnyburdick@state.or.us
503-986-1718
On April 3, the Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled to hear SB 281. This bill “adds post-traumatic stress disorder to definition of “debilitating medical condition” for purposes of statutes authorizing medical use of marijuana.”
OFF takes no position on marijuana, but we are concerned about the gun rights of veterans. Persons who use medical marijuana lose their gun rights under Federal law. We think it’s important that any bill that expands marijuana use to those dealing with PTSD should clearly warn the users of the threat to their liberties.
This bill was sent to the Senate Judiciary Committee from the Health and Human Services Committee with a “Do Pass” recommendation. Please contact the Senate Judiciary Committee and ask that they consider amendments that would include a warning in the language of the bill to protect veterans. The Committee’s contact info is available here.
Last night, the St. Helens School Board adopted a policy to guarantee that children and school employees in their district will be every bit as vulnerable as the kids who were massacred in Connecticut. In a 3-2 vote, they implemented a policy forbidding employees, contractors and volunteers from having the means to respond to an attack. It’s hard to imagine any responsible person concluding that this policy is anything other than a recipe for disaster, but they did it. Voting to protect the kids were Ray Biggs and Marshall Porter. Voting to put targets on the backs of children and school workers were Allen King, Matt Freeman and Nathan Helwig. St Helens voters will have an opportunity to elect School Board members who actually care about the kids soon. Ballots for school board will go out May 5 and are due back May 21. We have been informed that at least one solid pro-gun candidate, Traci Brumbles, will be in the race. These kinds of policies demonstrate how important these races can be. (Interestingly, St. Helens Girls Softball League seem to have more brains than the majority of the school board.)
Finally, yesterday the Deschutes County Democrats sent out an email asking for folks to come and protest against NRA fundraisers that are scheduled for Saturday March 23. The email says ” Concerned citizens will be protesting the proliferation of guns in our society and the increasing violence that accompanies this. Gun safety advocates are asked to be on the sidewalk in front of the Convention Center from 2 p.m.-3 p.m. and 4 p.m.-5 p.m. on saturday.(sic)”
The email goes on to say :
“We endorse the banning of high capacity magazines and assault weapons and for the creation of a federal registry for all gun transactions. We also endorse the printing of serial numbers on all ammunition.” It then comically adds the following:
“We do not want to take away everyone’s guns. This is not a partisan issue. It is a human rights issue, public health issue and a safety issue. More guns equals more violence. We ask all patriotic citizens to join with us against the bullying tactics of the N.R.A. The N.R.A. has lost its way. They are no longer about sportsmanship and gun safety, but have evolved into a lucrative money making lobby for the armaments industry…..Anyone interested in attending or helping Jim organize the event can contact him at 541-389-9163 orjhauser@bendcable.com“
Included in the email was a request that folks join a march for same sex marriage:
From our friends at PFLAG:
Join PFLAG Central Oregon in Bend, Oregon for a local march for marriage equality! Let’s show our support nationally and right here in Oregon!
Where: Corner of Newport & Wall St. in downtown Bend
When: Saturday, March 23
Time: 10AM – 12PM
Bring your signs!
RSVP: pflagcentraloregon@gmail.com
or join our facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/617426938272711/
Together we can make history!
Looks like Bend is about to be a hotbed of protests. We’re going to go out on a limb here and bet that the PFLAG folks get lots more participants than the gun banners do.
03.08.13
UPDATE: THIS IS THE LATEST FROM BURDICK 8.40 PM :
Dear Friends,
The March 14th hearing on four gun safety bills has been postponed for a week or two. We will let you know as soon as they are rescheduled. Thank you for your support!
Sincerely,
Senator Ginny Burdick
Believe NONE of what they say. Check the schedule on the link below.
Today, OFF debated “Ceasefire Oregon” at the Portland City Club.
One of the demands that Ceasefire Oregon made repeatedly was for “universal background checks.”
While their spokeswoman claimed that “criminals don’t get background checks” AND claimed that “background checks stop criminals“, here is an interesting fact. The Oregon Background Check System has been shut down today.
03.07.13
Yesterday we told you we expected numerous anti-gun bills to get hearings next week. Now Oregon’s gun-control one trick pony, Ginny Burdick, is claiming they will be heard on March 14th at 8am in the Senate Judiciary Committee.
According to an email she released last night, the following bills will be heard:
• SB 347 – Removes the exemption for Concealed Handgun License (CHL) holders to carry a firearm on K-12 school grounds.
• SB 699 – Removes the exemption for CHL holders to carry a firearm in the Capitol Building unless given written permission by Legislative Administration.
• SB 700 – Requires criminal background checks on all gun purchases and transactions except those between immediate family members.
• SB 796 – Requires all persons applying for a CHL permit to pass a firing range test.
The chairman of the committee is Senator Floyd Prozanski who continues to tell people he “supports gun rights,” but who is promoting these attacks on those very rights.
Remember, the chair decides which bills are heard. If he did not support them, they would not get a hearing.
As of today at 11 am, these bill have still not been listed on the official agenda. So at this point we have only Burdick’s email to go on, but we believe Prozanski is, in fact, planning to hear these bills. You can see the latest schedules for committees here. Remember to look at the agenda for Senate Judiciary. Schedules change so check back there often.
If you can come to the hearing and voice your support for gun rights, please do. If not, please contact the members of the Committee and let them know you oppose all these bills, that none serve any purpose except to harass gun owners and none address a real problem. You can contact all the members of the committee using this link.
03.06.13
Oregon’s anti-gun zealots are feeling the heat. As a result they are doing what they always do best. They are lying.
House Rep Peter Buckley has been sending out mass emails to opponents of HB 3200, (Greenlick’s gun confiscation bill) saying “I signed onto it to express my strong support for doing whatever is possible and legal to stop the increase in the number of weapons capable of mass murder in our society.”
Now let’s put aside the reality that virtually anything is capable of “mass murder.” Cars, knives, poison are all capable of “mass murder.” So are the hunting rifles all the anti-gunners claim they are not after. A skilled person with his fists and feet is “capable” of “mass murder.” Exactly how is Buckley planning on regulating all of these things?
But things get more interesting as you get to the closing paragraphs of Buckley’s email. There he says:
”There is a huge amount of emotion over this issue, so again, let me reassure you that this bill will not pass, and the various claims about it, such as it would authorize unwarranted searches of private home, are not accurate.”
Buckley is either a liar or illiterate. Here is the plain language in the bill:
“Allow an inspector from the department to inspect the storage of assault weapons and large capacity magazines to ensure compliance with this subsection”
It really could not be more clear.
One sponsor of the bill, Senator Mark Haas, has requested that his name be removed from the bill. The chief sponsor, Mitch Greenlick, is backpedaling from it at lightning speed, but Buckley can’t stop defending this outrageous assault on your privacy and liberty.
Now let’s take a look at mass email that anti-gunner Floyd Prozanski is sending out. In his email he claims that he is not a supporter of HB 3200 and he says “…it should be dead.”
But the really interesting part of Prozanski’s email is this: “I am a supporter of both the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and Article I, Section 27 of the Oregon Constitution. As a gun owner for over 40 years (I bought my first gun when I was 15 years old), I believe an individual has the right to use a firearm to for self-defense and the defense of others.”
Ok, most of us are wondering how Floyd could have “bought a gun when he was 15.” Seems like there might be some legal issues there. But more important is Prozanski’s claim that he is a “supporter of the Second Amendment.”
Prozanski supports an end to private transfers of firearms, a ban on lowly “citizens’ ” concealed carry at the Capitol and extreme new restrictions on issuing of CHL’s. This hardly sounds like a person who understands the term “shall not be infringed.”
As soon as a politician tells you a bill won’t pass, that’s a good time to keep your eye on that bill.
Last session Prozanski claimed that a bill banning self-defense firearms on school property was dead and then it was resurrected in the closing days of the session. So be forewarned. Anything can happen.
But what we think is coming very soon will be hearings in Prozanski’s committee for some or all of the bills he wants or has sponsored.
An end to private transfers, new restrictions on CHL’s, a ban on licensed carry and more. We expect to see these bills scheduled as early as next week. As always, we will keep you informed, but it would not be a bad idea to let the members of the Senate Judiciary Committee know that you oppose all new gun control. Their contact info is here.
03.01.13
There are several more anti-gun bills you should be aware of. They are by all the usual suspects.
House Bill 3114 gives colleges and universities the right to ban CHL holders from their property. In order to see the actual ban language you must scroll all the way to page 65 of this 66 page bill. This bill is a response to our successful lawsuit against the Oregon University System. On the other hand, House Bill 3009 does the exact opposite, specifically granting CHL holders the right to be there.
House Bill 3412 “Establishes Task Force on Reducing Gun Violence.” What a waste of time and money. As though the “task force” is going to learn anything new.
House Bill 3413 creates mandatory lock up laws for your firearms. If you’re not home and your 17 year old daughter uses one of your guns to defend herself against a home invader you can spend a year in jail and pay a fine of $6250.00.
You can see all the bills at this link.
It’s imperative that we keep the heat on these people. Remember, you can contact your own legislator using this link. You don’t need to write anything long or profound. Our job is not to “educate” them. A simple “NO ON GUN CONTROL” will do it.
The Dembrows and Dingfelders and Keny-Guyers know exactly what they are doing. They are trying to eliminate your gun rights. They are not going to “see the light.” But we can make them feel the heat.
02.27.13
Showing their true colors once again, the anti-gun extremists have introduced a flood of bills designed to attack the law-abiding.
Included are bills severely restricting self defense and requiring you to run from an attacker (good luck if you’re elderly or a mom with a baby in a carriage) bills requiring gun owners to have liability insurance for every firearm they own (with a $10,000.00 fine for every gun not covered) bills to ban licensed carry in the Capitol and bills to greatly restrict access to concealed handgun licenses.There is also a bill requiring background checks (with all the failures that come with it) for private transfers.
Of course virtually all of these bills declare an “emergency” so they can be enacted immediately.
These are the people who say they want “reasonable” gun laws and they “don’t want to take your guns.”
Let’s face it folks, these people are liars. They have declared war on gun owners and are determined to turn as many of us into criminals as possible. In many cases they don’t even have the courage to put their names on the bills. But we all know who they are.
Gun owners have been flooding the legislature with calls and emails. And it’s working. The chief sponsor of the absurd HB 3200 has backed off from his arrogant and belligerent comments and is now running from the bill. Another sponsor has claimed he is removing his name from the bill. (We’ll believe it when we see it.) But we must not stop now! They have introduced this tidal wave in hopes of wearing us down and passing something…anything to attack your rights.
If you are having trouble getting through to a legislator, that’s a good sign. But keep trying. It’s a simple message, NO GUN CONTROL BILLS! NONE!
You can write your legislator even if you don’t know who he is using this link. You can find out who your legislator is using this link. Your Oregon Senator and House Rep will be the last two people listed on that link.
Please take a moment to make your voice heard loud and clear. The Burdicks , Prozanskis, Dembrows and Dingfelders have made their positions clear. You are the enemy. Let them know you are not backing down.
For a list of all gun bills so far, use this link.
02.25.13
In the wake of the outpouring of outrage over an attempt to outlaw virtually every modern firearm and feeding device, the sponsor of HB 3200 has switched gears and is beating a retreat on this vicious attack on your rights and your privacy.
House Rep Mitch Greenlick, who has sent out several belligerent emails lately, seems to be seeing the light.
In an article in today’s Oregonian Greenlick backpedals on his support for his own bill. “In its current form, it’s a pretty flawed bill,” said Greenlick, adding that “I don’t think [the bill] is in play.”
According to the story “Greenlick said he would want to greatly amend the bill if it started to move through the process.”
“Greenlick said he also disagrees with a provision that would allow the state police to investigate gun owners who possess one of these weapons to make sure they are safely stored.”
This is in interesting contrast to how the people who asked for the bill see it. Ceasefire Oregon’s website says:
“Is the assault weapons ban dead on arrival in Salem as reported on Feb. 21 in the Oregonian? Not according to Representative Mitch Greenlick and the fifteen co-sponsors who introduced House Bill 3200, our bill to ban assault weapons in Oregon, on Feb. 21. These legislators are taking action because they know that the people they represent want change now and they want a vote…..
p.s. Your action makes a difference. Email or call (503-986-1200) Speaker Kotek today and tell her HB 3200 deserves a hearing and a vote, and let us know when you do. While you’re at it, please thank Representative Greenlick for introducing this bill to ban assault weapons.”
The Oregonian story paints it a bit differently . “At this point, legislators are hearing an outpouring of criticism for HB 3200 from opponents of gun control. Greenlick said he was peppered with as many as 1,000 emails over the weekend criticizing him and the bill.”
In fact, Greenlick has heard from so many opponents of this bill that he has simply stopped answering his phone and claims to have deleted “a thousand” emails.
Ceasefire Oregon may have been a bit hasty thanking Greenlick for introducing their bill when even he now admits it’s “flawed.”
Greenlick’s open animosity for gun owners is no secret. So make no mistake. YOU are responsible for this sudden change of heart. It was your efforts that made Mitch see the light, but this bill is by no means dead and will almost certainly be used to make their other anti-gun bills seem reasonable. This is no time to relax.
The other side is using online petitions and has the full weight of the Obama controlled “Organizing for Action” on their side. They are swamping the Oregon Legislature with anti-gun propaganda. We cannot let up until the last gavel falls. But, all your work is paying off. Thank you for stepping up. It’s working.
02.22.13
Two days after Senate Democrats claimed they would not seek a ban on modern firearms and feeding devices, Democrats in the Oregon House introduced just that.
Seven Senators joined with eight House Reps to introduce a sweeping ban on virtually all modern firearms. Among the Senators is, of course, Ginny Burdick, who claimed on Wednesday “that she is backing off an attempt to push through a bill on gun clips that she drafted following the December shootings at the Clackamas Mall.” The other sponsors are:
Representatives BAILEY, BUCKLEY, DEMBROW, FREDERICK, READ, REARDON, TOMEI, Senators , DINGFELDER, HASS, MONNES- ANDERSON, MONROE, SHIELDS, STEINER- HAYWARD.
Remember them.
HB 3200 not only bans most modern guns and magazines, it allows warrantless searches of your home, requires background checks and registration for a firearm you already own and as-of-yet undefined storage requirements. We say “a firearm” because even if you comply with the restrictions in this bill you may still only own one.
(Of course the bill does not apply to “government employees”.)
The bill combines the most extreme and irrational elements of other bills that have been introduced across the country. For example, one of the firearms banned under this bill would be a pistol with a “folding, telescoping or thumbhole stock.” No, that is not a misprint.
The principle sponsor of the bill is House Rep Mitch Greenlick, who in the past has concentrated on such worthy endeavors as banning children in bike trailers and making possession of cigarettes a crime.
The bill bans such deadly features as “pistol grips” and “barrel shrouds” because clearly they add to the lethality of any firearm. These people are so full of hatred for gun owners they don’t even understand what they are banning.
Never have we seen legislation that was a product of so much ignorance and blind hatred. And don’t take any comfort from the claims that bills of this kind are not going to get a hearing. You will recall that last session they said the same thing about a ban on licensed carry in schools. They claimed it was dead and then revived it in the closing days of the session without even allowing public testimony. It was only your relentless efforts that killed it. And now we need you again.
Please see the video below to get a better understanding of the kind of people who write these bills.
* Update 02.24.13
While we know that the automailer has your calls and emails have had an amazing effect (the sponsor of HB 3200 has claimed “The calls were so abusive and threatening that Harriet stopped answering the phone and we began deleting emails.”) some have had problems with emails bouncing or a failure to get a confirmation that their emails went through.
If you have had this problem please consider using the direct contact info for the sponsors of this dangerous bill to reach them.
You can use this link to find and contact your own reps. Your Oregon Senator and House Rep will be the last two people listed. The people who dreamed up this nonsense are listed below.
SPONSORS OF THE GUN BAN:
Mitch Greenlick
503-986-1433
Rep.MitchGreenlick@state.or.us
Jules Bailey
503-986-1442
503-236-3681
Peter Buckley
503-986-1405
Michael Dembrow
503-986-1445
Rep.MichaelDembrow@state.or.us
Lew Frederick
503-986-1443
Tobias Read
503-986-1427
Jeff Reardon
503-986-1448
Carolyn Tomei
503-986-1441
Ginny Burdick
503-986-1718
Jackie Dingfelder
503-986-1723
503-493-2804
Sen.JackieDingfelder@state.or.us
Mark Hass
503-986-1714
Laurie Monnes Anderson
503-986-1725
Sen.LaurieMonnesAnderson@state.or.us
Rod Monroe
503-986-1724
503-760-4310
7802 SE 111th Ave, Portland, OR, 97266
Chip Shields
503-986-1722
503-231-2564
5313 N Vancouver Ave, Portland, OR, 97217
Elizabeth Steiner Hayward
503-986-1717
02.20.13
Yesterday we told you that “Organizing for Action,” a leftist Obama front group, will be meeting today with Congressman Kurt Schrader to twist his arm and try to force him to go along with Obama’s gun ban plans.
Today we have learned that the same group plans to target Congressman Greg Walden on Friday at his Bend office.
This group has demanded “universal background checks and limits on the size of magazine clips.” (You cannot make this stuff up.) They plan to be outside Walden’s office from 4:30 to 5:30 PM Friday. Please call Walden and tell him to ignore the manufactured rabble and stay strong in support of gun rights. Walden’s Bend phone number is 541-389-4408.
A bill many of you have heard about has finally been made available on the Legislative website. House Bill 3006 “Invalidates federal firearm laws in State of Oregon. ” Other states have introduced similar bills in an effort to stand up to the increasing incursions by the Feds into our liberties. We applaud the sponsors.
On the anti-gun side we are still waiting for the promised “assault weapon” ban and a bill to forbid Oregon citizens from having firearms in the Capitol building. Ginny Burdick announced her intentions to introduce this bill as a response to a recent rally where hundreds of armed people peacefully met on the Capitol steps and mall and some toured the building while in possession of guns. As police reported, there were “no incidents.” Once again, the liberty haters look for a problem where one does not exist, and create a “solution” that makes no sense.
As many of you have painfully learned, the Oregon State Police have been “delaying” more and more firearms purchases. Sometimes for months. If you have had this experience, please see this page.
On another more immediate note, we have been informed (and his office has confirmed) that Representative Kurt Schrader will be meeting tomorrow with representatives of “Organizing for Action.”
This group is an offshoot of the Obama Presidential campaign and is planning numerous events across the country. Currently their focus is on pushing the Obama/Biden gun grab. No doubt, that is the purpose of their meeting with Schrader. Schrader has been non-commital on the issue of gun and magazine bans so “OFA” will be there attempting to twist his arm and demand he stay on the Democratic Reservation. Two of his Democrat colleagues, Bonamici and Blumenauer, are outspoken enemies of gun rights and a third, Peter DeFazio, tries to play both sides. Clearly Schrader is being targeted by the far left because he has not yet agreed to plans to eviscerate the Second Amendment .
It is critical that Schrader hear from you. Please call him and tell him not to be intimidated by Obama’s troops and their fear mongering. You can call his office at (503)-557-1324 or if you prefer, you can fax him at (503) 557-1981. Unlike his webmail, calls and faxes can come from outside his district. Be short and to the point. NO NEW GUN RESTRICTIONS.
Thanks for your efforts.
In our last alert we told you about a bill that was scheduled for a hearing on March 5 in House Judiciary.
The bill, HB 2605, did nothing more than extend the protections CHL holders have to retired law enforcement agents.
Oregon law allows retired police to carry without a permit, but they don’t have all the protections license holders have. For example, they cannot carry in public buildings.
Now we have been informed that Democratic leadership has yanked that bill out of committee and promised to try to move only anti-gun bills.
Whatever your position on gun rights, you have to find this to be an outrage. Most retired police don’t even know there are these limits and this bill extends NO new rights to anyone else.
The only person with the power to yank this bill before it even gets a hearing is Speaker Tina Kotek. 503-986-1200
We’ll update you when we get more information, but right now it seems like the fix is in. Anti-gun bills only.
Stay tuned.
Yesterday’s “Patriot Party” gun rights rally was another tremendous success. Different media outlets estimated the crowd from “several hundred” to a thousand. The latter is closer to the truth. “Everything’s going exactly as planned,” state police Lt. Terri Davie said. There are people walking through the building with weapons, but “there’s been no concerns.”
Imagine that. “No concerns.” Hundreds of men and women carrying firearms around and into the Capitol and there were “no incidents.” How can this be? Where was the expected carnage? Where was the blood in the streets? After all, there were guns there! How do you suppose Burdick and the bed wetters from Ceasefire Oregon are going to spin this one?
Guns cause crime and violence, so how was this rally immune? At one point Penny Okomoto and two other anti-freedom protestors stood on the Capitol steps, looking lonely. But it made a point. These hypocrites begin every new diatribe with “most gun owners are law abiding” and “we don’t want to take anyone’s guns away.” Yet at an event where hundreds of peaceful law-abiding gun owners are gathered to celebrate freedom, people like Okomoto and her deceitful cohorts (0ne of whom is pictured below) come to spread their message of hate.
Several legislators came and spoke to the crowd, including pro-gun hero Kim Thatcher seen below.
The event was pretty much an “open mike” situation and that created some odd moments, like when political gadfly Kevin Mannix stepped up to talk about the importance of gun rights, never mentioning his efforts to outlaw private sales of firearms at gun shows, or even your own home under some circumstances. Mannix will never overlook an opportunity for self promotion, but even he was treated respectfully.
To everyone who came by our table to say hello or join OFF, thank you! It was great seeing old friends and meeting new ones. Our thanks also to the folks who made it happen.
There is one gun related bill scheduled for a hearing so far. It is HB 2605 and currently due to be heard on March 5 at 1PM in House Judiciary. This bill addresses an anomaly in Oregon law. Currently, retired police officers are not required to have CHL’s in order to carry concealed. However, they are not afforded the same protections CHL holders have. For example, they may not carry in public buildings. The bill seeks to correct this. The bill does not go as far as HB 2369 but we believe that the committee may be willing to incorporate the changes made in 2369. If you are retired law enforcement, or know someone who is, you may want to consider making your voice heard on this bill.
The Chairman of the Committee is Jeff Barker. Barker himself is a retired police officer and supportive of gun rights.
Remember, committee schedules change so be sure to double check the House Judiciary Committee schedule. You can find that here.
Update On Gun Rights
The Oregon Legislature returned to work on Monday. From now on, anything can happen, so be prepared.
There are a few things you need to know.
While numerous Oregon Sheriffs (and actually, sheriffs nationwide) have made it clear that they will oppose any attempts by the Obama administration to ram through dangerous and unconstitutional gun grabs, the Oregon Sheriff’s Association, as a group, has decided to take a dive.
In an email to Oregon’s sheriffs, the President of the OSA, Jason Myers, of Marion County, said the following about gun rights:
“After a very robust conversation on this issue it was the consensus of the Sheriffs present that our Association should not take a formal stance on this issue. At this meeting it was also agreed that I should reach out to US Attorney Amanda Marshall to notify her of our Association position and intent by the Sheriffs present to work collaboratively with our Federal partners’ agencies.”
This is a very troubling and dangerous position. The county sheriffs are the supreme law enforcement officers in their jurisdiction. For Myers to speak for all sheriffs and say they won’t “take a stance” on this issue and will “reach out” to the Feds who are working overtime to eliminate your rights is nothing short of frightening. The Sheriff’s Association, as an organization, has climbed in bed with the tyrants who want to disarm you and your family.
Voters in Clackamas County should also know that their sheriff, Craig Roberts, has waffled and played the politician with this response to our inquiry on his position on this issue:
“Thanks so much for taking the time to contact me. Though I have not made a public comment about my stance, I would like to let you know that I have taken an oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States and the State of Oregon, and I support all of the rights and freedoms that it guarantees. I am following the debate and meeting with other local leaders about this subject.”
What, exactly, does THAT mean?
Clearly lines are being drawn. The Department of “Homeland” Security has placed an order for 7000 machine guns which they call “personal defense weapons.” These are the guns that would be “assault weapons” if you owned them. (Which for all practical purposes you cannot, unless they were made before 1986 and you had a ton of money and approval from the Feds and your local chief law enforcement agent.)
The Social Security Administration is buying 174 thousand rounds of hollow point ammo. The Social Security Administration… really? Something is not right here. At the risk of overstating things, it’s clear that the government considers “we the people” to be a threat.
Please try to join us on Friday at the Capitol for a day to recognize the benefits of firearms ownership. The event is from 10 to 2 at the Capitol. Open,loaded, carry is legal there anywhere for CHL holders.
If you do not have a CHL, you may carry openly but NOT loaded. We have received many questions about this and please understand: we do NOT support these rules. We just want you to be informed.
Hope to see you there.
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Clackamas County Sheriff: Craig Roberts: craigrob@co.clackamas.or.us (503) 785-5022
Marion County Sheriff : Jason Myers: No email provided on website (503) 588-5094
