By David Codrea
USA – -(Ammoland.com)- Accusing representatives of the National Rifle Association and the Oregon Firearms Federation of not caring “about veterans blowing their brains out,” Oregon State Senator Brian Boquist warned both groups to watch what they say to their supporters, implying they are responsible for subsequent threats against his wife, OFF reports in a Sunday alert. “Today, she was one inch short of having the State Police up based on one of your members in front of her desk.”
“While I doubt the two of you really believe the below email but [sic] you are getting the blame,” Boquist added, pasting a copy of correspondence that, while angry in tone, can hardly be considered even close to a threat. What is made clear is that Boquist takes objections personally and reacts in kind. His defensiveness is no doubt partly because he previously enjoyed strong gun owner support, and many feel betrayed by his breaking ranks with Republicans and joining with anti-armed citizen Democrats.
The falling out is over Senate Bill 719, legislation that specifies:
“A law enforcement officer or a family or household member of a person may file a petition requesting that the court issue an extreme risk protection order enjoining the person from having in the person’s custody or control, owning, purchasing, possessing or receiving, or attempting to purchase or receive, a deadly weapon.”
That’s the type of summary that can elicit approval from low information voters who haven’t examined the details along with their implications and consequences.
“SB 719 A, the product of Republican Senator Brian Boquist’s collusion with the most militant anti-gunners in the legislature, will now allow the police to come to your home and confiscate your firearms and ‘deadly weapons’ with no accusation or conviction of a crime,” OFF explained in an earlier alert. “Now a vindictive family or household member has the power to have your rights and property stolen from you simply because they chose to make an accusation against you.”
Boquist’s support for his bill is understandable to a point, because it is his legislative response to the suicide of his stepson. Pushback from gun owner rights advocates is also both understandable and needed. Natural human sympathy evoked by tragedies is not a pass for allowing grieving survivors to restrict the rights of others.
And in this case, severe Second Amendment and due process concerns are raised. While some argue a panel’s or a judge’s decision should be enough to strip a citizen of fundamental rights, both are demonstrably subject to personal biases and lack the equivalent protection of jury trials. Citing precedent for “lesser” due process hurdles to overcome does not make it right or consistent with Constitutional ideals of freedom. Besides, if someone is truly a danger to himself and/or others, how is leaving that person on his own, to move and act among us as he will, a prescription for anything other than disaster?
Anyone who can’t be trusted with a gun can’t be trusted without a custodian. That’s just the way it is, and no legislative attempts focused elsewhere can ever get around that reality.
OFF has crafted a point-by-point rebuttal to Boquist’s email, explaining it was done because “we cannot allow [his] mendacious comments to go unanswered.” It also contains extensive links to supporting resources.
Also see: Republican-Sponsored Citizen Disarmament Bill Headed to Anti-Gun Oregon Governor
About David Codrea:
David Codrea is the winner of multiple journalist awards for investigating / defending the RKBA and a long-time gun owner rights advocate who defiantly challenges the folly of citizen disarmament.
In addition to being a field editor/columnist at GUNS Magazine and associate editor for Oath Keepers, he blogs at “The War on Guns: Notes from the Resistance,” and posts on Twitter: @dcodrea and Facebook.