O.F.F Alert

[WAGCEVP]

Oregon Firearms Federation
P.O. Box 556
Canby, OR
97013

Voice: (503) 263-5830
Fax: (503) 263-3708

<http://www.oregonfirearms.org>


OFF ALERT 2/28/01

MORE SOLUTIONS LOOKING FOR PROBLEMS.

11 Oregon House Reps have co sponsored new anti-gun legislation for no
apparent reason.

House Bill 2963 mandates that firearms in "day care" facilities be
locked in rooms, containers or closets.
<http://www.leg.state.or.us/01reg/measures/hb2900.dir/hb2963.intro.html>

Who could argue with that? Well, certainly the folks who ran the day
care center in Los Angeles that was shot up by white supremacist Buford
Furrow. Furrow stated that he chose the site because he knew there was
no chance of anyone resisting him.

While no one would argue that even a marginally responsible adult would
guarantee that children in a day care center did not have access to
guns, requiring them to be inaccessible to an adult just plants a big
bulls eye on every day care facility in the state.

We tried to find out what precipitated this new restriction. When we
called one of the sponsors, House Rep. Jerry Krummel, his staff told us
they were unaware of any incidents but assured us that one of the other
sponsors, Jeff Merkley, knew of one. So we called Jeff Merkley. (Both
of these guys have voted to attack your rights in the past.)

When we spoke to a staffer in Merkley's office she told us that no,
there had not been any incidents in day care centers, the reason for the
bill was as follows;

A woman who was looking for day care for her children was warned by her
mother to ask if there were guns in the house. That's it. That's
the whole justification for this bill. Not a single instance of abuse
or irresponsibility. Nothing. Just a warning from a mother about a non
existent problem.

You'd think these guys have something better to do.

The bill does have an exemption for concealed handgun licensees, but
that will do precious little good for the person without one who might
be called upon to protect the children in the house.

No one seems to have considered writing a bill that would require the
safe storage of household chemicals or knives or any other dangerous
item, only the guns that have caused no problem.

No one seems to have an explanation for why this bill is needed and none
of the sponsors seems to be aware that a house full of children is a
great target for maniacs.

HB 2963 is another of many attacks on gun owners.

A list of its sponsors and a suggested message to them follows:

Sponsors:
House Reps, Merkley,* Krummel,* Barnhart, Hansen*, Hill*, Lee, Ringo,
Tomei, Vicki Walker*, Winters* and Witt.

*Indicates history of anti-gun votes.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Dear Representative,


HB 2963 is unneeded, unwise and misguided. If day care operators are
leaving loaded guns around their houses, let's charge them with any of
the many crimes dealing with endangering children.

Forcing people to keep their guns locked away from responsible adults
only makes life easier for people like Buford Furrow who chose a day
care center to open fire on because he knew it was undefended.

Let's stop posting bulls eyes on every place our children assemble.
Let's write some laws that actually make sense.


Very truly yours,






___________________________________________________________________________________________

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Toll free phone for all legislators is 800-332-2313

________________________________________________________

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