OFF Calls Boquist’s Response to Criticism of His Gun Bill ‘Mendacious’

By David Codrea

Sen. Boquist crudely accuses opponents of his bill of not caring if veterans kill themselves. (Brian Boquist Facebook photos)
David Codrea in his natural habitat.

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.

Oregon Firearms Federation
OFF notes the devil in the details.

“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.

8 Comments
Most Voted
Newest Oldest
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Geri

Boquist and his colleagues have the same ideology. They careless about Veterans and the suicide rate. They will use Veterans then spit them out as a bully-pit for supporting their own agenda They are disrespectful. By the way, Senator Ron Wyden with him. That man is a disgrace to Oregon and our country. He is an absolute coward. He hides behind the skirt of Nancy Pelosi and throws rocks at his Republican peers. Every single time he talks before the Senate Committee to ask questions during the Senate Intelligence Committee , he yelled at AG Sessions and calls them a… Read more »

joe martin

The entire west coast, California, Oregon and Washington, is a lost cause, at least the coastal metropolitan portions. It is literally liberal la la land where common sense and honesty has been cast out in favor of fantasy, political correctness and emotional based sentiment.

Richard L

A little trimming of that mustache and he would look more familiar.

Janek

@Richard – He’s holding up the papers so you can’t see the runes on his collar.

Janek

I see they changed the picture, but Boquist is still a fat slob with a bad toupee!

VE Veteran - Old Man's Club

“Those who would give up essential liberty for security, deserve neither liberty or security.” – Benjamin Franklin

Looks like old Ben was right. Boquist’s bill does nothing for veteran’s except make it easier for the Po-pos to strip them of their Constitutional rights. But then Oregon is a liberal’s paradise now so what do you expect? My best advice to any veteran’s living there is move now while you still can. The lost revenue will hurt them.

Tionico

Interesting, Oregon was one of, if not, THE first state to pass a law allowing residents to kill themselves by pauing a doctor to do it for them. So, in principle, it seems suicide is just fine in this state. Now they do this shuck and jive routine all about some veterans (maybe others, too?) wanting to kill themselves and using the simplest, quickest, cheapest, means to do so…. a gun. The dead guy still ends up just as dead, the main difference being that the state nannies were not involved directly in the second option. Further, I think its… Read more »

Andrew

As an Eastern Oregonian struggling against this tyrannical insanity here is something: This bill was created under emotional duress over his stepson killing himself. The fact that sethan charles sprague serviced on a sub tender in the Navy that never saw combat action and to imply his suicide was related is a ridiculous and in personal option and insult to combat veterans across the country. This I’m sorry your stepson had issues but why should the rest of us have to pay for them. OFF, NRA and GOA need to start fighting this ASAP.