The initiative is headed straight for the courts. (Photo: NRA)
Following the passage of some of the strictest gun-control legislation in the country, the NRA and the Second Amendment Foundation are suing Washing state.
The lawsuit challenges ballot initiative 1639 on several grounds. Other plaintiffs joining the suit include gun vendors and adults targeted by the new laws.
The initiative classifies many guns, even simple .22 rifles, as restricted “assault weapons.” It also forbids the sale of guns to adults under the age of 21.
“We are also considering additional legal challenges,” said SAF Executive Vice President Alan Gottlieb. “We are disappointed that too many Evergreen State voters were fooled into supporting this 30-page gun control scheme, despite overwhelming law enforcement opposition. This initiative is an affront to the constitutional rights enshrined in the Second Amendment and the Washington state constitution, especially for young adults.”
“We’re determined to fight this egregious measure because constitutionally-protected rights should never be subject to a popularity vote,” said Gottlieb. “The wealthy elitists behind I-1639 want to turn a right into a regulated privilege. This measure was only designed to have a chilling effect on the exercise of a constitutional right by honest citizens while having no impact at all on criminals, and we cannot let it go unchallenged.”
“The NRA is committed to restoring the Second Amendment rights of every law-abiding Washingtonian,” said NRA-ILA executive director Chris W. Cox. “I-1639 violates the constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens and puts people at risk. This lawsuit is the first step in the fight to ensure that Washingtonians are free to exercise their fundamental right to self-defense.”
“The NRA will fight to overturn this unconstitutional initiative. We will not sit idly by while elitist anti-gun activists attempt to deny everyday Americans their fundamental right to self-defense,” said Cox.
“We are disappointed that too many voters were fooled into supporting this 30-page gun control scheme, despite overwhelming law enforcement opposition,” added Gottlieb.
See Also: Draconian I-1639 Ballot Measure Passes in Washington
Previous attempts to block the 30-page measure before the mid-terms were overruled. The Second Amendment Foundation argued, successfully at first, that the measure was not printed in accordance with the law and that alternate wording and summaries were used to lead voters to vote for a bill they might not have otherwise supported.
“I don’t understand how, one, they plan they’re planning to enforce it, and number two, how they’re defining what an assault weapon is,” said NRA President U.S. Marine Lt. Col. Oliver North. “It’s nuts to me — I just quite frankly don’t understand it.”
“There are those of us who believe that law-abiding citizens who have firearms ought not to be punished,” said North. “That’s the whole essence of what the Second Amendment is about.”
Citizens,
There are those in our State, who wish to violate are freedoms in ways that we are not agreeable to.
The Democratic Party of the past is no more, the party has changed to a party which tends to follow Socialistic and Communistic polices.
Instead of solving problems, they play the problem up, they initiate methods that are deceptive in nature and in someways illegal, to get us the Citizens riled up over issues that they feel need to be addressed. We all need to wake up to those actions taken by the few in our State Government, who wish us, the average Citizen, harm, when it comes to our GOD given rights of freedom.
We as Citizens need to take a stand and unite to combat these attempts to violate our State and Federal Constitutional rights.
For the average Citizen the question is what can I do to change this trend? Plenty, but it may take sacrifices. Voting, contacting your Represenatives, non-compliance of the Law, boycotts on those business that support the unconstitutional Law. Furthermore, the westside of the State needs to understand that their values are not ours, so to get them to understand this, we need to spend financially as little as possible in those areas on the West side that are supporting these Communistic ways. I know this is something that could be difficult depending on where one lives, but any reduction will help.
This is not the first time Citizens, that a peaceful people have been attacked. If nothing is done, the government will attempt to pressure us more, through intimidation and financial methods, something the State Legislators are already attempting, by raiseing massive Tax increases on us the Citizen’s of this State.
One thing that really needs to be addressed is the present A.G. of this State, who took an Oath to uphold the State Consitution. Yet in spite of getting a big bonus from a Washington committee, who voted to give him a large bonus, something that has not been done for quite sometime. The A.G. feels that he can violate his Oath when his agenda is being threatened. So, when he runs for Governor in 2020, it is up to us to make sure that the truth gets out to all within the State about his methods and agenda.
Fight without violence, resist were possible, and make those who wish us harm feel the pain for their actions.
Unite against the Democratic Communist Party and educate those around you to the threat that the Citizens of this State face. The mission is ours, GOD Bless us in our fight!
Respectively, A Citizen.
More of the same from ignorant politicians who think they have the mandate to draw up laws or ordinances that subvert, curtail, or infringe the rights of citizens. As long as the people vote these ignoramuses in office then you reap what you sow.
There are people, and I think a majority thereof, want to take this country to socialist state. and in order to do that takes one important step above all others; disarm the citizenry.
We have well-documented proof of communist states, past and present, and what their despotic leaders did to their own people to gain total control.
Actually socialists and communists completely oppose “gun control” legislation by definition. We’ve never really seen actual real communism or socialism persist, just aspects, and what was fed to the people as “communism” and some kind of promised reprisal or revolution has just been dictators selling a dream. (I will add that I am not a communist or a soicialist). Alot of very dumb or just confused people believe that forfeiting their 2A Civil Rights and forfeiting other peoples’ 2A Rights for them is somehow a Leftist tenet, when it is the complete antithesis. Reaping power from the people and condemning a fundamental, Constitutional Right is the polar opposite of Leftism, but a lot of people need a real wake up call these days, too many people will accept something because a certain person endorsed it, or it was sold to them the right way. Alot of people want to fit into certain groups, often for the wrong reasons, if they have even truly contemplated the reasons, and there are limitless insidious predators capitalizing on that, and they will sell a fad and sneak whatever agenda they can past the sheep they’re herding as a necessary part of fitting into the flock, or fitting a label they like their idea of, true or not. Most people who will or would vote for inane “gun control” legislation are obviously not gun owners, right? Therefore a lot of them have not really contemplated why they would or have vote for something so rash and severe, that is easily proven illogical, and baseless. To a lot of people who don’t care about or dislike guns, the ramifications of their vote is not fully realized. Wherever we are on the political gradient, most people agree on Civil Rights and freedom, and that they should be inaliable, that we should not allow meddling or nitpicking or cherry picking or monetizing, or complicating them. Somehow the 2ND Amendment has been separated from the rest by powerful people who would like to see the little guy less powerful, or are just misguided, and it has been treated as less important than the others these days. So many states have undergone mind blowingly heavy massacring and hedging and trivializing their citizens’ 2A Rights, gradually criminalizing and widdling away at them. And boom, all of a sudden, a bump-stock will land anybody in any state 10 years in the federal pen. The reason a lot of BS “gun control” legislation resistance efforts have failed is because we preach to the choir too much. We need to reach out to the people whose minds are changeable and bring them to the light before our 2A is dissolved, and there are far more than most people think, I have brought a lot of people to the light, got a good amount to vote NO on I-1639 and the previous “gun control” attack. Our Constitutional Rights do not see or favor color or parties, etc. That is the universal argument. I am sure you all would like folks you disagree with on a lot to still vote your way. You’ve gotta cut the strings to the Civil Rights, 2A is isolated from all non-Constitutional issues and matters, it is a fundamental, Constitutional Right that is crucial for our freedom and equality under the Constitution, beyond that, there is no way to twist reality to any point that “gun control” legislation has made people more equal or more safe, that is all just easily demonstrable. It’s all statistics and facts, no opinions involved in that. No predatory criminals, tyrants or psychopaths care how anybody votes on 2A law, because laws do not deter them, obviously, the fact that we care at all proves responsibility, and that’s the last hurdle to get over when bringing a stubborn person who doesn’t like guns. A lot of them are worried we’re violent or reckless, but having a simple, civil, focused conversation with somebody, especially establishing any common ground at all is huge. People would frenzy if you chose any Amendment at random and neutralized it, they should feel that way about all of them. At the end of the day, you don’t have to like them, they don’t have to like you, they don’t even have to like guns, but it’s crucial to respect each other’s fundamental rights. The more that do, the safer we all are. And clearly this is for people that you know a bit better, but see if a firearm-phobic person is willing to come along to the range sometime, that has brought many to the light. And the more folks we can bring to the light, the more people and circles the light will be introduced to, every one multiplies the payoff. Be safe and be well, everybody
The NRA better be getting ready for a real fight out here in Nevada! They should already have their people lined up and ready to stop and fight what ever the Dem’s are going to shove down the throats of the law abiding citizens of Nevada. After the midterm election the Democrats swept the state Nevada. Can you see all the laws that California has in place coming to Nevada? You just watch, they can’t wait. It sure has been quiet out here, not even a peep from anyone on either side. That really makes me nervous. Its really sad to watch the right get out flanked and stomped by the Dems. Their planing and execution is far superior to the people on the right. Well, I left California back in 2004 to escape the lunacy, guess I didn’t move far enough. The real problem is pretty soon there will be no where left to run. It has to stop somewhere at sometime I think Nevada is a good place to draw the line. We have to do something nation wide about the large cities controlling entire states. If we win that battle we have won it all. That I grantee will not be easy for that is the root of the problem.
Seattle needs to burn.
While people sit and wait for the NRA, they are taking away your rights and your guns. Everyone thinks Canada is so safe but the statistics from the FBI and RCMP show that you are 4 times more likely to be assaulted, and 5 times more likely to be raped in Canada. Watch the states with the strictest gun laws, confiscation, and firearm reductions – they are leading every other state with increasing crime rates. Or do nothing, have nothing, and don’t complain someone else didn’t do it for you? We have shootings every day near Vancouver Canada, and Toronto has the highest murder rate in history this year. And yes I am Canadian. When I see Americans giving up their rights which are guaranteed in their Constitution I don’t understand? Everyone laughed saying violent movies and violent video games wouldn’t cause a problem? Now you want to penalize law abiding citizens for the lack of parenting? Sorry for the rant. God Bless!
I would like to know why the NRA doesn’t file a nation-wide injunction, putting a hold on ALL “gun control” laws like the activist judges in the 9th Circuit others?
What do these people not understand about “shall not be infringed”?
Part of what I read is that the Sheriffs department was going to have to sign off on people purchasing Assault Rifles. They wont sign off on suppressors, so what makes you think they will sign off on Assault Rifles. Also there is no such thing as Assault Rifles, these are the rifles that technology has invented as we have gotten smarter. They didnt call a lever action an Assault rifle in the 1800 because it fired more rounds than black powder. That is what technology gave them back then.
I wish the NRA would focus on the already established Washington law that places sole authority to pass gun laws on the Legislature and not public vote. This law has already been upheld in the 1980’s when Seattle tried to ban guns from state parks. Why is the NRA continuing to attack this law on the same grounds they’ve lost on twice already?
The NRA did nothing to stop this, apart from organizing a huge “fundraising” and then spent none of the proceeds fighting it. Now they’ve filed a lawsuit which costs about $80 and they’ll sit back and do nothing as usual. In this last Congressional session not one pro-gun bill was even voted on in committee thanks to the NRA just sitting back and doing nothing, instead of pressuring members of Congress to act.
After 3 decades with the NRA I’m done, until the NRA gets new leadership.
Well……Bye?