We have heard repeatedly from the Attorney General Bob Ferguson on his personal agenda to ban or otherwise restrict the most popular firearms in the country. Those reading this may recall a young Mukilteo student who murdered his friends in a fit of anger and revenge. It has been suggested by Assistant Attorney General Matthew Thomas if a similar law to Initiative 1639 had been in place two years ago, Allen Ivanov, then 19, would have been frustrated in his attempt to purchase the rifle he killed his friends with. As a result of a failed attempt, law enforcement might have been alerted to a potentially dangerous individual. Notwithstanding the passage of HB1501 in the 2017 legislative session, law enforcement is not arresting and subsequently prosecuting failed purchase attempts due to an unfortunate lack of resources.
A young man, who lacks the tools to comprehend and deal with rejection, is now in prison writing song lyrics about his act of killing; still no one is asking the question, “why?” This initiative is really a distraction from bigger problems the AG and the Legislature continue to ignore, don’t understand or simply don’t care about.
The state has spent unknown amounts of taxpayer money empowering special interest groups through lack of conviction and resources to battle criminal misuse of firearms, homelessness, lack of affordable health care, affordable housing, all of which contribute to the angst and frustration of all citizens. I find it unfathomable that special interest groups can spend millions of dollars attempting to ban or otherwise restrict firearms and we can’t seem to find a way to help the most vulnerable people in our society. Why aren’t we actively pursuing getting heroin and methamphetamine off the streets?
The vulnerability of women in particular should be noted. I-1639 violates patient privacy rights. Women should not have to waive their HIPAA health care privacy rights to seek protection from an abuser. You will have to waive your HIPAA rights forever and allow someone access to the intimate details of your health record, just to buy a squirrel rifle, if I-1639 passes. If you believe a woman has a right to choose, vote NO on I-1639.
Gun owners from every walk of life have been unfairly compared to terrorist groups, relegated to a fringe minority of the population outside of the mainstream, continually berated by corporations like Walmart, Kroger, Bank of America, Citigroup, Dicks, Starbucks and most recently Levi Strauss. Make no mistake, this initiative process is being funded by a very elite group of people to steal your liberty. The backers of this initiative have freely admitted it is a blueprint that other states can use without worry if Congress will enact stricter gun laws.
Liberty and freedom are delicate, and a people only give them up once. It begins by allowing, much less advocating for, someone else’s cherished right to be eroded, albeit one concession at a time. In November vote for your liberty, vote NO on I-1639.
Whitney Slater,
Poulsbo
