It took 122 pages, and probably some law clerks, but the U.S. District Court for Oregon upheld a state ballot initiative requiring completed background checks, safety training, and consideration of mental health issues before purchasing a firearm. Oregonians also went after large capacity magazines (LCM), defined as the ability to fire 11+ rounds.
The decision followed a trial on the merits. Citing Bruen, Judge Immergut noted that the Second Amendment does allow for certain types of gun regulation. Noting that LCMs are not “in common use today for self-defense,” the decision went on to analyze every type of firearm on the market. Each legal holding was buttressed by a finding of fact.
Although this decision will not affect many kinds of guns, it does affect the modification of pistols into LCMs, setting a precedent. Considering community safety, permissible under Bruen, the Court upheld the restriction on LCMs and the only places they could be used in Oregon. This approach gives us hope for some sensible gun policy at last.
Prayer for the Day
May we be like the tree that grows from your good earth,
Searching for ways to shelter us in your life giving love;
May we share your peace, erupting like a spring in a rock,
Washing away fear, suspicion, and hostility.
Create in us a new sense of community, O God,
Broadening the circle of care and concern.
In the name of the One who opens our hearts,
Even Christ Jesus our Lord, Amen.
Thoughts for the Day
Between 1776 and 1949…there was no example of a mass shooting that resulted in double digit fatalities, …The annual incidence of high-fatality mass shootings has increased along a linear trend line from 1990 to 2022. …Since 2000 79 percent of all high-fatality mass shootings have involved LCMs. …Since 2010, 86 percent [and] since 2020,100 Percent
- From Oregon Firearms Federation, et al v. Tina Kotek, et al
One man with a gun can control 100 without one.
- Vladimir Lenin, Russian revolutionary (1870-1924)
The Lord loves those who hate evil; and guards the lives of the faithful;
The Lord rescues them from the hand of the wicked.
Light dawns for the righteous, and joy for the upright in heart.
Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous, giving thanks to God’s holy name
Psalm 97: 10-12