GIVE HIM CREDIT. When it comes to the fate of his controversial gun-law reforms, Mayor Sam Adams isn’t bullshitting.

The overhaul, months in the works, was finally unveiled Friday amid the political heat of a particularly violent week of gang strife. And the Oregon Firearms Federation wasted little time scratching its trigger finger this weekend, firing off a churlish attack on Adams—and his peccadilloes—with a promise of more to come.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if we get hauled into court,” says Adams.

But what could be surprising is whether the gun lobby—already painted as the bad guy by Adams’ administration—winds up with some unlikely courtroom allies.

Because as much as Adams’ plans, still in draft form, give gun nuts plenty to hate, they also amount to a civil rights minefield that has some activists and minority community leaders sitting on their hands instead of lining up firmly in support.

And while a challenge from the right might actually win points for Adams’ effort, a second salvo—but from the left—would certainly doom what’s otherwise a sound start at getting guns of the street.

The proposals, in case you missed them, would set up curfews for kids with a history of gun use and ban convicted gun criminals from areas plagued by shootings. Adams also would boost penalties for illegal gun possession when the gun is loaded, make it a crime to furnish a gun to minors, and force gun owners to report when their pieces are lost or stolen.

The state’s branch of the American Civil Liberties Union isn’t commenting yet. But other activists say they’re cautiously watching how the curfew and ban proposals take shape. They remember the city’s experience with drug- and hooker-free zones, which were rejected, in part, because they wound up unfairly singling out black Portlanders.

“I hope that it does not become a tool for discrimination,” says T. Allen Bethel of the Albina Ministerial Alliance, adding that rest of the reforms are “a good first step.”

Adams’ proposals will become final in two weeks, after Portlanders have had their chance to speak up. He’d do well to listen hard. So far, he’s saying the right things: “I’m concerned about personal liberty.” But given the sad reality on our streets, let’s hope he doesn’t shoot himself in the foot.

Denis C. Theriault is the Portland Mercury's News Editor. He writes stories about City Hall and the Portland Police Bureau, focusing on issues like homelessness, police oversight, insider politics, and...

10 replies on “HALL MONITOR”

  1. Sorry gun friends….As a gun-owning,gun-carrying,gun-loving,gun-obsessing kind of guy, I see the proposed gun rules as reasonable. This state allows me to carry a gun most places legally, I can’t really bitch about that. I really don’t give a monkey’s nuts about what happens to criminals with gun convictions (most minor infractions can eventually be removed from your record and you can get a permit again). Gun criminals = Fucking assholes who have used their weapons illegally. Fuck ’em. I love my gun, we go way back and if I’m gonna break the law I leave my gun in the car. Just like your girlfriend, don’t bring your gun to a barfight, you may never see her again. Then how will you feel? Sad, gunless….that hurts just thinking about it.
    As for my righty pals who complain about this one: You can’t have your cake and eat it too. Don’t break the fucking law, and it won’t be your ass on the line. Don’t walk around downtown with a beer in your hand and your gun in your pants. How hard is that? As for OFF (I’m a member), they get pretty worked up for good reasons in general, but this one is a no win situation. Sam Adams is a bit of a fuck up when it comes to dating, but he has this one nailed. Don’t be a bunch of typical assholes and pretend like you give a fuck about lunatic gun criminals.
    By the way, old school glock 19 since ’94. No fancy grips or cute finger holds. You know you wanted to ask.

  2. Maybe it’s this way in California, but please don’t ever refer to Oregon gun rights issues as “right” and “left.” That’s just not what it is.

  3. Well curfews, which have always proven to be completely ineffective, is most certainly a Civil Rights violations. Especially since curfews have [historically] been used predominately in Black neibourhoods – enforced by the gestapo pigs – in order to keep Black kids off the street. Also, regarding the other portions of Adams’ [proposed] gun law reform:

    “Banning convicted gun criminals from areas plagued by shootings.”
    Ok, i can just see how this would be next to impossible to enforce. Like, who gets to designate a particular area as “plagued by shootings”? What if the person lives in that area? Does this cover ALL gun-related convictions? Could a person be denied from renting an apt. in such an area over a prior conviction for gun possession? Would this include areas where people have been shot & killed by police? Could large sections of Gresham be declared as “plagued by meth” in order to clear out much of the trash up there?

    “Make it a crime to furnish a gun to minors.”
    Uhm, was this sentence a typo or is this actually what Adams is proposing? B/c i know for a fact that it’s already a crime to furnish a gun to minors. infact, it’s a felony!

    “Force gun owners to report when their guns are lost or stolen.”
    Uhm, if you’re a registered gun owner & your gun is somehow stolen, why the Hell wouldn’t you report that shit? DUH!

  4. @DamosA: I had a longer post on the five initiatives up on Blogtown earlier this week. Here’s the link: http://blogtown.portlandmercury.com/Blogto…. It’ll answer some of your questions. As for the “furnishing guns to minors” line, should have said it’ll become a “city crime,” too. And, yes, everybody: report stolen guns!

    @Oregometry: I realize, by virtue of having lived a fraction of my life in California before coming up here, that I’m due to take some shit over it whenever someone disagrees with me. But your right/left point, however, is a good one and duly noted.

  5. I read your blog post on that & it did clear up/answer some of my questions, thank you Dennis. Still wondering if simple gun possession would (or say, having a conceled weapon in your car without a permit) would be included in ALL gun convictions.

    These proposals just seem like a basketcase of unintended consequences. I can see alot of otherwise harmless or law-abidding folks getting caught up in this, while having little effect on the “criminals” it is apparently intended for. And you probably know how this city has a tendency to push ahead poorly thought-out laws & ordinances. I’ve only been here afew years & i’ve certainly noticed.

  6. In the greater scheme of things noboby is all that concerned with where you came from, Denis. Time will tell if you’re savvy enough to not rely on that as a crutch when the locals are in disagreement with you.
    But to cut to the chase: Oregometry makes a great point that guns aren’t a bright line, right/left issue in Oregon. Never have been.

  7. Someday I’m going into a meat market and blasting myself a steak.That way I can feel like a sensible modern hunting man.Just cause its not out in the wild don’t mean it aint some sort of macho challenge.Think about runnin away with that steak and the butcher behind you with a cleaver while the po-po circles the hood.Hell they will probably have a copter up too.Ah yes.The hunter becomes the hunted.Left/right?Yea which way to run.

  8. Dudeman, i see your point its just that all this shit will do is affect me, what the fuck good is an unloaded gun in my car? bangers do not carry un-loaded weapons and i don’t think one would give me the time to get in my trunk for a clip. The laws are already there Sam, enforce them and all will be well. Pretty sure Sam has a guy with a loaded gun every where he goes, so,,,oh Berretta 92f, Ruger 357, Hi-Point in nine, oh fuck the list goes on and on,,,

  9. Gun laws don’t disarm criminals. They ignore laws, hence the term criminal. Criminals prefer unarmed victims. The origin of gun laws was racist. See ” No Guns for Negroes” by the Jews for the Preservation of Firearm Ownership. Let’s not go there again. The fact that Sam Adams has continued the “sanctuary city” designation is more responsible for the rise in crime and gang violence than guns. Guns are inanimate objects and can do nothing alone. Like the 16 lbs of heroin recently found in the city, as long as we have “safe” zones for criminals, we are surprised that crimes occur? Get real.

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