Tit for tat with the rat-a-tat-tat


Those wild and woolly ballot measures creating gun nut "sanctuary zones" around the state actually passed in Columbia County (just northwest of Portland) and Umatilla County (think Pendleton). Under the measures as passed, the county sheriffs can no longer enforce federal or state gun laws.

At first, you might scoff at the legality of such a rule, but remember, we have "sanctuary cities," in which the locals decide they aren't going to lift a finger to help enforce federal immigration laws. Surely the folks pushing the gun ordinances are enjoying giving "the libs" a taste of their own medicine. Is this any different? 

Well, for one thing, the measures apparently call for police who violate the hands-off policy to be subject to fines. I've never heard of anything like that before.

Anyway, now it will all go to court, and some day years from now, the Oregon Supreme Court or a federal appeals court will tell us what's what. In the meantime, only state troopers and federal agents have clear authority over guns in those two counties. I believe the legal term for the situation is "hot mess."

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