State Libertarians hate new gun bills

OLYMPIA – The Libertarian Party of Washington (state) put out a news release decrying current gun rights bills in the state capital stating, “Olympia got a little bit right on police reform, but they’re also pushing through a spate of new gun control bills that are as stupid and racist as they are unconstitutional. While Congress protects themselves with layers of weapons around the Capitol, they have no compunctions about taking away citizens’ rights to do the same.

The headline for the news release was appropriately titled, “Washington Legislature’s New Gun Control Bills: Stupid, Racist, and Unconstitutional.

It is the third largest of the state’s three party’s and often offers something in between a hard “yes or no” on many issues.

East Wenatchee Republican Senator Brad Hawkins, representing the 8^th State Senatorial District, in an exclusive NCW Media interview, stated, “Gun issues have long been a major focus of state and federal policy. Most gun proposals, like other ideas, do not actually pass. This particular session could be different given the expanded Democratic majorities of recent years and the interest of many urban legislators in limiting gun use.” 

Below are the Libertarian opinions on these bills:

HB 1229 outlaws “military-style assault weapons,” including AK-47s, AR-15s, and all semi-auto rifles under 30 inches. News flash, Olympia: The vast majority of gun killings are by handguns, not rifles, and the vast majority of those are gang-related. If you want to save the children, end the drug war.
HB 1283 bans carrying any weapon in a way that “warrants alarm for the safety of others,” an amorphous term which means bearing arms is now a class C felony if someone else doesn’t like seeing it.
HB 1164 is a doozy: the Big Gulp of gun bans, outlawing magazines holding over 10 rounds. This pointless law will do nothing to stop hardened criminals and only hurt the single mom whose life depends on reloading.

Hawkins, whose district includes Chelan, Douglas and parts of Okanogan and Grant counties, continued with his gun reform opinion: “For me, I have always believed that enforcing existing gun laws and upholding constitutional rights are key.”

Libertarians seem to feel that some proposed gun laws may be inherently racist.

“Politicians in Olympia who claim to value “equity and diversity” conveniently ignore that half of all those busted for gun possession are black. The State makes felons out of our young people, wages war against them, and then jails them for trying to keep themselves alive,” stated the news release.

Hawkins wants more focus on those deemed “mentally ill”.

“Gun violence is never acceptable, and we also must significantly improve our state’s mental-health system,” he said.

Anna Johnson, communications director, Libertarian Party of Washington The thinking is that left wing radicals concluded, “While politicians in Olympia protect themselves with layers of weapons around the Capitol, they have no compunctions about taking away citizens’ rights to do the same and punishing those they already oppress.”

Hawkins concluded with this statement, “However, new laws should not restrict the rights of law-abiding gun owners to enjoy hunting outdoors or to protect themselves and their families. Self-protection is a constitutional right, similar to free speech. While I will always be open-minded about proposals, lawmakers should not infringe upon fundamental rights.”

The Sportsmen’s Warehouse Manager in East Wenatchee was unable to give any comment on national issues per corporate policy, when NCW Media asked for same.

Off the record, one clerk at the gun counter did say that weapon sales have been brisk ever since early 2020 and haven’t stopped. “It’s been a full year,” he said.

Fear is cited as the reason for strong gun sales nationwide over the last calendar year, according to most industry experts and political observers. The last year has been a two-fold “perfect storm” of perceived need for increased personal defense due to COVID-19 fears of civil chaos as well as fear of “liberal backlash” now that Democrats control both Houses of Congress and the presidency.

Liberal backlash is what some conservatives expected if Donald Trump lost, and he did. The idea is to arm one’s self before a middle-left coalition in Washington, D.C. imposes stricter gun control or even as a response to local unrest perpetrated by leftwing groups like Antifa.