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Rich Mahoney's avatar

Nicely done.

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Linda P.'s avatar

I totally agree with this. However, I'm wondering why nothing can be done about a rouge sheriff like they have in Klickitat Country who has "deputized" about a hundred men in his "posse" and refuses to enforce the state gun laws? The folks opposed to his form of "law enforcement" are outnumbered at the polls and haven't been able to replace him. There doesn't seem to be a remedy for that situation in our Constitution and the non-gun folks feel like they don't have any protection from law enforcement. There's no doubt in my mind that he could rally his "boys" to insurrection if he chose to do so. That is one of the reasons I sold out and left but even here in Kelso yesterday a neighbor decided to exercise his right to own a gun and shot it repeatedly in a small area of residential homes because the county says he can. As far as I know the local sheriff isn't required to inspect "his shooting Range" two houses away to make sure his bullets don't kill someone...not to mention the animals he terrifies every time he chooses to exercise his "Second Amendment" rights. They do what they want when they want to, and no one has the power to stop them.

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Andre Stepankowsky's avatar

I had not heard about the Klickitat situation. Thanks for sharing it and your frustrations.

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Bary L Bruner's avatar

I agree, most parts of Cowlitz County have become too densely populated of our current 'shoot anywhere you'd like' gun laws. Let's bring this up to our current commissioners to initiate long monologs about freedom and liberty (and nothing of public safety and quality of life).

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Claire's avatar

Andre, can you also do a column on how the First Amendment is being used to defend hateful, derogatory, and bullying speech under the flag of “I can say anything I want because I have First Amendment rights?” I’m sick of certain factions in our city using that get-out-of-jail-free card in order to spread harmful rumors and downright lies.

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Andre Stepankowsky's avatar

I’ve touched on this issue. The. The first amendment is indeed, abused frequently, but it’s there particularly for that purpose. We don’t want anybody regulating what is and what isn’t free speech. Remember the first amendment is there to protect unpopular speech in addition to popular speech.. If you recall, I castigated state rep Jim Walsh for holding those church formumsb about indoctrination of school kids. As stronly as I disagreed with him, hrb has the right to make that pitch. When we need is an informed and enlightened citizenry and enough independent news sources so that people can discern what is good and wholesome from what is bad and destructive. I will continue to look for opportunities to address this issue.

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Claire's avatar

Andre, thank you for that. Thanks for reminding me that we need an educated, enlightened, critically thinking citizenry that can and will think for themselves. I guess that takes us back to the root of the problem: improving our education system. (P.S. I need to go back and read your article on Jim Walsh.)

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