Yes! My Letter to the Editor got Published!

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I just found my Letter To The Editor in Sunday's paper!

http://registerguard.com/csp/cms/sites/dt.cms.support.viewStory.cls?cid=124451&sid=5&fid=1

(Here it is in case the link dies)

Opencarry of guns deters crime

I feel the public should know about a fast-growing civil rights movement in the United States called “open carry.”

In the 43 states where it is legal, thousands of responsible, law-abiding gun owners are coming out of the closet and publicly carrying handguns visible in belt holsters for self-defense.

Our intent in carrying openly is not to alarm the public or make other people uncomfortable. We’re not looking for trouble.

In fact, the truth is quite the opposite. We believe that open carry deters crime. The more of us there are, the more the general public will get used to seeing good, responsible people carrying guns.

If the thought of law-abiding people carrying guns in public disturbs you, consider this: In Lane County, there are about 270,000 adults, and the Lane County sheriff has issued over 10,000 concealed handgun licenses. This means that statistically, 1 in 27 adults you see in public in Lane County is already legally carrying a concealed handgun for self-defense. You haven’t had any problem with them, have you?

Any law-abiding citizen in Oregon can legally carry a handgun openly in a belt holster almost anywhere in the state. A few cities, such as Portland, prohibit loaded firearms in public, but CHL holders are exempt from that and most other carry restrictions.

If you see someone with a handgun in a holster, don’t be alarmed. They’re just exercising their right, and you’re safer with them nearby.

For more information on open carry, visit OpenCarry.org.

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Well done!

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And yes, I know there's 44 states that allow OC, not 43 I realized my mistake after I sent it, and I didn't feel it was enough of a boo-boo to try and get it corrected.

...I welcome any other comments or constructive criticism...
...Orygunner...

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Good letter!

I think 43 is correct. Hawaii may have a statute allowing OC (and CC)by permit to private citizens, but no permits are issued. LEOs, and maybe armed security guards, are the only ones who carry legally.

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Nicely done. It will be interesting to see what people think and if they write to the editor of the paper as well, either agreeing with OC or expressing their "Anti" opinion. Keep us posted.

:idea:You gave me a good idea......

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Congratulations on having it reprinted in a legible and coherent form, and not having it sabotaged by an illiterate and/or anti-gun editorial staff who essentially rewrites it and signs your name. :cuss:


I'm still a little bitter...

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I will certainly keep my eye on the paper and see if anyone writes a reply. Letters seem to take a couple of weeks to get published.

...Orygunner...

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I would challenge all of you to do this in your area. I'm going to down here in Houston, Obviously with a different message (Make OC Legal!!!!)

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One of myneighbors just stopped me today and told me he saw my letter in the paper and agreed 100%. he says he doesn't carry all the time, but always has his handgun with him when he goes on trips.

He says he may think about carrying it more now, since another of our neighbors just had an intruder in her house yesterday. She came out of the shower to find some guy in her house. She left the front door unlocked and the guy just walked right in. She screamed at him and chased him out, but the Cops haven't caught him yet.

My wife was kindof freaked out because I was at work, and there were about 1/2 dozen Sheriff & State Police cars in our neighborhood.

...This is a great excuse to buy her handgun now ...
...Orygunner...

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Well done!
I have family in Springfield, glad to see there's at least one other sane person.
(two, counting your neighbor)

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Outstanding Job !!

Go buy yourself a Beer on me :lol:

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I've seen two responses to my OC LTTE in the Register-Guard. here they are:

AND:

I'm going to wait a week or so before responding, because I'm hoping for more letters

My thoughts on them at this point:

1st Letter- Wild West references sure are getting tiresome. There was less crime then. Murders were generally between "willing participants", meaning drunken bar fights. Earp was an idiot for banning Open Carry in Tombstone. Nuff said.

2nd Letter - The police are open carrying all the time, does that drive a wedge into the community? (No, with the Eugene police, it's their use of pepper spray and Tasers . ) Sure, the police need firearms for self defense and defense of the community, because their job puts them in extremely hazardous situations. Just because I'm not out there in the line of fire, is my life of any less value and my right of self defense any less important than that of a police officer? Certainly not! My firearm is not communicating life or death power over everyone, only those that would do me or my family harm.

This isn't a Civil Rights movement, this is a HUMAN rights movement. We have an inalienableright to life, which undeniably includes self defense. Open carry is exercising that right,and we have the right to display our intent openly.Thankfully, the founding fathers of this country (and the state of Oregon) recognized this and protected these rights in our State and Federal Constitutions. If this makes you uncomfortable,why don't youtake it up with ourfounding fathers?Or, perhaps study their writings to find out why they felt firearms were important to our lives and liberty?

I feel that the main reason this issue is so devisive is because of the media bias in recent decades against firearms has filled people's minds with hatred and prejudice against firearms.The media sensationalizes murders with guns andmass shooting sprees, and gives almost no airtime or print to thefact that good people use guns for self defense1 to 2.5million times every yearwithout even firing a shot (this is according to multiple, legitimate, peer-reviewed studies). Only when a good guy actually shoots and kills a bad guydo we see it in the news, and because multiple, innocent people didn't die, it getsnowherenear the coverage of thereal tragedies.

We that are open carrying simply are exercising our rights, and showing that good people (not just police) can and do carry firearms openly for self-defense. That's it. Don't be afraid.

...Orygunner...

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Maybe it would be a good idea to put a challenge to the people of your community, ask them next time they see a person openly carrying a firearm who is not a police or security guard. To put away there anti-gun ideology and go up to this person and start a conversation with them. They will probably find out that this person is not a "wild west, uneducated, redneck" type person, and that they are decent, hard working, law-abiding members of society. That’s just my $.02

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I like references to the Wild West, especially the wild southwest, where open carry is common and accepted. People who bring that up should be encouraged to visit Arizona.

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I like Bebop's idea. There is no wedge! Suggest that her theory can be disproved, just as Bebop says, by starting a conversation with an OCer. We're all nice guys!

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Orygunner wrote:

I've seen two responses to my OC LTTE in the Register-Guard. here they are:

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July 31, 2008
Maybe the Earps were right

I love this newspaper! It helps me decipher all the stuff I hear and see. And there is endless wonder and amusement.

Just last week, in the same issue, there was the opinion piece from an academic who doesn’t understand that burning up all the oil will probably ruin our air supply. Then there was the letter suggesting that we all carry a gun in plain sight in order to eliminate crime. Makes me wonder why the Earp brothers required all the cowboys and gamblers and even good citizens to check their weapons in the marshal’s office.

Meanwhile, I will be practicing my Uzi quick-draw.

Wendy Ray
Eugene
​

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AND:

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Aug. 2, 2008
Open carry divides communities

After reading the July 20 letter “Open carry of guns deters crime,” I had to revisit my understanding of civil rights movements in this country.

I thought such movements had to do with repairing and restoring relationships between the socially marginalized and the marginalizers.

Now I learn that some people with firepower on the hip want to claim their own civil rights movement by openly carrying loaded weapons — “not to alarm the public or make other people uncomfortable. We’re not looking for trouble.”

This pistol-packin’ policy may or may not deter crime, but it’s a surefire way to destroy hope for constructive conversation within a community. It’s not only about the right to openly carry a gun; it’s about the need to communicate life-and-death power over others.

Openly displayed guns drive wedges into the community, displacing peace with paranoia. Are we ready to let “open carry” guns shape our civil discourse?

I feel the public should know that “open carry” is no civil rights movement. It’s sheer terror, up close and personal.

Mary Sharon Moore
Eugene
​

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Does putting up a fence in between me and my nieghbors yard make me a bad neighbor? No he has no reason to be offended by my putting up the fence, unless he was planning at some point to illegally trespass onto it.

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Bebop wrote:

Maybe it would be a good idea to put a challenge to the people of your community, ask them next time they see a person openly carrying a firearm who is not a police or security guard. To put away there anti-gun ideology and go up to this person and start a conversation with them. They will probably find out that this person is not a "wild west, uneducated, redneck" type person, and that they are decent, hard working, law-abiding members of society. That’s just my $.02

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That reminds me, I need to order my Physics book for next semester...

#1 "He's got a gun!" :shock:

#2 "He's studying physics...."

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SNIP : Orygunner wrote:

This isn't a Civil Rights movement, this is a HUMAN rights movement...
...Orygunner...

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You did say, "I feel the public should know about a fast-growing civil rights movement in the United States called “open carry.”
But I do agree with your post!.. Just sayn'

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Very well done! We should all do the same. It's a way to reach more people than one-at-a-time could ever do.