Oregon – The Oregon Court of Appeals [lead by Judge James Egan, Chief Judge at Oregon Court of Appeal] has struck down the Second Amendment Sanctuary Ordinance in Columbia County, an ordinance Oregon Firearms Federation has been defending with Gun Owners of America.
And while that is not a particular surprise, what is a surprise is the scathing, incendiary, and frightening “concurring opinion” from Judge Egan.
In his vicious attack, Judge Egan equated ordinances protecting the Second Amendment with white supremacists and anti-semites.
In the opening page of his opinion, Egan attacks the ordinance and the people who argued for it saying :
“In other words,Intervenors came before this court and referenced UN mandates,which as explained below is a well documented trope meant to invoke white supremacist, antisemitic fear of a takeover of our country by outsiders and minorities who are manipulated by an elite class of supervillians.
On occasion, however, individual members of the court must call out illegitimate quasi-legal arguments and theories for what they are-viz., antisemitic and racist tropes.”
On page 6 of his screed, he titles one section: “The Antisemitic and Racist Origins of the Ordinance.”
He claims that constitutional sheriffs “embrace racist and white nationalist ideologies.”
He states, referring to constitutional sheriffs:
“The premise of such writings is the antisemitic and racist conspiracy theory that Jews are at the heart of America’s problems, that people of color are unwitting pawns to be manipulated by one side or the other, and that zealots must prepare for a final battle in the last days. The proponents of these ideas claim that a cabal of elites or globalists (code words for Jews) in the UN, or the fictional New World Order or Zionist Occupational Government, manipulate our federal government and, by extension, state governments. These ideas are, of course, nothing new, unique, or intelligent: They are, instead, just a rehashing of the ancient trope of a secret Jewish government; they are the retelling of a lie that led to the murder of over six million Jews within living memory.”
But there’s more. He continues:
“Intervenor’s reference at oral argument about UN mandates in support of an absolute right to firearms threatens to give legal foundation to a world view that embraces religious, racial, and ethnic hatred. The arguments propounding unfettered access to guns, ammunitions, and implements of destruction give rise to waging of war on government because the proponents believe that our government is infected by those they hate. This hate is unquestionably embedded in the trope that the UN or some other nefarious entity is manipulating government behind the scenes and that the courts are simply tools of those manipulations. As a judge, sworn to uphold the Oregon constitution and the United States Constitution, I cannot stand by without identifying the origins of that argument, and the origins of the Ordinance.”
The Judge also attacked Oregon Firearms for its defense of the ordinance in the voters’ guide.
We have come to expect these kinds of mindless and false attacks from the left and their pawns in the media. But coming from the bench, this kind of blatantly false and hate-filled rhetoric is not only unsettling, but it is also dangerous. It inspires violence and retribution. It is, frankly, unhinged.
The Columbia County case was carefully and thoughtfully argued. To suggest that its motives were white supremacist or antisemitic is a lie and defamatory. But it also calls into question the legitimacy of the court and the likelihood of getting fair rulings from it.
Our lawsuits against Ballot Measure 114 continue in Federal Court. And while we have not had favorable rulings there so far, we are confident that eventually, we will win. But we are very dubious that the parallel case in State Court will be decided fairly if it gets to the Oregon Court of Appeals. These kinds of baseless and grossly unprofessional attacks are unconscionable.
We are extremely grateful for your support in this fight. And now more than ever, it’s clear that our Federal lawsuit is critical. Please help us protect our rights against these kinds of abuses.
This battle has never been more important or more dangerous.
To contribute to this fight please use this link and pick Oregon Firearms Educational Foundation for your donation.
James Egan, Chief Judge at Oregon Court of Appeal, Screed Attacking the Second Amendment
About Oregon Firearms Federation:
The Oregon Firearms Federation has proven itself to be Oregon’s only no-compromise lobbying group, OFF takes the same tough stands and serves as a vehicle for educating gun owners, promoting their rights, and, when necessary, fighting the freedom haters in court. Visit: www.oregonfirearms.org
