> >Oregon town considers mandating household guns
> >
> >Tuesday, August 28, 2001
> >
> >THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
> >
> >AUMSVILLE, Ore. — A former city councilor wants the heads of every
> >household in this rural Marion County city to keep a firearm in the house
> >and use it for protection.
> >
> >
> >”This is not about guns,” says Tim Dunn, who has lived in Aumsville for
> >more than five years. “It’s about the right to self-defense in lieu of
not
> >being able to have 24-hour police protection.”
> >
> >
> >If approved by the City Council, about 1,000 households would be expected
> >to have at least one firearm in the house. The council was expected to
> >take up the issue last night.
> >
> >
> >Council President David Drews says he isn’t sure such an ordinance is
> >necessary. He worries that more guns in homes would mean more
gun-related
> >accidents.
> >
> >
> >”I don’t know how I will vote Monday,” he said. “It’s a toss-up.”
> >
> >
> >Dunn proposed the ordinance after voters last year rejected a levy that
> >would have maintained the city’s police budget.
> >
> >
> >Still, crime has not increased significantly in the year since the force
> >was reduced from five to four officers and 24-hour protection was scaled
> >back, according to Aumsville police Chief Michael Andall.
> >
> >
> >Dunn, 47, says public safety remains a concern. “It’s no different than
my
> >effort to get a skate park put in,” he said.
> >
> >
> >Even if passed, the ordinance has no provisions for enforcement and no
> >consequences for people who decline to arm themselves.
> >
> >
> >Dunn said the proposal also has many exemptions, including ones for
> >residents who object on religious or moral grounds, suffer from a
> >disability, are prohibited by law from having a firearm or cannot afford
to
> >comply.
> >
> >
> >About half of Oregon households already have guns.
> >
> >
> >John Hellen, administrator for Oregon Gun Owners, said the ordinance
> >reaffirms the right of Americans to own and use firearms.
> >
> >
> >”It’s a positive message that firearms definitely are used for self
> >protection,”
> >Hellen said.
> >
> >
> >A similar proposal was made in Coos County last July, but it wasn’t
adopted.
> >
> >
> >Aumsville residents had mixed feelings about Dunn’s proposal.
> >
> >
> >Ed Santibanez, a 62-year-old Aumsville retiree, says he would use guns to
> >protect himself and his family. But he’s not convinced the ordinance is
> >the right solution.
> >
> >
> >”It should be up to each individual,” he said.
> >
> >
> >Theresa Voorhis, an Aumsville mother of three teens, said she worries
that
> >the ordinance might send the wrong message to children and about the
> >potential for accidents.
> >
> >
> >But she agrees the ordinance might be a deterrent, similar to “Beware of
Dog”
> >signs.
> >
> >
> >”No one would approach a house knowing that the people had a gun and were
> >willing to use it,” she said.
> >~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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> >http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml>]