On January 15, hundreds of gun owners met in front of the Washington state capitol building in Olympia to protest the new draconian gun control law, I-594. Bankrolled by billionaires, it has already prompted protests around the state, including a previous “I will not comply” rally in Olympia during December.
Organized by the Washington Firearms Leaders Action Group and other gun rights organizations, including Second Amendment leader Alan Gottlieb, the protest featured many prominent Washingtonians who declared they would not comply with the poorly drafted, unenforceable law. Rep Matt. Shea of Spokane Valley is the prime sponsor of House Bill 1245, which would repeal the law. He told the crowd, “An unconstitutional law is no law at all.”
Breitbart News reports,
I-594 outlaws private gun sales in the state by requiring “universal background checks.” Under the new law, it is not legal to even lend a gun to a friend without going through a background check, except in cases where the friend needs the gun because of an imminent threat against his or her life.
According to SeattlePI.com, those gathered then marched to the State House and exchanged guns in the House Gallery “to make a show of violating I-594.”
Besides announcing that he and his fellow Second Amendment supporters would not comply with I-594, Shea said he “will ask … sheriffs and prosecutors not to comply as well.”
While the Second Amendment supporters traded guns inside the State House, state Senator Pam Roach (R-Auburn) gave a speech outside, in which she stated, “Hey, don’t tread on us.” She said that she and her fellow pro-Second Amendment legislators have six to ten different bills in the works, all targeting I-594.
The Washington Firearms Leaders Action Group intends to continue holding monthly rallies. Alan Gottlieb’s Second Amendment Foundation has filed a lawsuit against I-594 in federal court. The billionaires behind I-594 probably had no idea the outcry would be this loud in a blue state. At this rate, this hellacious infringement on one of our most important rights should be gone in a year or two. Keep the pressure up.