Greetings from Portland, OR

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I have been an ardent liberal for as long as I can remember. I firmly believe that the 2nd Amendment includes room for legislative limits. I don't believe anyone has any "right" to a given type of firearm and that keeping guns out of the hands of people with a history of violence and mental instability is common sense. I don't believe that magazine capacity limits cause harm to anyone. When I vote, it is not motivated by gun issues. I vote for the people I think will do the most good for the future (e.g. supporting education, ecology and conservation, equity and dignity).

All that said, I absolutely LOVE guns. I am a sucker for good machining and engineering and modern firearms have those in spades. Sport shooting is fantastic fun. I've finally taken the plunge and picked up my first handgun and I could not be happier....except I can't tell anyone. All of my friends are liberals who don't understand how anyone could appreciate guns. I don't have any conservative friends because I don't tolerate single issue voters of any stripe.

Needless to say my first week as a gun owner felt very lonely. But now I've found this place. I'm hoping to become involved with the Oregon chapter very soon and I am so excited to get to know more people who support equity and progressive values but who still know the joy and security of owning a firearm!

Re: Greetings from Portland, OR

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LouGubrius wrote: Thu Jan 03, 2019 5:28 pm I have been an ardent liberal for as long as I can remember. I firmly believe that the 2nd Amendment includes room for legislative limits. I don't believe anyone has any "right" to a given type of firearm and that keeping guns out of the hands of people with a history of violence and mental instability is common sense. I don't believe that magazine capacity limits cause harm to anyone. When I vote, it is not motivated by gun issues. I vote for the people I think will do the most good for the future (e.g. supporting education, ecology and conservation, equity and dignity).
Welcome! You've found a place to come out of the closet, as many of us have.

Agreed on voting issues and mental health/violence. Disagree about magazine capacity and right to a given type of firearm. As a Californian, we are harmed by continued "legislative limits" around these things yearly with things like gun color making it forbidden (handgun roster) and the state making felons out of those with previously legal property (our latest and greatest assault weapon ban, because the first one apparently didn't work). "Legislative limits" have been shown to be slippery slopes for rights and addictive to legislatures. We can be respectful in our disagreements as well as agreements! :)

Re: Greetings from Portland, OR

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:welcome:

We've got all kinds of people around here, though I think the tendency for most here is to oppose most limits. But we all think shooting is fun and this place can be a respite from the usual right wing dominated gun forums. Around here the biggest point of contention is who can be more socialist than the others. ;)
106+ recreational uses of firearms
1 defensive use
0 people injured
0 people killed

Re: Greetings from Portland, OR

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I would like to clarify that I don't personally support magazine capacity bans for the most part. 10 rounds in a 226 isn't really all that more dangerous than the 8 rounds in my 220. With the possible exception of truly absurd mags like 100+ round barrel mags for ARs, I also don't really see the point. That said, I'm willing to give lawmakers some room to experiment and try things that may help reduce the ease with which some people kill with a gun. I think poverty reduction and steps to generate real equity between different groups would be more effective than a magazine capacity rule or even an assault rifle ban. But I don't know all the answers and I'm not willing to draw a bright red line stopping any attempts being made to address the crisis we are living through.

Re: Greetings from Portland, OR

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No worries, Lou. I was just busting chops. And I agree, lawmakers do need some leeway, but when it infriges on a right, it must be backed up with evidence. So far, the later is severely lacking.

I have to clarify my positions all the time and am always looking for reasons to evolve my thinking. Welcome to the discussion.

Re: Greetings from Portland, OR

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:welcome: From a fellow Portlander. I’m the current Oregon Chapter President and I’d like to welcome you aboard.
There is a wide range of opinions here, so don’t feel like you have to toe a line of orthodoxy. We are unorthodox by nature, most of us. I disagree with some of what you said about 2A rights, etc, and that’s ok. No one expects the Spanish Inquisition here (a gratuitous Monty Python reference). Our Winter Range Day is coming up on Saturday, January 26th where we will meet at a friendly local range at high noon and engage in some quality pew pew bonding time. If you think you can make it I can give you the particulars. Hope to see you there, or at least soon at one of our get togethers.
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Re: Greetings from Portland, OR

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Howdy and :welcome: from Corvallis!

We have a large and vibrant Oregon Chapter; come on out and say hey at our next range day! Notices get sent via email to members, and there's also the Oregon subforum where local stuff gets posted, joinable with membership.

So kick off your shoes and wander about the place. Local organic doughnuts and Free Trade coffee are in the back. :)

Again, welcome!
"I am not a number, I am a free man!" - Number Six

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Re: Greetings from Portland, OR

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The Portland group as a whole are so erudite you’ll likely change some of your views on 2A and firearms after a few pints with them.
-I know I did... :confused:
"It is better to be violent, if there is violence in our hearts, than to put on the cloak of non-violence to cover impotence. There is hope for a violent man to become non-violent. There is no such hope for the impotent." -Gandhi

Re: Greetings from Portland, OR

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Bisbee wrote: Fri Jan 04, 2019 1:01 am The Portland group as a whole are so erudite you’ll likely change some of your views on 2A and firearms after a few pints with them.
-I know I did... :confused:
:love:

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Wait... what's an erudite? Isn't that one of those little fossil crab-like critters?
"I am not a number, I am a free man!" - Number Six

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Re: Greetings from Portland, OR

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Bacchus wrote: Fri Jan 04, 2019 9:40 am
Bisbee wrote: Fri Jan 04, 2019 1:01 am The Portland group as a whole are so erudite you’ll likely change some of your views on 2A and firearms after a few pints with them.
-I know I did... :confused:
:love:

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Wait... what's an erudite? Isn't that one of those little fossil crab-like critters?
Erudite is a propellant: better than Pyrodex, not as good as Goex.
Soon to be banned in California.
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Re: Greetings from Portland, OR

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something you need to know about this forum...
eventually, all threads run off the road, into the weeds, across the interstate, and up onto another road. going the wrong way. what a ride!
:yahoo:
some of us are quicker to go off the rails than others.
Last edited by lurker on Fri Jan 04, 2019 1:57 pm, edited 1 time in total.
i'm retired. what's your excuse?

Re: Greetings from Portland, OR

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Howdy from Houston! I’m one of the ones here that won’t support most if not all of your positions on guns. I adhere to root cause mitigation to violence and guns are not a root cause. Don’t believe bans will solve or address anything either, so no on restriction on any gun types. Supporting the whole bill of rights is liberal and so am I. Welcome.
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"Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated!" Loquacious of many. Texas Chapter Chief Cat Herder.

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