From the Redding Record Searchlight.
That said, so far the dangers of the “open carry†crowd exist only in their opponents’ imagination. The protests — while ill-mannered and intimidating to many — have peacefully made a political statement, and Saldana’s reaction only proves their point that the 2nd Amendment is under siege.
It’s also an all-too-typical example of legislating by headline. Saldana’s bill, AB 1934, is not a well-considered law to a address pressing public safety problem, but a knee-jerk response to a few news stories and the surrounding hullabulloo.
At least someone in the media is speaking out against the silliness of this bill.
But even this — probably the friendliest editorial we’ll see on the issue — ends up by suggesting that the OC folks just need to go away. That’s like saying, “We won’t pass Jim Crow laws if the colored folks just stay out of sight” or “We won’t restrict the freedoms of the press so long as you just print the party line.” It isn’t like the OC people have an option to CCW.
I’ve said it before — in Cali there is no constitutional right to bear arms (at least not until McDonald incorporates the 2A… if it does…). Trying to be a 2A advocate there is like trying to be an advocate for a free press in Cuba. Good luck, I hope you succeed, but I’m not going to be too surprised in what happens. Maybe rational people will have more traction in Cali after the current state and local gov’ts implode due to financial issues, but I’m not going to hold my breath.