Arrow-right Camera
Subscribe now

Protesters had a point

Initiative 594 states that “transfer” means the intended delivery of a firearm to another person without consideration of payment or promise of payment including, but not limited to, gifts and loans.

Under the new law, a lawful transfer cannot occur without a background check, with limited exceptions.

Each transfer of firearms, without background checks being done, from one person to another at a recent protest in Olympia was a crime. The Washington State Patrol had announced it did not consider it a crime and would not enforce the law.

The most dangerous law enforcement agency is one that is inconsistent, deciding in one case not to enforce the law and in another to consider the behavior criminal. We are supposed to have rule by law, not by men. The people passed the law, and the State Patrol cannot choose not to enforce it because it may be convenient.

If people didn’t think the law would have this result, perhaps they should have read it more carefully before approving it. By the way, if you thought this would keep firearms out of the hands of criminals, you are terribly naive because criminals do not follow the law.

Don Brockett

Former Spokane County prosecutor

Spokane



Letters policy

The Spokesman-Review invites original letters on local topics of public interest. Your letter must adhere to the following rules:

  • No more than 250 words
  • We reserve the right to reject letters that are not factually correct, racist or are written with malice.
  • We cannot accept more than one letter a month from the same writer.
  • With each letter, include your daytime phone number and street address.
  • The Spokesman-Review retains the nonexclusive right to archive and re-publish any material submitted for publication.

Unfortunately, we don’t have space to publish all letters received, nor are we able to acknowledge their receipt. (Learn more.)

Submit letters using any of the following:

Our online form
Submit your letter here
Mail
Letters to the Editor
The Spokesman-Review
999 W. Riverside Ave.
Spokane, WA 99201
Fax
(509) 459-3815

Read more about how we crafted our Letters to the Editor policy