Gun-Control Opponents Have I-676 In Their Sights

Saying the key battleground is Eastern Washington, gun-control opponents urged about 200 Spokane-area gun owners Tuesday night to take aim at an initiative on the November ballot.

Initiative 676, believed to be the first voter-spawned attempt at handgun control in 17 years, requires prospective gun owners to complete an eight-hour safety course or pass a competency exam.

Any handguns sold, traded or given away must have a trigger lock to prevent them from firing accidentally.

Supporters tout the initiative as protection for Washington children.

But that’s just a cover-up for denying people their Second Amendment rights, say members of Washington Citizens Against Regulatory Excess, or WeCARE, who have organized the opposition.

“This is not about safety at all,” said Brian Judy, a National Rifle Association spokesman and WeCARE director. “This is about maintaining a government list of who in the state of Washington owns handguns.

“This is the most oppressive gun-control issue that Washington gun owners have ever faced.”

Tuesday’s meeting at Cavanaugh’s Inn at the Park was the second in a planned series of 11 NRA-hosted seminars statewide designed to rally gun owners against I-676.

Washington Citizens for Handgun Safety, backed by Microsoft chairman Bill Gates, collected the 179,000 signatures needed to put the measure on the November ballot.

Opponents Tuesday said the measure would require the state Department of Licensing to establish an unwieldy system to license more than 1 million handgun owners and keep track of who has passed safety classes.

“Why should you need a license from the state to exercise your fundamental right to protect yourself and your family?” asked Joe Waldron, chairman of the Bellevue-based coalition fighting the measure.

“We know that guns save lives,” he said. “They are our last line of defense.”

Organizers told the group that Eastern Washington voters will either make or break the initiative, so sharing information through grass-roots efforts is crucial.

“You’ve got one vote,” said Kevin Watson, a WeCARE coordinator. “But the power of your voice is unlimited.”

, DataTimes MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: 676 ON THE NET For a summary and the complete text of Initiative 676, log onto The Spokesman-Review’s Web site, Virtually Northwest, at www.virtuallynw.com