The Saturday afternoon anti-assault weapons rally held at the Eugene Wayne Morris Free Speech Plaza failed to draw major community support.
As presented through educational foundation Ceasefire Oregon, the theme of the rally was the safety of our children in public schools and pending Oregon state and federal gun legislation. In attendance was Mayor Kitty Piercy, and no more than 20 caring souls, including members of the press.
On the steps of the former federal building was a young man dressed in white. Eloquent in speech and purposeful in presentation, Baldr Odinson of ‘Ceasefire Oregon’ spoke on as to the eminent danger possed to society through the under- regulated ownership of assault weapons.
Odinson stated that semi-automatic assault rifles and high capacity magazines should be outlawed. He further spoke on in support of pending Oregon and federal legislation banning such guns, stating that these weapons have no place in the civilian sector.
Baldr and others would like to see child access gun safety laws enacted in Oregon. According to Ceasefire Oregon, similar laws now in place in 27 states have reduced gun related accident and deaths of children by 30%.
This Examiner noted a rather subdued crowd bordering on complacency. There was neither applause nor shining accolades pressed upon Odinson, as the rally ended to the soulful sounds of guitar music.
Opinion: The residents of Eugene mirror the sentiment of the majority as to pending heightened state and federal gun control. The lack of attendence exhibited here demonstrates the people's hesitance to support federally imposed gun ownership restrictions at any cost. The issue of gun control remains a very politically sensitive one.
As stated by one rally attendee, bullets kill people, guns don’t. While that may be true enough, isn't it the job of government to protect those that can’t protect themselves? Children certainly fall under that category.
As stated by Mr. Odinson: While we may do all that we can as parents to protect our children within the home and immediate surroundings, we have very little to no control of the outside,school environment. Odinson makes a good point as much of society weighs restricted personal freedom of choice, against the general welfare and greater good of the majority.
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