This last Tuesday in the small Washington town of Oak Harbor, a City Council meeting on gun rights took a strange turn after a council member asked an army veteran, who was legally carrying a concealed firearm, to leave or disarm.
Military veteran Lucas Yonkman spoke before the council about his support of law-abiding citizens carrying firearms and mentioned how he carried everywhere he went. Moments after his speech ended Councilman Rick Almberg asked if Yonkman was carrying at the moment. Yonkman replied that he was legally carrying a concealed weapon.
Councilman Almberg, who had recently attempted to ban guns from public places like parks, immediately proposed a motion that anyone with a firearm be asked to check their weapon with the police or leave the property. His motion was shot down 2-4. Almberg immediately stood up and left the room.
Oak Harbor Mayor Scott Dudley immediately apologized to Yonker for Almberg's attempt to make him leave or disarm. The cities lawyers present even pointed out that the motion would have been illegal if passed anyway. "Mr. Yonkman, I apologize for the situation," said Mayor Dudley.
The Mayor went on to explain that the council member who had just attempted to disarm him, had also tried to force people to remove their hats in meetings. "I feel safer that you are here," noted Mayor Dudley. The Mayor ended the meeting by remarking that he took an oath to uphold the United States Constitution as well as Washington's.
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