Inevitable: Oregon proposes confiscation of guns

Whenever an advocate of gun rights expresses his concerns about harsher gun control laws it is only a matter of time before he is called paranoid. After all, we live in America. The government doesn't want to take your guns, silly! I mean, that sort of thing only happens in far off, exotic lands like England, China, and Oregon.

Hotair raised the flag a few days ago on the insane proposal known as Oregon HB 3200 (text here). In case there is any sort of confusion as to the goal of the law, the executive summary makes it pretty plain:

"Creates crime of unlawful possession or transfer of assault weapon or large capacity magazine.
Punishes by maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment, $250,000 fine, or both.
Requires current owners to dispose of or register assault weapons and large capacity magazines."

Of course, only some very select, highly specific things qualify a weapon as an assault weapon. These include such terrifying features as:

1. Collapsible stock
2. Pistol grip
3. Heat shields on the barrel
4. The ability to accept a detachable magazine.

In other words, weapons that include "common sense safety/utility features that look scary because I saw them in Call of Duty once" are hereby prohibited. Even the magazines are now contraband. You know, in case you load them up with rocks and throw them or something.

The law also goes into effect immediately. presumably because they figure if they're going to make criminals out of thousands of citizens there's no time like the present. Carpe Diem!

If you find yourself in possession of a contraband magazine/weapon, you have 120 days to do the following, and I swear I am not making this up (emphasis mine):

"Any person who, prior to the effective date of this law, was legally in possession of an assault weapon or large capacity magazine shall, within 120 days after the effective date of this 2013 Act, without being subject to prosecution:
(a) Remove the assault weapon or large capacity magazine from the state;
(b) Sell the assault weapon or large capacity magazine to a firearms dealer licensed under 18 U.S.C. 923 for lawful sale or transfer under subsection (2) of this section;
(c) Surrender the assault weapon or large capacity magazine to a law enforcementagency for destruction;
(d) Render the assault weapon permanently inoperable;

If you happen to be reading this while driving, I recommend you pull over immediately, because I haven't even gotten to the best part yet. How can it get worse than 10 years of jail time for possessing a previously legal weapon if you refuse to give it to the government, you ask?"

The government, in their benevolence, has deemed that the serfs may own one "assault" weapon and three high capacity magazines, because apparently 90 rounds is the threshold between "law abiding citizen" and "crazed mass murderer". Of course, there are conditions.

"(3) The department shall create and maintain a registry for owners of assault weapons
and large capacity magazines who qualify for registration under section 4 of this 2013 Act.
The department may adopt rules concerning the administration of the registry, including but
not limited to renewal and revocation procedures and storage requirements for assault
weapons and large capacity magazines.
(4) The department may conduct inspections of registered owners of assault weapons and
large capacity magazines to ensure compliance with the storage requirements of section 4
of this 2013 Act."

If you want to own an assault weapon and those damned dirty magazines, not only must you register it with the government; not only must you store it in an unspecified manner TBD; you must be willing to submit to random searches and inspections by the government, at the whim of the government at any time.

Note the complete absence of regulations restricting the frequency of such searches, or the scope, or anything that could possibly be construed as Oregon giving a passing nod to the Fourth Amendment on its way to Screw-The-Citizenry-ville.

There is a silver lining to all this: Lever action rifles are excluded. So if your defensive weapon of choice uses no technology developed after 1860, you're in the clear.

Keep your hands off my Civil-War era guns and racism, Washington!