CAMPAIGN - Second Amendment

     I am posting this entry for three reasons:
1.) To illustrate that I'm not afraid to defend a person's right to bear arms.
2.) To show that I believe taking the oath of office is more than just a swearing-in ritual, but something that should be remembered at all times.
3.) To give an example of how I can be a team player and still conduct public business, even when I disagree with other elected officials about an issue.
MY PAST VOTING RECORD
     When I served on the Oakland School Board, our superintendent presented a resolution for the board to enact during our routine business portion of the meeting. In essence, the board was asked to vote to prohibit tobacco, drugs, and firearms on school property. We were told that state education officials had drafted the resolution, and that "all" school districts were (presumably) required to enact it.
     I inquired about law-abiding citizens with concealed weapons permits. Would they be allowed to attend a Friday night football game, for example, with their concealed weapon? The answer was no. NO firearms would be allowed on any school property at any time. This seemed overly restrictive to me. It forced some law-abiding citizens with legitimate concealed weapons permits to leave their guns at home.
     I reflected on when I was elected to the school board, and when I took the oath of office. I swore to defend the U.S. Constitution. Because the U.S. Constitution supersedes any rule or law that a state may enact, I voted against the Oakland School Board resolution that night. I took an oath of office to uphold and defend the U.S. Constitution, not some state bureaucracy.
     The other four board members voted for the resolution. Despite the fact that I was in the minority, I was able to continue working with the board on other issues. Most of the time, we were all in agreement in our voting records.
     The bottom line: I'm not afraid to speak out on an issue, but after the vote is taken, I can move on to other government business without being distracted by past disagreements.
MY FUTURE VOTING RECORD
     As Douglas County Commissioner, I will continue to speak out in support of the U.S. Constitution, whenever it is infringed upon. Gun control is usually a state or national debate that rarely trickles down to the county level. But there are instances where Douglas County Commissioners can exert their influence. For example, it is currently legal for a person with a concealed weapons permit to have their firearm in the Douglas County Courthouse, but not the adjacent Justice Building where the courts are located.
     As Douglas County Commissioner, I will continue to defend the rights of law-abiding citizens to exercise their Second Amendment rights in the courthouse and other public buildings that fall under the jurisdiction of the county commissioners.