Yakima County Sheriff stands by constitution (WA)

Seattle Gun Rights Examiner ^ | 23 January, 2013 | Dave Workman

[marktwain]

One month after Yakima County Sheriff Ken Irwin posted a message on his department’s website explaining that he would uphold both the state and federal constitutional provisions on the right to keep and bear arms, his statement is suddenly catching fire on the internet.

Irwin, who has been sheriff of the large central-Washington county – which stretches from the Columbia River sagebrush in its northeast corner to the Cascade Crest – posted the note back on Dec. 22. But it was apparently not until this week that gun rights activists became aware of it, thanks to a story on KAPP news in Yakima on Tuesday.

Because the nature of Sheriff Irwin’s remarks so closely reflect what has happened elsewhere since President Barack Obama last week essentially declared war on gun owners and the firearms industry – with sheriffs in several states saying they would not enforce regulations they believe are unconstitutional – a lot of people outside of central Washington are paying attention.

The White House has not reacted to these sheriffs.

Here is what Sheriff Irwin posted:

"As your elected sheriff for these past twelve years, I have renewed my oath each time you elected me to this high office, “I, Kenneth William Irwin, being first duly sworn upon oath, do depose and say that I will support the Constitution of the United States and laws of the State of Washington and faithfully and impartially discharge and perform the duties of SHERIFF of Yakima County, Washington, according to the best of my abilities, so help me God.” Both the Constitution of the United States (in the 2nd Amendment) and the Washington State Constitution (in Article 1, Section 24) include the right of the people to keep and bear arms.

[marktwain]

A Washington Sheriff upholds the Constitution.

[Resolute Conservative]

Better be careful or all the poofers on the other side of Snoqualmie Pass will rally to ban him from Starbucks.

[kitkat]

BUMP

[DoodleDawg]

Am I missing the part where he says he won’t enforce any laws that he thinks are unconstitutional? He says he’s sworn to uphold the state and federal Constitutions. He says that enforcement efforts should not target specific kinds of guns. He says that lawful gun owners should not be penalized by new laws. He says that we should focus on the perpetrators. I agree with all of this. But I don’t see where he says he’s taking a stand on whether he will enforce the new laws or not.

[GBA]

One's right to self defense in our ever more dangerous world should be fairly easy to understand and to make personal and the threat to take that right away by politicians should be easy to understand and to make personal.

For example, anyone who was smaller growing up, the new kid in school, different for whatever reason (fat, wore glasses, too poor/too rich, wrong race/color, too smart, too stupid, too ugly, too attractive etc.) and picked on, is female and vulnerable, is a parent or guardian with kid(s) to protect, was a victim or robbery and/or assault, rape, etc. will have little trouble understanding both fear of becoming a victim and having the right to self protection taken away.

Your enemy is anyone or anything that wishes to cause you and yours harm. Your enemy is anyone or anything that increases your vulnerability and/or the danger you face is the enemy.

We are one of three types: sheep, sheepdogs and wolves.

Our enemy is anyone or anything that makes us sheep and increases the wolves' the advantage.

[Baynative]

He repeated his statement that is clear as to his constitutional responsibility to protect the citizens that elected him - that includes from government infringements of their constitutional rights.

"As your elected sheriff for these past twelve years, I have renewed my oath each time you elected me to this high office, “I, Kenneth William Irwin, being first duly sworn upon oath, do depose and say that I will support the Constitution of the United States and laws of the State of Washington and faithfully and impartially discharge and perform the duties of SHERIFF of Yakima County, Washington, according to the best of my abilities, so help me God.” Both the Constitution of the United States (in the 2nd Amendment) and the Washington State Constitution (in Article 1, Section 24) include the right of the people to keep and bear arms.

I believe he is part of the Oath Keepers organization.