What is You Right of Free Speech?
Did you know that just the words "I am going to kick your bubblegum" are enough to land you in Jail for a year and be fined $6000." Last week I was returning home from Klamath falls. One of the roads I often take fronts the Lost River. I was driving down the straightaway on the two lane road fronting a ranch on the right side. There was a vehicle parked three feet from the other side of the fence. As I approached there was a woman sitting in front of the vehicle on the ground in a marksman shooting position pointing a rifle right at me. I am sure she wasn't aiming at me but you get the picture. There was a man at the back of the vehicle standing who was also holding a rifle slung over his shoulder. I turned around in the first driveway and came back. I parked on the other side of the road, got out of the car and said, "Did you know that in Oregon its against the law to point a firearm in the direction of another person?" The first words out of the man's mouth were, "If you don't get the f#$* out of here I'm going to kick your bubblegum!" He was maybe 6.2" and looked to be in good shape, maybe 35 years old. I am 5'7 and 75 years old. Far be it for me to argue with two people holding guns. I wrote down his license plate number and when I arrived home I sent off an email to the Klamath County Sheriff Department. Within ten minutes a rural patrol deputy called me on the telephone. The next day I received a call from a sheriff department homicide detective requesting that I come in for an interview. The interview lasted for about an hour. I was given a disclosure form to sign and then shown photo line up pictures one for the man and one for the woman. That was yesterday and today I received a call from the sheriff himself. He wanted to assure me that he was following up on my complaint.
I would not have made the complaint if I thought it would be that big of a deal. It was not like I thought they were sniping oncoming cars just to ignorant to possess a hunting license. The detective asked me if I thought they were shooting prairie dogs and I replied yes. It just goes to show how much trouble a person can get into by saying six words. He better not be in possession of a firearm when he makes a verbal threat and above all, the other person better not be his significant other.
Did you know that just the words "I am going to kick your bubblegum" are enough to land you in Jail for a year and be fined $6000." Last week I was returning home from Klamath falls. One of the roads I often take fronts the Lost River. I was driving down the straightaway on the two lane road fronting a ranch on the right side. There was a vehicle parked three feet from the other side of the fence. As I approached there was a woman sitting in front of the vehicle on the ground in a marksman shooting position pointing a rifle right at me. I am sure she wasn't aiming at me but you get the picture. There was a man at the back of the vehicle standing who was also holding a rifle slung over his shoulder. I turned around in the first driveway and came back. I parked on the other side of the road, got out of the car and said, "Did you know that in Oregon its against the law to point a firearm in the direction of another person?" The first words out of the man's mouth were, "If you don't get the f#$* out of here I'm going to kick your bubblegum!" He was maybe 6.2" and looked to be in good shape, maybe 35 years old. I am 5'7 and 75 years old. Far be it for me to argue with two people holding guns. I wrote down his license plate number and when I arrived home I sent off an email to the Klamath County Sheriff Department. Within ten minutes a rural patrol deputy called me on the telephone. The next day I received a call from a sheriff department homicide detective requesting that I come in for an interview. The interview lasted for about an hour. I was given a disclosure form to sign and then shown photo line up pictures one for the man and one for the woman. That was yesterday and today I received a call from the sheriff himself. He wanted to assure me that he was following up on my complaint.
I would not have made the complaint if I thought it would be that big of a deal. It was not like I thought they were sniping oncoming cars just to ignorant to possess a hunting license. The detective asked me if I thought they were shooting prairie dogs and I replied yes. It just goes to show how much trouble a person can get into by saying six words. He better not be in possession of a firearm when he makes a verbal threat and above all, the other person better not be his significant other.
