Maybe…

KATU’s website tells us today that Oregon lawmakers want to ban smoking in privately owned vehicles carrying passengers under 16 years of age.

Are you kidding me? I am not a smoker, and I support fully the efforts to ban smoking in public places. However, I’m not about to get into a smoker’s car and tell them that they can’t smoke just because I don’t like it.

I can understand putting limits on cell phone usage in a vehicle for safety reasons. I can understand seat belt requirements - it saves lives. However, telling someone that they cannot smoke a cigarette in their own vehicle in the presence of anyone under 16 is outrageous. This simply goes too far.

Back in my home state of Georgia, you were able to carry a handgun in your car on the front passenger seat without need for a concealed weapon permit. A person’s vehicle was considered an extension of their home. As long as the handgun was not stuffed in some compartment then it wasn’t considered concealed. Oregon seems to have a similar definition, although a state appeals court has recently ruled that a person’s vehicle, while not public itself, utilizes a public street and acts as a container for a handgun whether visible on the seat or stuffed in a compartment.

This ruling is contrary to the common interpretation of Oregon law, according to the Oregon Firearms Federation: “It has always been our position that open carry in a vehicle was clearly protected by Oregon law. ORS 166.250 clearly states that except for CHL holders, it is concealed carry in a vehicle that is prohibited. It further states that the prohibition against concealed, loaded carry in a vehicle does not apply to ‘a recreational vessel or recreational vehicle while used, for whatever period of time, as residential quarters.’”

Is your vehicle an extension of your home? Should you be limited to when you can smoke in your vehicle?

The bigger question is, are we going too far with this drive to ban smoking? Can this be considered an invasion of some sort?

In the fall of 2008, Portland Community College initiated phase one of a two-phase plan to ban smoking on all campuses. Phase one moved previous smoking areas off the common campus grounds away from high traffic areas. Phase two set for fall 2009 will complete ban smoking anywhere on any campus. I have to assume this also includes while sitting in your parked car on their property.

I feel that the steps taken by PCC are extreme, an effort to ride the anti-smoking wave that has now hit Oregon. It seems that our state legislators also want to capitalize on the negative public sentiment of smoking.

So, what do you think?

It baffles my mind…

President Obama (I LOVE SAYING THAT) had a cocktail party last night at the White House to celebrate passage of the stimulus package in the House of Representatives. What blows my mind is that he invited a handfull of repooblicans - NONE of which voted for the stimulus bill. In fact, there was not a single repooblican who voted in favor of it. Yet President Obama decided to invite them to his house for a party. I suppose if you have a repooblican anywhere around you, booze is in order.

Do we really need the republican party any more? I mean, really…

They all love the Guantanamo, let’s send ‘em there. I hear they serve Orange Glazed Chicken and Rice Pilaf.

It is awful just how much I have forgotten over the last eight years. For example, I had forgotten that the President of the United States can actually say to a megahonkin’ bank like Citigroup that it isn’t in the interest of the country that is giving you $45,000,000,000 as a bailout to have you go and buy a brand new shiny $50,000,000 jet for your corporate fat-asses.

This reveals so much about the corporate view of our government. They’ve had their way for the last eight years with zero regulation or oversight. Those days are over, dear friends, and that is coming right from the top.

Do not pass go, do NOT collect any more corporate jets.

Quick intro. I’m Jason Evans, wannabe snarkster columnist for whoever thinks they’d want to hire me, as well as full-time student in a sign language interpreting program.

I’m not new to the blogosphere. I was blogging originally back in 2003/2004 with a site called “What in the Blue Hell?” which I used to kvetch and complain about a number things political and local.

I also used the site to chronicle my battle for marriage equality, including the trip my partner and I took to San Francisco on Valentine’s Day, 2004, to get married.

Thanks to the very generous invitation of Kari Chisholm back in the day, I was one of the original contributors to BlueOregon.com, a site which has grown and become one of the leading sources of information and discussion for Oregon progressives and liberals (and a few grumpy conservatives and neocons - just for flavor).

I really want to get back into the swing of things so hopefully this will be a great start.

Thanks to ALL of you who’ve worked your tail-feathers off to get Oregon Blogs back! I am so incredibly appreciative of your efforts. I don’t have the skills to help, so I have to rely on you good folks.

Take care,
Jason
Portland, OR