As Colorado’s Senate Judiciary Committee debated gun bills at the capitol, Delta County Commissioners heard con and pro on the enforcement of the pending legislation at their regular meeting this week.
First there was Charlie Huff, who read a statement on the “infringement of Second Amendment rights to own, possess and bear firearms.” "I would want to know," he read, "whether you are considering making a public written statement at some time with regard to absolutely prohibiting enforcement or prosecution within Delta County of any resident for any legislation, at any level of government, including federal, Colorado state, county or municipal town which is blatantly an infringement upon the second amendment, constitutionally guaranteed natural rights to own, possess and bear firearms as we individually see fit and appropriate for our individual or collective when necessary and appropriate needs for our recreation, personal self-defense against criminal assault of individuals of one or more, a mob or even criminal government. Now it’s my understanding and I trust it’s your understanding that that is the purpose of the second amendment."
Chairman Doug Atchley said the commissioners had sworn to uphold the Second Amendment, as well as all the other amendments, as part of their oath of office. He noted that while the commissioners hold the purse-strings of the sheriff’s office, the sheriff is responsible for enforcement. Huff responded that the current Sheriff, Fred McKee, a prominent pro-gun advocate, has made his views known on the issue of enforcement.
Huff said, "You know I’m not really worried right about now with regard to the sheriff we have in office, because I think he understands these principles and is willing to abide his oath to abide (by) the constitution."
Then there was Bob Laitres, who disagreed. "I’ve been shot at," he said. "I’ve been the victim of a crime. So I reported it, that’s law enforcement. That’s what we have ‘em for. We don’t need posses (guns) or anything like that – that’s not civilized. I think we better stop this I wanna gun, I wanna gun. You’re going back to a primitive way of thinking. Somebody disagrees with you and bang. You don’t run a civilized country with guns. People pick up guns, I understand, I say the problem is not guns, the problem is people pick up a gun, and load the gun with a totally unloaded mind, or misloaded."
