An Oregon lawmaker has posted personal information of several Portland interreligious leaders because they are sponsoring a proposal to ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.
"I find it a very strange thing in this era of Facebook, data being released and concerns about privacy that the state representative would choose to release someone's personal information without their permission," Rabbi Michael Z. Cahana of Congregation Beth Israel in Oregon, told Newsweek. "What I feel is unfair is releasing of personal information by a person of power."
Pastor W. J. Mark Knutson of Augustana Lutheran Church, whose information was also posted, shares the same sentiment. "Let us not use tactics that are just wrong," he told Newsweek. "We're adults, we need to help model that."
Knutson adds that while the local lawmaker has the right to "speak his mind," one has to question his motive.
According to The Oregonian, Republican Representative Bill Post asked a Facebook group to contact Rabbi Michael Cahana, the Rev. Alcena Boozer of St. Philip the Deacon Episcopal Church and Pastor W. J. Mark of Augustana Lutheran Church.
They are petitioners of an initiative launched last week to a proposal which the Oregon lawmaker has labeled as a "gun confiscation ballot measure" to The Oregonian.
Their new gun proposal would outlaw any sale or possession of assault weapons and large capacity magazines in Oregon starting in 2019.
While Cahana adds that the calls have been "polite" and non-threatening, some emails and Facebook messages attacked him. For example, an email that was shared to Newsweek called for Cahana to withdraw the assault rifle ban. One such line read: "You are a Rabbi; you know what is happening to Jews in France, England, and Germany, and everywhere else Jews are unable to defend themselves."
After the deadly shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, which killed 17 students and staff members, the movement for gun control has intensified since Feb 14. Portland's own religious leaders have said the tragedy impacted them to step up efforts.
"Our plan was to move this through the legislature through time and really its the young people since the Parkland shooting who have inspired us to pick up the pace," Cahana said. "We're following their lead."
The religious leaders are working to gather more than 88,000 signatures by July, which they expect to exceed that mark, in order for the petition to be included on the ballot for November's general election.
"2nd Amendment yes, weapons of war, no" Knutson said. "Children studying, hiding underneath desks, no. Teachers free to teach, yes."
Earlier this month, Oregon became the first state to enact tougher firearm regulations in the aftermath of Parkland. Introduced in January, it was pushed forward after the tragedy, and now banned anyone with a domestic violence conviction to own a firearm. It closed up a loophole of an existing law, which only termed married partners with a domestic violence of stalking conviction from owning a firearm.
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