Civil Liberties
Oregon’s Ghost Gun Ban: A Direct Attack on Law-Abiding Citizens
By AAF | Sep 5, 2024
Oregon’s new so-called “Ghost Gun” ban, which took effect on September 1, 2024, represents a direct attack on the rights of law-abiding citizens. By criminalizing the ownership of firearms without serial numbers, the state has effectively targeted those who respect the law, forcing them into compliance with a draconian mandate. Meanwhile, criminals — who, by definition, do not follow laws — remain unaffected. This law will do nothing to curb illegal gun use or violent crime but immediately makes criminals out of everyday citizens exercising their Second Amendment rights.
Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum stated, “Responsible gun ownership means respecting the gun laws of our state, and that now includes a ban on unserialized and undetectable ‘ghost guns.’”
Yet this view ignores the fact that responsible gun owners are not the ones committing violent crimes. The real impact of this ban will be on hobbyists, collectors, and citizens exercising their constitutional right to bear arms. Further cementing her oppressive government sentiment, Rosenblum concluded, “For the safety of your families and communities, please make sure you understand our new law and that you are in compliance [emphasis added].”
Worse still, this law imposes a registration requirement on firearms dating back to 1968, with severe consequences for noncompliance. If a citizen is found possessing a firearm without a serial number, they will face a Class A misdemeanor charge. A second offense carries a penalty of up to 364 days in jail, fines up to $6,250, or both. A third offense becomes a Class B felony. This charge comes with a potential 10-year prison sentence and fines of up to $250,000.
Even simply possessing components that could be used to manufacture an unserialized firearm, like unfinished frames or receivers, is now illegal. This raises the question of whether prosecutors will stack multiple charges to increase penalties.
This new law turned otherwise law-abiding citizens into criminals overnight, simply because they have chosen to own or build firearms that comply with federal law but now run afoul of Oregon’s overreaching state legislation.
The broad mandate forces citizens into a federal gun registry, something any liberty-loving American should view with grave concern. Government registries are a slippery slope toward even more intrusive forms of control, eroding privacy and increasing the likelihood of future gun confiscation.
Oregon’s new law is not about public safety but about expanding government power at the expense of constitutional rights.
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