“[T]he League of Women Voters of Oregon takes issue with the headline’s use of the term “gun control” for a bill that has nothing to do with gun control and everything to do with suicide and domestic violence prevention. SB 719 gives judges the authority to issue “extreme risk protection orders” to remove deadly weapons from those who are deemed to be at imminent risk of harming themselves or others.
In our polarized environment, words matter, and the way an issue is framed is critical. The term “gun control” implies one side is trying to exert dominance over another, rather than making a sincere attempt to combat Oregon’s high rates of suicide and domestic violence. In the future, we urge you to use more accurate terms, such as “gun safety” or “gun violence prevention.””