TLDR: With the protests going on surrounding Roe v. Wade, and taking some initiative from California's lawmakers, I believe that lawmakers in Oregon should prohibit the use of tear gas and rubber bullets to break up crowds at protests. I want to present this issue to the Governor and other local elected officials- but first would like to establish some support from the people to back up my cause.

Important Information Links:

CDC's Article: Effects of tear gas and other "riot control agents"

PBS Article: Rubber Bullets

Study: Rubber Bullet Effects 

California's Assembly Bill 48

What I want you to know:

In light of SCOTUS' recent decision regarding Roe v. Wade,  we have seen thousands of people have taken to the streets to the streets to speak out against the outcomes of this decision across the country, even in states- like Oregon- where abortion remains legal and protected.

Many of these protesters, peaceful or not, have been met with force from the police in the form of what the CDC calls "riot control agents," commonly known as things like tear gas; and these can cause more damage to an individual than one may think, and may even result in death when an individual is exposed to a high amount, in close quarters. There is also a likelihood of permanent damage to the eyes and respiratory system, and chances only get higher depending on how quickly someone is removed from the area and they are cleaned off properly (something that is not attainable for everyone). 

More information on the side effects of these agents can be found at: https://emergency.cdc.gov/agent/riotcontrol/factsheet.asp#:~:text=Eyes%3A%20excessive%20tearing%2C%20burning%2C,(wheezing)%2C%20shortness%20of%20breath 

As well as: https://www.lung.org/clean-air/outdoors/what-makes-air-unhealthy/toxic-air-pollutants/tear-gas

Another common tool utilized by law enforcement to break up crowds at protests are rubber bullets. Before doing research, I imagined these to be something similar to a paintball in size, made of rubber; but upon researching I have learned that this is not the case. From what I have gathered, these projectiles vary in size- some being much larger than standard ammunition, even for rifles- and many contain a metal core; so they are not so much like a rubber paintball after all. These projectiles have actually been known (according to a 2017 study) to cause fatalities 3% of the time, making the term "non-lethal weapon" not quite accurate; and even so, 15% of people involved in the same study were said to have sustained life-long injuries from these projectiles.  

More information can be found at: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/at-close-range-police-fire-rubber-bullets-that-can-maim-or-kill-protesters

Now I know- these things are more commonly utilized at riots, and these are a whole different animal than constitutionally-protected peaceful demonstrations; but why should they be allowed to be used in the event of a peaceful demonstration at all? I think that people deserve to feel safe in speaking out for something they believe in, especially at the hands of those who are meant to protect them. 

It is undeniable that the recent SCOTUS decision is going to result in some pushback, and as a state whose people (in general) and their elected officials  disagree with such a decision, we should be more than eager to let our people speak for what they, and many of us all believe in, so long as they are not endangering others, or destroying property. People will be angry, they will yell, they will march, they will group together and voice their frustrations, and if they march the streets, it may take a while for them to cross the street; but they should not be treated like violent, dangerous criminals for making such a choice. It is within our right to voice these frustrations, and hope that those who represent us see it and take action. 

I think that we should take inspiration from California's Assembly Bill 48 and limit law enforcement's ability to utilize such force against peaceful protesters, even if the crowd feels too big to them. Feel free to read through the PDF document that details the sanctions posed by this bill, as it will be the model I use when making a proposition to local legislators. At which point I have created my own proposition or made progress with local legislators, I will publish an update through this petition for its supporters. 

What you can do:

For now, I encourage you to contact these people yourself- if you are invested in this cause- and help me in protecting those who are speaking for their rights, my rights, my families rights, and the rights of millions of people across the country who possess the reproductive organs capable of carrying out a pregnancy.

You can visit: 

https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/house/Pages/RepresentativesAll.aspx       

to get in contact with our congress members. 

You can visit: 

https://www.oregon.gov/gov/pages/meet-the-governor.aspx

to get in contact with Governor Kate Brown via the Share Your Opinion form, or call her office at (503) 378-4582. 

You can visit: 

https://sos.oregon.gov/blue-book/Pages/local.aspx

to get in contact with local elected officials in your county or city to press this issue. For Eugene, click here. For Lane County as a whole, click here.

 

And please, share this petition on social media and get the word out! 

Thank you for taking the time to hear my voice.