Subject: Re: candidate questionnaire
Date: Sat, 31 Aug 2002 01:13:30 -0700
From: Doug Schafer <doug@doug4justice.org
Organization: Ethical Justice for WA -- http://www.doug4justice.org
To: questionnaire@pinkpistols.org
CC: D*** T*** <***@***.com [name redacted at person's request]D*** T*** wrote:
Hello Mr. Schafer,
I'm sending you this candidate questionnaire on behalf of the Pink Pistols.What are the "Pink Pistols"?
We are a shooting group that honors diversity and is open to all shooters. We help bring new shooters into the sport and provide a fun social environment for all
our members. We work to build bridges between the shooting community and other communities, such as those based on alternative sexualities.Do I need to be gay to join?
You don't have to be gay to join us, any more than you have to be Black to support civil rights, or be Jewish to support the JPFO (Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership). We include members from the GLBT, Polyamarous, and BDSM communities, but you don't need to be gay or have an alternative sexuality to join and
shoot with us."Thirty-one states allow all qualified citizens to carry concealed weapons. In those states, homosexuals should embark on organized efforts to become comfortable with guns, learn to use them safely and carry them. They should set up Pink Pistols task forces, sponsor shooting courses and help homosexuals get licensed to carry. And they should do it in a way that gets as much publicity as possible. "
--Jonathan Rauch, Salon Magazine, March 13, 2000Candidate's Questionnaire Page
This section lists questions for all political candidates to answer. Please respond to these questions and email them to questionnaire@pinkpistols.org. All answers
will be made publiclly available at www.pinkpistols.com.
Candidates please note: All answers _must_ be directed to the question asked. Answers that fail to answer the question will not be counted. There are 10 questions with 10 points per question.Candidate's Name : Doug Schafer
Political Party: Nonpartisan
Office you are running for: Washington State Supreme Court, Position 4
State: Washington
County: [statewide]
District:1) Do you believe that the Second Amendment confirms the individual right of every American citizen to possess and use (update of keep and bear) militia/military weapons for individual self-defense, as well as for the defense of the State / National defense?
I have not had occasion to consider the opposing arguments. I have always assumed that we each have a constitutional right to own guns, both handguns and rifles, but I have never had occasion to research the issue. I will keep an open mind and consider the arguments of all sides of the issue. But most likely, the issue will be determined by federal courts and by federal legislation.
2) If elected would you support legislation for the removal of firearm laws and regulations? If your answer is yes, and if you are elected, what specific legislation would you propose/support to ensure that this individual right is protected? Which current laws which infringe upon this individual right would you seek to repeal?
Judges are barred from supporting or opposing legislation, except for laws relating to the administration of the justice system.
3) What do you consider are "legitimate" reasons to own a firearm?
Check as many as apply:
[x] Personal Defense
[x] Home Defense
[x] Defense of your country (Unorganized Militia)
[x] Hunting
[x] Farm Use
[x] Competitive Shooting
[x] Informal Sport Shooting
[x] Informal Target Practice and/or Plinking
[x] Collecting
[x] Constitutional Rights
[x] Other __[Doug added:] suicide preparedness (if terminally ill)
[ ] All of the above
[ ] None of the above4) Would you support the banning of some firearms or ammunition? (IE: Saturday night specials, "assault weapons", Hollow points, and "Safety Slugs") Why and to what extent?
Judicial candidates cannot support or oppose legislation on such issues. My off-the-top-of-my-head views are that machine guns, sawed-off shotguns, and assault rifles may be banned (as I think they are). I don't have any strong feelings one way or the other.
5) Do you believe that firearms and/or firearm owners should be registered? Which ones and why?
My quick answer, without benefit of research or of opposing arguments, is that it seems wise, as a reasonable measure to investigate crime. Just like vehicle ID numbers and license plates and owner registrations facilitate investitating accidents and crime, registrations of guns and their owners would serve the same purpose.
6) Do you support equal rights for all citizens of the United States regardless of the person's sexuality / orientation and / or gender identity/expression?
Yes
7) Which of the following would you be willing to support in regards to same-gender and/or polyamorous marriages and/or civil unions?
Check as many as apply:
[x] Domestic partnerships for same-sex couples
[x] Domestic partnerships for opposite-sex couples
[ ] Domestic partnerships for polyamorous (more than two consenting adults) [Doug replied:] What does "support" mean? May they jointly own a home--sure. May they claim entitlement to treatment as a traditional family--not likely.
[x] Same-sex marriages
[x] Opposite sex marriages (What we have now)
[ ] Polyamarous marriages (between more than two
consenting adults)
[ ] All of the above. Everyone should have equal
rights under the law.
[ ] None of the above. Government has no role in
defining a marriage. Leave it to the church.
[ ]
Other__[Doug replied:] I am comfortable treating committed homosexual couples like married heterosexual ones. I'm not comfortable going beyond that -- treating polyamourous groups as families.8) Do you support the right for people to act as they wish in a private setting, with other consenting adults?
Yes.9) In July 2000 the Police Dept. of Attleboro Massachusetts entered a private party without a search warrant. The party was not open to the public or in the business to make a profit. Any donations given were used to pay rent. When the police entered, they arrested two people. The first person who was arrested organized the event. The second person arrested was arrested because she spanked her consenting adult partner with a wooden spoon. Do you support the actions of the Attleboro police as given in this example? Why?
Not based solely on the facts reported. There must be more to the story. You assert that the first person was arrested for no reason. In Washington state, police are required to arrest at least one whenever domestic violence is encountered.
10) Do you support equal immigration rights for partners of US residents, regardless of their sexuality / orientation and / or gender identity/expression?
Sexuality and gender identity should not be factors in immigration decisions.
Do you have an additional statement to make that is not covered by this questionnaire? Use as much space as you wish.
Please see my election campaign website:
http://www.doug4justice.org . And see my 2nd cousin's website:
http://www.highmountainranch.com/
D*** K*** wrote:Mr Schafer,
I note in your response to question #1, you didn't actually address the question. Please restate your answer -- otherwise it's an automatic 0 out of 10 points. Unlike question #2, this had a direct bearing on your position as a Judge.
To answer your requestions regarding #7, Support means the same rights and privileges that a traditional married family has. This includes the right to
act on their spouse's behalf when they are incapacitated (IE: On death bed),
and all of the 12,000 (If I remember the number correctly) rights that come
with marriage in the United States.I hope this helps.
Sincerely,
D*** K***
d***@pinkpistols.org
Subject: Re: candidate questionnaire
Date: Sat, 31 Aug 2002 09:55:37 -0700
From: Doug Schafer <doug@doug4justice.org
Organization: Ethical Justice for WA -- http://www.doug4justice.org
To: d***@***.comMr. K***,
I responded honestly to your Question #1, stating my long-held assumption. Please re-read my answer. I have never had reason to research the issue in sufficient depth to form a firm "I believe this" or "I believe that" position on the breadth of the Second Amendment. I don't own a handgun, though I've thought several times of getting one.
I am well aware that there are profound differences of opinion among lawyers who have researched the Second Amendment issues deeply, and between federal circuit courts of appeal. See Robert Levy's 7/24/02 article about a potential U.S. Supreme Court case that hopefully will resolve most issues in the national debate. We need a case from our highest court.
If my open-mindedness (though tilted toward gun owners) earns me your score of zero, then so be it. Integrity comes at such a price.
Doug Schafer.
Subject: Re: candidate questionnaire
Date: Sat, 31 Aug 2002 16:30:42 -0700 (PDT)
From: D*** T*** <***@***.com>
To: Doug Schafer <doug@doug4justice.org>Thank you for your very prompt response.
I do not agree with you on firearm registration for history has shown that registration eventually leads to confiscation (Canada, Australia, and England are just a few examples that have taken place in the last 10 years, and of course the classic examples of Nazi Germany and all Communist Countries). Nevertheless, you have my vote and support for the following reasons:
- an informative website with your position
- a healthy ethical mindset
- background in business
- minimal disposition to state/act on an issue without proper researchThank you and best of luck.
Subject: Re: candidate questionnaire
Date: Mon, 02 Sep 2002 16:58:39 -0400
From: K** <d***@*****.com>
To: Doug Schafer <doug@doug4justice.org>I stand corrected regarding question #1. Please accept my apologies.
Subject: Re: candidate questionnaire
Date: Mon, 02 Sep 2002 14:23:34 -0700
From: Doug Schafer <doug@doug4justice.org>
Organization: Ethical Justice for WA -- http://www.doug4justice.org
To: K*** <d***@***.com>D*** K***,
Thanks. And thanks for getting folks involved in looking closely at candidates for elected judicial position candidates. I strongly believe that nonlawyers must become more involved in shaping the policies of our judicial branch of government.
Doug Schafer, Candidate for Washington State Supreme Court, Pos. 4