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Oak Harbor Councilman Rick Almberg faces backlash after proposing gun ban

BY Jillian Raftery  on January 28, 2013 @ 4:29 pm (Updated: 5:47 pm - 1/28/13 )


It was alright for Lucas Yonkman to carry a weapon in Afghanistan, but Oak Harbor Councilman Rick Almberg thought it was inappropriate when he brought a licensed gun to a City Council meeting.

Now the Councilman's attempt to take away Lucas's gun has prompted backlash from gun rights advocates, and the mayor of Oak Harbor himself.

Lucas, an Army veteran who served for a year and was wounded by an IED in Afghanistan, told the Dori Monson Show that he carries a gun every day for protection; he has a concealed carry permit.

Lucas said that he didn't even plan on speaking at the meeting, but that he wanted to show the Council that it wasn't just dangerous people who carry guns. He was speaking in response to a city ordinance banning guns from city parks.

That city ordinance is illegal. In October the City Council got a letter from the Second Amendment Foundation that told them the law was in conflict with the Washington State constitution.

Changing the illegal ordinance was first addressed at a December 18 meeting, but was tabled by Council members. At the next meeting several people came to support the change, openly carrying guns. It was that last meeting on January 15 that Councilman Almberg proposed a motion targeting Lucas Yonkman's concealed weapon.

After hearing Lucas talk about carrying a gun, Almberg tried to pass a resolution to take it away.

"Well, I'm going to make a motion: if we have somebody who is in the chambers armed, it is not necessary. I'll make a motion that we ask them to check their weapon with the police chief," said Councilman Almberg at the meeting. "Or to leave the premises."

When the motion didn't pass, Almberg walked out of the meeting.

Lucas told the Dori Monson Show that he was surprised that Councilman Almberg targeted him with the motion.

"I kind of told everyone that I was trained with a weapon so they would be comfortable around me," said Yonkman. "I was glad that the motion didn't pass, and that they didn't try to put law enforcement in a place where they would be breaking the law by attempting to disarm me."

It wasn't illegal to carry a weapon in the building, and Lucas said he wasn't carrying his gun openly because he didn't want to make anyone uncomfortable: his weapon was strictly for personal protection.

"I had an issue with that," Oak Harbor Mayor Scott Dudley told Dori. "That will not prevent the individual whom is going to commit a crime or unlawful act from barging in and taking us out."

Mayor Dudley called Lucas a hero, first for his military service, and secondly for standing up for his and others' second amendment rights. He disagreed with Councilman Almberg's response to Lucas.

"You don't walk out of a City Council meeting," said Mayor Dudley. "You still have a job to do."

Dori thought Councilman Almberg's questions sounded like an interrogation.

And to Dori the whole story was absurd: Councilman Almberg thought it was fine for Lucas to carry a gun and risk his life in Afghanistan, but objects to Lucas legally carrying a gun at home, after undergoing extensive training and background checks.

And Dori observed that Yonkman's motivation for carrying a weapon was the same in Oak Harbor as it was overseas: to protect himself and anyone else in the room who might be threatened.

Jillian Raftery, Social Media Captain
Jillian Raftery is a social media captain for the Dori Monson Show. She loves the neighborly vibe of the Pacific Northwest and spends as much time as possible outdoors.
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Comments (25)


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  • imanegro wrote...
    Almberg is a wiener
    January 28, 2013 5:47 pm
    Molon Labe.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • tlmbrt wrote...
    This is
    January 28, 2013 5:49 pm
    how the LEFT operates. No concern for the law or constitution, it's all about THEM. They think they are right and everyone else is wrong. Most of them are ignorant and only go on knee jerk emotion or whatever is the groupthink "cause" of the day. No thought whatsoever of addressing what is causing mentally ill people to kill. Instead, they go after an inanimate object (guns) because it's EASIER and CHEAPER than the alternatives! Banning guns does NOTHING to stop crime. Criminals DON'T FOLLOW THE LAW. They would still get guns, but the law abiding citizen would be disarmed. "Gun Free Zones" are bullseyes painted on schools and communities telling criminals that there are easy pickings!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Clearwater3 wrote...
    I'm curious...
    January 28, 2013 6:32 pm
    ...that if as a wounded vetering Mr Yonkman is receiving compensation for PTSD. If so, the status of that adjudication probably should have prevented him from aquiring a concealed weapons premit.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • XBradTC wrote...
    Curious.
    January 28, 2013 8:26 pm
    Will the slanders about wounded veterans never cease? We have absolutely NO way of knowing whether Mr. Yonkman is receiving compensation for PTSD, has applied for it, or has ever even suffered from symptoms of it. But even if any or all of those were true, they would not be grounds to infringe upon his 2nd Amendment rights. A determination of disability from PTS is an administrative action, not a legal action by the courts. A person might have full disability rating, and yet not lose any of his natural rights. Have any of the OHPD, Island County Sheriff's Deputies, or Washington State Patrol ever sought treatment for depression, anxiety, mood disorders, sleeplessness or other mental issues? You bet. And yet they still carry their weapons. Until Mr. Yonkman displays character flaws by his actions, or until a court, and not a bureaucrat, rules on his fitness, his permit should be issued and valid.
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  • Clearwater3 wrote...
    What slander?
    January 28, 2013 9:44 pm
    I only asked the question, and I haven't assumed any fact. However, if Mr Yonkman is indeed found to be disabled due to PTSD, I believe he is precluded from gun ownership.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • XBradTC wrote...
    nope
    January 29, 2013 8:53 am
    You believe incorrectly.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • RonJ wrote...
    I precude
    January 29, 2013 9:38 am
    that your wrong and have no idea what your talking about.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • RonJ wrote...
    And your "probably"
    January 29, 2013 9:36 am
    qualified to make that decision and enforce it?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • camocoug wrote...
    Answer
    January 29, 2013 4:37 pm
    As another commented having a service connected disability is an administrative determination not legal. A service connection provides monetary compensation for injuries incurred during service an opens the door for needed medical care for such injury. I am a veteran of Iraq and have such a service connection, yet I still serve my country as a civil servant in the government (which required a clearance) and I have a concealed pistol license. PTSD is simply a broad designation that refers simply to anxiety or depression or other behaviors and doesn't signify severity either. Suggesting that a veteran with PTSD shouldn't be allowed to legally carry a pistol is like telling a rape victim that he or she cannot carry for protection due to their traumatic experience. If you want to understand more about PTSD please volunteer at your local VA hospital.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • mpgunner wrote...
    expose them all
    January 28, 2013 6:35 pm
    For how stupid liberal's think (or don't think). Thank this guy for his service.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • rational wrote...
    Oaths?
    January 28, 2013 8:17 pm
    Do councilmen take oaths of office? Perhaps ones that promise to uphold the constitution? If so, time for a recall election.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • CH wrote...
    Thank this guy for his service .....
    January 28, 2013 8:23 pm
    to Bush?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Cash wrote...
    Clearwater
    January 28, 2013 9:15 pm
    You are a jerk.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Clearwater3 wrote...
    Perhaps...
    January 28, 2013 9:47 pm
    ...but I am also a responsible gun owner who doesn't think that grandstanding serves any purpose. If Mr Yonkman is so concerned about his personal safety at an Oak Harbor city council meeting that he feels it necessary to arm himself, perhaps we'd all be better off if he just stayed home.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Chrisfrommv wrote...
    Clearwater
    January 29, 2013 12:17 am
    An old motto, Always be prepared for the worst and hope for the best. I have much respect for this guy, and I applaude him for his service overseas and here. There are many of us who choose to carry about anywhere we go. You may not see it, but thats how we like it. Believe me I feel safer knowing that more and more legal, law-abiding, licensed ccw or open carry people are around.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • RonJ wrote...
    Mr. Yonkman
    January 29, 2013 9:41 am
    is an honorable young man from a respected family in Oak Harbor. I believe he feels, as a lot of us do, that it's prudent to be prepared. He wasn't the only one armed at the meeting and he won't be the last.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • RonJ wrote...
    Cash
    January 29, 2013 9:39 am
    the last resort for an argument that doesn't hold water is to start name calling. Brilliant work.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Amorget wrote...
    Much of Island County
    January 28, 2013 9:30 pm
    Has issues like this with the councils, hopefully this will wake up the voters to get these idiots out of government.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • RonJ wrote...
    The trouble with Island
    January 29, 2013 9:43 am
    County is the North End has most of the normal thinking people whilst mid and south Island are full of some of the wackiest people on earth.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • kd7eck2 wrote...
    Why is this buried in the news??
    January 29, 2013 5:40 am
    I noticed this is not even a news item beyond here. Seems to have been buried or "hushed" for some reason------HMMMM!!!!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Josh in Puyallup wrote...
    Who was the other guy?
    January 29, 2013 8:31 am
    Who was the other guy that seconded the motion and sided with Almberg? He needs just as much scrutiny!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
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