An AK-47 T-shirt convinced John Curley to sign a petition

KIRO Radio’s John Curley is pro-gun, while his co-host Tom Tangney believes in firearm restrictions.

Yet Curley signed a petition in favor of Initiative 1491 that aims to keep guns out of the hands of the mentally ill. Tangney, meanwhile, would not. Why the odd switch?

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I-1491 is designed to temporarily prevent individuals who are at high risk of harming themselves or others from accessing firearms. It would allow family, household members, and police to obtain a court order when there is demonstrated evidence that the person poses a significant danger. This initiative passed in California and people are trying to get it on the Washington state ballot.

The idea itself doesn’t bother Tom, it’s the process that he feels is to blame.

“I wouldn’t sign this because, as a rule, I don’t sign initiatives — whether I’m in favor of it or against it,” he said. “I think we go to the initiative process too easily and often in this state. But if this gets on the ballot and both sides are expected to get enough signatures, I probably would be voting in favor it.”

John Curley: “You don’t want people to have a voice?”

Tom Tangney: “I think we have a system where voices can be heard that can be better adjudicated. How much of us voters actually have time to investigate and look at the issue? I think initiatives are knee-jerk responses, whether it’s pro-Conservative or pro-Liberal.”

JC: “The man had an AK-47 on his shirt and he asked me to sign (the petition).  When I saw the AK, I said, ‘I like the shirt, I agree with the AK-47, I’m signing the thing. And that’s the research I did.'”

TT: “And because of that, we’re now going to get a chance to vote on it.”

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