Harney County Circuit Judge Robert S. Raschio made the right decision to uphold the 3-day background check limit, which allows a firearm to be transferred if the state cannot complete the background check in a timely manner, (“Measure 114′s background-check requirement that closes ‘Charleston loophole’ remains blocked by judge,” Jan. 3).

Nothing illustrates this more than the massive backlog of background checks that the Oregon State Police cannot or chooses not to process expeditiously. Measure 114 would effectively allow the state an indefinite period for background checks to be completed, thus denying law abiding gun owners the right to buy a firearm.

There is no reason in this day and age why a background check cannot be completed expeditiously. If more time is needed to run a background check, then it is the background check process that needs improving. Adam Smith, the spokesman for the Oregon Alliance for Gun Safety, was quoted saying the ruling favors the gun lobby over voters’ will. I say the judge’s ruling put the interests of the state’s law-abiding gun owners front and center, not the demands of the gun lobby.

Martin J. Claxton, Portland

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