KUOW:

In rural parts of the Northwest, many believe owning a gun is sort of like owning a garden trowel. You just have one or two around.

In November, Washington voters will decide on two gun-related initiatives. Initiative 594, aims to close loopholes on gun sales without background checks and fresh polls say it’s likely to pass. But in rural areas, some people are skeptical the initiative will hit its intended target.

The Ben and Frank Wolf are brothers who farm together in Palouse country in southeast Washington. They run nearly 3,000-acres. The brothers raise wheat, peas, lentils and even loads of garbanzo beans for big-city hummus.

The Wolf brothers have been busy with harvest, so they hadn’t even heard of I-594. And these brothers weren’t too excited to learn that loaning a gun to a friend, a neighbor or a twice-removed relative is going to be harder if it passes. At least, for people who follow the new law.

They say that doesn’t make much sense on this farm.

Just like loaning someone a lawnmower.

“The people who have guns are still going to have them,” Ben said. “And the bad guys who have guns or want them are going to get them one way or the other.”

I-594 says anyone transferring a gun that’s not immediate family needs a background check by a licensed dealer.

Frank and Ben say that’s a problem.

On the one hand, since these are farmers who are working for a living (unlike so many Americans now who live off of the backs of those who do work), I want to be understanding about the lack of time to stay abreast of recent politics.

On the other hand, the right of firearms ownership is one of the most fundamental God grants to us, and there will never be an end to the totalitarians who want to infringe on that right.  It is incumbent upon all men of good faith and who love liberty to monitor the aspirations of evil men and fight back to preserve righteousness.

These men, despite how busy they are, should have known about I-594, as should all other good men in the state of Washington.  And knowing, they should fight back with all of their might.  It will be easier in the long run to kill evil designs before they have become ensconced within the system of laws than live with the consequences of those evil designs.  And it will be easier for the rest of us when those evil designs have had a chance to mature and grow like a cancer.