Dear Speaker Boehner, I am sure you were as shocked and saddened as I was at the recent loss of life due to the shootings in Arizona recently. I am praying for the victims and their families, and I am sure you are doing the same.
I am writing to ask that you try and quell the rampant EMOTIONS (or nefarious, freedom-robbing agendas) that this shooting entails in some, and as a legislator, encourage all to just deal with the FACTS and LOGIC (unlike public official, Sheriff Dupnik) when it comes to any and all proposed gun control legislation stemming from this shooting. The reason for my request is that there are some in congress already calling for yet more gun control to be passed due to this aberration. Luckily, that is EXACTLY what this shooting was - an extremely unfortunate event, but also, an extremely RARE event.
This is no time to do what the progressives and liberals amongst us (including Nanny/Police-state RINOs like Rep. King) want, which is a further erosion of our liberties, freedoms, and CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS, especially our 2nd Amendment rights. The VAST majority of gun owning citizens in this country, MILLIONS of us, are law-abiding and practice our 2nd Amendment rights on a daily basis. This is accomplished WITHOUT harming ourselves, our loved ones, or our fellow citizens. In fact, as studies prove, many of us are able to DEFEND those same people, often without a shot being fired.
In light of that, please fight the attempts by some who would let EMOTION and/or a far-left AGENDA override LOGIC and FREEDOM, on the backs of the victims of a tragedy such as this. President Obama's former chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, once said of his fellow progressive/liberal democrats, "You never want a serious crisis to go to waste". I believe this is why perennial gun CONTROL fanatics, Rep. McCarthy and Senator Lautenberg, have already introduced yet more (as if 20,000 PLUS laws aren't MUCH MORE than enough in a FREE society) gun control legislation before all of the victims are even buried and at rest.
As usual, this proposed legislation has no basis in reality - it would NOT have stopped the tragedy, and as such, is yet more useless, freedom-robbing, "feel-good" nonsense from the usual suspects on the left. They are ALL about CONTROL, and I think we've had enough of that from the current administration and the previous left-led congress for the last 2-4 years.
Most Americans want a repeal of big government legislation, including any and all gun control that does NOTHING to stop crime, but only robs us of our freedoms. We do NOT need or want more Nanny/Police-State controls placed on our lives and infringing upon our Constitutional rights, as these usual suspects want to import from the various "Peoples Republics" they hail from.
I implore you to STOP any and all proposed gun control DEAD IN ITS TRACKS, both now, and all through your tenure in Congress.
Let FREEDOM endure, and ENHANCE it at every turn.
Thank you.
Sincerely, my full name
Former Active Duty Marine NRA Benefactor Life Member
I did a search for Lott and it did not come up that this story had already been posted previously.
I just found it while looking at the banglist.
It IS a great article by Mr. Lott.
In regard to a proposed law by Representative King and Senator Lautenberg to forbid carrying a gun within 1,000 feet of an elected federal official or federal judge, I think the unaddressed problem here has to do with inflammatory rhetoric. For just one example consider that in Fairfax County Virginia guns appear to live passive lives. However, as soon as they cross the Potomac River and enter the Anacostia area of Washington D.C., they become psychopaths when hearing rules associated with rigid gun control legislation.
We need to take a lead from the Obama administration, which has excised such phrases as unlawful enemy combatant and war on terror from any discussion surrounding the events of 9/11 and thereafter. Guns need to understand we are not at war with them. If we approach them with an open mind and without preconditions, then we can arrive at lasting détente.
Using this more embracing, benevolent approach to interacting with guns; legislation should consider ways to make guns feel welcome. Representative King and Senator Lautenberg should propose that individuals with a concealed carry permit, who attend an event at which a Congress person or federal judge appears, must be not more than 1,000 feet from the individual. In this way guns would not feel offended, and would be unlikely to react violently.