Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

James Inhofe United States Senator from Oklahoma Responds
predatorbdu.com ^ | 9 January, 2013 | James Inhofe

Posted on 01/09/2013 4:28:30 PM PST by marktwain

Dear...:

Thank you for contacting me about the Second Amendment. As your voice in Washington, I appreciate knowing your views.

In 1994, the assault weapons ban established a comprehensive regulatory scheme of prohibiting the manufacture, transfer, or possession of assault weapons, as well as the possession or transfer of large capacity ammunition feeding devices that hold more than 10 rounds. These magazines are used by millions of Americans and are customary in handguns and other firearms. Nineteen specific weapons and their copycats were banned by the original legislation signed into law by President Clinton on September 13, 1994. The weapons ban was contained in a larger Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, and expired on September 13, 2004. As a member of the House of Representatives in 1994, I voted against the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 because of the undue restrictions on weapons, among other reasons.

Semi-automatic assault weapons function similarly to other semi-automatic firearms, as they fire one round per pull of the trigger. It is important to note that under the assault weapons ban, the defining features of a semi-automatic assault weapon are mostly cosmetic. For example, a handgun is classified as a semi-automatic assault weapon if its magazine is visible, despite the fact that it fires one bullet per pull of the trigger and the speed of fire remains the same. Therefore, the law banned certain guns that are functionally identical to other weapons that are still considered to be legal.

While supporters of the ban may point out that the violent crime rate dropped after the 1994 ban, they do not mention that violent crime was dropping before the ban was instituted in 1994 and that gun ownership, including ownership of newer designs of the banned weapons, rose during that same time period. It is also important to note that these weapons were rarely used in the commission of crimes before the 1994 ban.

Additionally, a provision of the 1994 law required a study of the effectiveness of the weapons ban. The Congressional study showed that, according to police reports and federal felon surveys, the type of weapons banned in 1994 were only used in one to two percent of violent crimes. Murders committed by knives, clubs, and bare hands outnumbered murders by weapons 20 to one. According to a recent study, existing data does not show whether the number of people shot and killed with semi-automatic assault weapons declined during the 10-year period (1994-2004).

Should any attempt be made to reinstate the semi-automatic assault weapons ban, I will strongly oppose it. Law-abiding gun owners should be free to use their firearms for hunting, marksmanship, and self-defense. The statistics demonstrate that a true ban on these weapons will not significantly decrease crime but will significantly decrease our rights guaranteed by the Constitution. When I was sworn in as a member of Congress, I took an oath to uphold and defend the Constitution. As your representative in the Senate, I will continue to staunchly oppose any attempt to tamper with our nation's Constitution or undermine our Second Amendment rights.

Sincerely,

James M. Inhofe United States Senator


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: banglist; guncontrol; inhofe; ok; secondamendment
Notice the power of the MSM. Anti-freedom types get lots of air time. Pro constitutionalists, very little.
1 posted on 01/09/2013 4:28:36 PM PST by marktwain
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: marktwain

Bravo for this Senator to take a stance for the American People and not the liberal news media.


2 posted on 01/09/2013 4:36:19 PM PST by YukonGreen
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: marktwain

Inhofe 2nd Amendment statement 2013...


3 posted on 01/09/2013 4:43:51 PM PST by indthkr
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: marktwain
My only regret is that he allows a semi automatic weapon to be called an assault weapon. A semi automatic rifle is inherently unsuited for a military assault, and is then called an assault rifle purely on its cosmetics - which he did point out.
4 posted on 01/09/2013 4:44:29 PM PST by lowflyn (Im nobody, just ask a liberal)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: YukonGreen

Now THAT is what I expect to hear out of an elected representative.


5 posted on 01/09/2013 4:56:01 PM PST by technically right
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: technically right

Where are all the other GOP senators on this issue?

Bunch of eunuchs!


6 posted on 01/09/2013 5:10:18 PM PST by 353FMG ( I refuse to specify whether I am serious or sarcastic -- I respect FReepers too much.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: marktwain
Mark Levin: 2nd Amendment Not For Hunters, It Is For Overthrowing A Tyrannical Government

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3pipZMUyDE

This information is unknown to a much wider extent than I ever realized, and that includes intelligent Conservative gun owners. It also includes government, military, and law enforcement members. Liberals just don't care regardless making it pointless attempting to inform them. However I do believe we could reach those who have not heard this important fact with an information campaign. There are a lot of people who haven't heard this because of what is basically a blackout in the media that refuses to mention this.

There are a lot of people out there who can be reached who are unaware of this fact, which seems to have been neglected by most second amendment advocacy groups to the point incorrect ideas have infiltrated the minds of many gun owners. These people could be very important when it comes to salvaging what we can of the good that remains of the nation our founders envisioned. We aren't talking about people with low intellect, but people who haven't been exposed to the information.

Maybe a massive mailing campaign could be effective. No matter how we go about getting this information out there I believe it should be one of our priorities in the very short time we have left.

http://oathkeepers.org/oath/

7 posted on 01/09/2013 5:54:30 PM PST by ThermoNuclearWarrior (www.OathKeepers.org/oath/)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 353FMG

They are in hiding until they figure out which way the wind blows. Cowards...

I wish the GOP would grow a pair and state publicly that any attempt for the president or his staff to promote restrictions on firearms is a violation of the 2nd Amendment and that impeachment proceedings will follow.


8 posted on 01/09/2013 5:55:16 PM PST by Dutch Boy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: lowflyn

When the gun control bills fail, let’s all call them assault weapons every day and often repeat statements of our Second Amendment right to own them. Make sure that “assault weapons” are associated with everything warm, fuzzy and loved by everyone. ;-)


9 posted on 01/09/2013 7:46:32 PM PST by familyop (We Baby Boomers are croaking in an avalanche of rotten politics smelled around the planet.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: lowflyn
A semi automatic rifle is inherently unsuited for a military assault, and is then called an assault rifle

Mostly M1 Garande rifles won WW II they were semi-auto. There were models of the M1 Carbine that could be switched to full auto, then there were the Grease-Gun 45 cal full auto then the BAR.

Then there was Alvin Your in WW I No Auto for him either.

Soldiers don't get to carry a couple thousand rounds unlike the movie seal teams, and cops and robbers that seem to have an endless supply.

10 posted on 01/09/2013 11:37:08 PM PST by itsahoot (Any enemy, that is allowed to have a King's X line, is undefeatable. (USS Taluga AO-62))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson