SidecarFlip
Well-Known Member
Been writing lots of letters to Congressmen, Senators, the President, Vice President, Local Sheriff, Sate Police...Just about everyone that would have or has an impact on whats transpiring.
I've gotten a few replies, mostly form letters thanking me for my concerns and the usual blather one expects from politicians, a whole bunch of nothing. however, I got a personal reply from Sentator Carl Levin (one of the sponsors of the Brady Bill).
I know this is a long read so bear with me and read it carefully. It expresses what we all fear and it expresses the consensus of quite a few of our elected bobble heads on Capitol Hill.
Number 1, we need to stay focused and Number 2, we all need to make the right choices, informed choices and positive choices in upcoming elections.
First, I'll post his letter to me and the my return letter to him with my rebuttals to his stance and position on the pending legislation and the Feinstein bill which was floored earlier this week.This is not a form letter but a personal relpy to me.....
Senator Carl Levin's letter:
Dear Mr. Davis:
Thank you for contacting me about gun safety issues. I appreciate you sharing your views with me. I support sensible gun safety laws and strict enforcement of those laws to help prevent crimes, suicides and violence committed with firearms.
I support the steps President Obama outlined recently to curb the gun violence that plagues our nation, and I believe Congress can and should work to enact legislation to prevent gun violence without infringing on the rights of law-abiding citizens.
I was an original cosponsor of the Brady Law (P.L.103-159). This law requires prospective handgun purchasers to undergo criminal background checks before purchasing a firearm from a licensed dealer.
The background check system is able to make 92 percent of background check determinations on the spot, and since 1994, has prevented more than 1.5 million firearm purchases.
Additionally, according to Centers for Disease Control statistics, since the Brady Law went into effect, the number of gun deaths in the United States dropped 22 percent, from 39,595 in 1993 to 30,769 in 2007. The number of gun homicides dropped by more than 29 percent, from 17,024 in 1993 to 12,129 in 2007.
While the Brady Law has been successful in reducing gun violence, I believe more has to be done.
For example, only 60 percent of all gun sales in the United States take place at licensed federal dealers, where background checks are mandatory. The remaining 40 percent of gun sales are conducted by unlicensed individual sellers, often at gun shows, and a background check is not required.
This means that across our nation, any dangerous individual can go to a gun show and purchase a deadly weapon without any form of background check. To close this 'gun show loophole,' I am a cosponsor of the Gun Show Background Check Act.
This bill would enact the common sense principle that anyone who wants to purchase a firearm at a gun show should be able to pass a simple background check. Ten national police organizations support closing this loophole. Additionally,
I am a cosponsor of the Denying Firearms and Explosives to Dangerous Terrorists Act, a bill that seeks to reduce gun violence by keeping firearms out of the hands of terrorists and criminals. Although hard to believe, nothing in current law prohibits individuals on terrorist watch lists from purchasing firearms, unless they fall into another disqualifying category.
This "terror gap" in federal law must be closed, and this bill would do just that. This legislation would deny the transfer of a firearm when a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) background check reveals that the prospective purchaser is a known or suspected terrorist and the Attorney General has a reasonable belief that the purchaser may use the firearm in connection with terrorism.
Keeping guns out of the hands of terrorists is just common sense. I also have always supported the rights of sportsmen and hunters. Hunting is a way of life for millions of Americans and plays an integral role in modern wildlife management.
But military style assault weapons have no sporting purpose. Because of these weapons, our nation's citizens are in greater danger and police officers across the country are encountering criminals armed with highly lethal military style weapons.
To support our law enforcement community and to save lives, I am a cosponsor of the Assault Weapons Ban of 2013. This legislation would prevent the future possession, manufacture, sale and importation of assault-type weapons while grandfathering weapons lawfully possessed at the date of the bill's enactment.
It would ban firearms with detachable magazines and military style features, such as grenade launchers, protruding pistol grips, and barrel shrouds. It would support law enforcement officers across our nation, who should not be forced to confront lawbreakers toting military arms. And it would protect the rights of hunters by specifically naming thousands of firearms with legitimate sporting, sentimental or other value that would remain legal to possess.
This bill also would ban high capacity ammunition magazines. Studies have shown that high capacity ammunition magazines are used in 31 to 41 percent of fatal police shootings in cities across our nation. They also have been used by the perpetrators of numerous mass shootings, including at Columbine High School, Virginia Tech, the Tucson shooting of Representative Gabrielle Giffords and 19 others, the attack on a movie theater in Aurora, Colorado, and the horrifying shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.
The Newtown shooting alone left twenty six people dead, twenty of them children. We must not wait until more places are added to this heartbreaking list. We can and should act swiftly to protect our families and loved ones from mass shootings.
These measures have the overwhelming support of law enforcement communities around our nation, who have implored us to make changes to stop the flood of these types of weapons into the hands of those who would use them for harm.
I will continue to work for common-sense gun safety measures. Thank you again for contacting me.
Sincerely,Carl Levinlevin.senate.gov
Next, my rebuttals to his reply to me. I sent this just as I sent the original letter voicing my concerns, via snail mail.....
Dear Mr. Davis:
Thank you for contacting me about gun safety issues. I appreciate you sharing your views with me. I support sensible gun safety laws and strict enforcement of those laws to help prevent crimes, suicides and violence committed with firearms. I support the steps President Obama outlined recently to curb the gun violence that plagues our nation, and I believe Congress can and should work to enact legislation to prevent gun violence without infringing on the rights of law-abiding citizens.
********Senator Feinstein's legislative proposal covers far more than what is termed an 'assault' weapon. It actually includes rifles with detachable magazines of all types. I typically hunt with with bolt action rifles with detachable box magazines, all are considered 'assault' weapons under the Feinstein bill.
The term 'assault weapon; is a misnomer, any rifle of any type as well as any pistol can be considered a weapon of assault if the operator of that weapon is using it for malicious or criminal intent.*********
I was an original cosponsor of the Brady Law (P.L.103-159). This law requires prospective handgun purchasers to undergo criminal background checks before purchasing a firearm from a licensed dealer. The background check system is able to make 92 percent of background check determinations on the spot, and since 1994, has prevented more than 1.5 million firearm purchases. Additionally, according to Centers for Disease Control statistics, since the Brady Law went into effect, the number of gun deaths in the United States dropped 22 percent, from 39,595 in 1993 to 30,769 in 2007.
The number of gun homicides dropped by more than 29 percent, from 17,024 in 1993 to 12,129 in 2007. While the Brady Law has been successful in reducing gun violence, I believe more has to be done. For example, only 60 percent of all gun sales in the United States take place at licensed federal dealers, where background checks are mandatory. The remaining 40 percent of gun sales are conducted by unlicensed individual sellers, often at gun shows, and a background check is not required.
This means that across our nation, any dangerous individual can go to a gun show and purchase a deadly weapon without any form of background check. To close this 'gun show loophole,' I am a cosponsor of the Gun Show Background Check Act. This bill would enact the common sense principle that anyone who wants to purchase a firearm at a gun show should be able to pass a simple background check. Ten national police organizations support closing this loophole.
**********I have no issue with 100% background checks on all firearm purchases. The process that is already in place is understaffed and ill utilized. To that I agree 100% with your assertions.**********
Additionally, I am a cosponsor of the Denying Firearms and Explosives to Dangerous Terrorists Act, a bill that seeks to reduce gun violence by keeping firearms out of the hands of terrorists and criminals.
Although hard to believe, nothing in current law prohibits individuals on terrorist watch lists from purchasing firearms, unless they fall into another disqualifying category. This "terror gap" in federal law must be closed, and this bill would do just that. This legislation would deny the transfer of a firearm when a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) background check reveals that the prospective purchaser is a known or suspected terrorist and the Attorney General has a reasonable belief that the purchaser may use the firearm in connection with terrorism. Keeping guns out of the hands of terrorists is just common sense.
**********My comment to that is I agree with keeping firearms out of the hands of terrorists, however, if the AG was cognizant of that fact then why was 'Fast and Furious' allowed to put firearms in the hands of known terrorists and one of those weapons killed one of our Border Patrol Agents. I believe Eric Holder isn't a competent person to hold the AG position in this country and should be removed and someone competent and that has common sense put in his place.**********
I also have always supported the rights of sportsmen and hunters. Hunting is a way of life for millions of Americans and plays an integral role in modern wildlife management. But military style assault weapons have no sporting purpose. Because of these weapons, our nation's citizens are in greater danger and police officers across the country are encountering criminals armed with highly lethal military style weapons.
**********I went through the definition of an 'assault' weapon previously. While I don't own an AR platform, the AR is a very competent hunting rifle for small to medium game and again, only becomes a lethal to humans weapon in the wrong hands. Law abiding gun owners own many thousands of AR type rifles and hunt with them. It's the use determined that differentiates the weapon, any weapon.**********
To support our law enforcement community and to save lives, I am a cosponsor of the Assault Weapons Ban of 2013. This legislation would prevent the future possession, manufacture, sale and importation of assault-type weapons while grandfathering weapons lawfully possessed at the date of the bill's enactment. It would ban firearms with detachable magazines and military style features, such as grenade launchers, protruding pistol grips, and barrel shrouds. It would support law enforcement officers across our nation, who should not be forced to confront lawbreakers toting military arms. And it would protect the rights of hunters by specifically naming thousands of firearms with legitimate sporting, sentimental or other value that would remain legal to possess.
*********I'm in disagreement with your previous paragraph. The Assault Weapons Ban flies in the face of the Second Amendment which states in part "The Right to bear arms against a tyrannical government" I interpret any direct infringement of the ownership of (assault type weapons), a misnomer as I've explained to you previously, as a direct attack on the Second Amendment. Again, and I've underlined the crucial sentence, that applies directly to 95% of legitimate hunting rifles, most of which have detachable magazines.********************
*********Banning any type of weapon will do nothing to curtail recent violence or to be committed acts of violence simply because Criminals don't register their weapons and obtain them through illegal means to perpetrate crimes. That's just plain common sense. If I was a criminal and your administration imposed a ban on a certain type of gun, do you actually think for a minute that I as a criminal, would turn in that weapon? Think about it. You are an intelligent person. I'm sure your conclusion is the same as my statement….**********
This bill also would ban high capacity ammunition magazines. Studies have shown that high capacity ammunition magazines are used in 31 to 41 percent of fatal police shootings in cities across our nation. They also have been used by the perpetrators of numerous mass shootings, including at Columbine High School, Virginia Tech, the Tucson shooting of Representative Gabrielle Giffords and 19 others, the attack on a movie theater in Aurora, Colorado, and the horrifying shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. The Newtown shooting alone left twenty six people dead, twenty of them children.
*********I don't know how closely you have followed the Sandy Hook killings but it's come to light that no AR type weapon was used in the crime. I believe (and hundreds of thousands of others as well) that President Obama is using the 'assault type rifle' more directly the AR platform to advance an agenda to malign the Second Amendment and destroy the very fabric that this country was founded on. You will find stiff opposition to your assertions not only now but in the future as well in the upcoming elections. I would suggest you rethink your position and weight the possible alternatives, especially alternatives that do not infringe on the Constitution.**********
We must not wait until more places are added to this heartbreaking list. We can and should act swiftly to protect our families and loved ones from mass shootings. These measures have the overwhelming support of law enforcement communities around our nation, who have implored us to make changes to stop the flood of these types of weapons into the hands of those who would use them for harm. I will continue to work for common-sense gun safety measures.
**********The only way the shooting like Sandy Hook will cease is when our law enforcement agencies start being pro-active instead of reactive. We have a penal system that recycles criminals to the street to prey on citizens time and time again and mentally ill that are denied treatment or not treated at all. Until the government addresses that, incidents like all you have mentioned above will continue. Removing firearms from law abiding citizens and I might add voters, will not effectuate the result you want, in fact, crime will increase because the criminal element then knows that the citizens are unarmed and easy prey. Criminals don't know that now.**********
In closing, note that I a recent study, 88% of Senators and Congressmen have concealed carry permits and commonly carry, are you one? If so, ask yourself what differentiates you from the common citizen other than your office. My rights (presently as a citizen parallel yours). In my opinion, you have no right to deny my rights while perpetuating yours.
**********I appreciate you taking the time to respond to me. I respect a person who is actually concerned enough to do that while our opinions may differ.**********
Thank you again for contacting me.
Sincerely,Carl Levinlevin.senate.gov
I've gotten a few replies, mostly form letters thanking me for my concerns and the usual blather one expects from politicians, a whole bunch of nothing. however, I got a personal reply from Sentator Carl Levin (one of the sponsors of the Brady Bill).
I know this is a long read so bear with me and read it carefully. It expresses what we all fear and it expresses the consensus of quite a few of our elected bobble heads on Capitol Hill.
Number 1, we need to stay focused and Number 2, we all need to make the right choices, informed choices and positive choices in upcoming elections.
First, I'll post his letter to me and the my return letter to him with my rebuttals to his stance and position on the pending legislation and the Feinstein bill which was floored earlier this week.This is not a form letter but a personal relpy to me.....
Senator Carl Levin's letter:
Dear Mr. Davis:
Thank you for contacting me about gun safety issues. I appreciate you sharing your views with me. I support sensible gun safety laws and strict enforcement of those laws to help prevent crimes, suicides and violence committed with firearms.
I support the steps President Obama outlined recently to curb the gun violence that plagues our nation, and I believe Congress can and should work to enact legislation to prevent gun violence without infringing on the rights of law-abiding citizens.
I was an original cosponsor of the Brady Law (P.L.103-159). This law requires prospective handgun purchasers to undergo criminal background checks before purchasing a firearm from a licensed dealer.
The background check system is able to make 92 percent of background check determinations on the spot, and since 1994, has prevented more than 1.5 million firearm purchases.
Additionally, according to Centers for Disease Control statistics, since the Brady Law went into effect, the number of gun deaths in the United States dropped 22 percent, from 39,595 in 1993 to 30,769 in 2007. The number of gun homicides dropped by more than 29 percent, from 17,024 in 1993 to 12,129 in 2007.
While the Brady Law has been successful in reducing gun violence, I believe more has to be done.
For example, only 60 percent of all gun sales in the United States take place at licensed federal dealers, where background checks are mandatory. The remaining 40 percent of gun sales are conducted by unlicensed individual sellers, often at gun shows, and a background check is not required.
This means that across our nation, any dangerous individual can go to a gun show and purchase a deadly weapon without any form of background check. To close this 'gun show loophole,' I am a cosponsor of the Gun Show Background Check Act.
This bill would enact the common sense principle that anyone who wants to purchase a firearm at a gun show should be able to pass a simple background check. Ten national police organizations support closing this loophole. Additionally,
I am a cosponsor of the Denying Firearms and Explosives to Dangerous Terrorists Act, a bill that seeks to reduce gun violence by keeping firearms out of the hands of terrorists and criminals. Although hard to believe, nothing in current law prohibits individuals on terrorist watch lists from purchasing firearms, unless they fall into another disqualifying category.
This "terror gap" in federal law must be closed, and this bill would do just that. This legislation would deny the transfer of a firearm when a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) background check reveals that the prospective purchaser is a known or suspected terrorist and the Attorney General has a reasonable belief that the purchaser may use the firearm in connection with terrorism.
Keeping guns out of the hands of terrorists is just common sense. I also have always supported the rights of sportsmen and hunters. Hunting is a way of life for millions of Americans and plays an integral role in modern wildlife management.
But military style assault weapons have no sporting purpose. Because of these weapons, our nation's citizens are in greater danger and police officers across the country are encountering criminals armed with highly lethal military style weapons.
To support our law enforcement community and to save lives, I am a cosponsor of the Assault Weapons Ban of 2013. This legislation would prevent the future possession, manufacture, sale and importation of assault-type weapons while grandfathering weapons lawfully possessed at the date of the bill's enactment.
It would ban firearms with detachable magazines and military style features, such as grenade launchers, protruding pistol grips, and barrel shrouds. It would support law enforcement officers across our nation, who should not be forced to confront lawbreakers toting military arms. And it would protect the rights of hunters by specifically naming thousands of firearms with legitimate sporting, sentimental or other value that would remain legal to possess.
This bill also would ban high capacity ammunition magazines. Studies have shown that high capacity ammunition magazines are used in 31 to 41 percent of fatal police shootings in cities across our nation. They also have been used by the perpetrators of numerous mass shootings, including at Columbine High School, Virginia Tech, the Tucson shooting of Representative Gabrielle Giffords and 19 others, the attack on a movie theater in Aurora, Colorado, and the horrifying shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.
The Newtown shooting alone left twenty six people dead, twenty of them children. We must not wait until more places are added to this heartbreaking list. We can and should act swiftly to protect our families and loved ones from mass shootings.
These measures have the overwhelming support of law enforcement communities around our nation, who have implored us to make changes to stop the flood of these types of weapons into the hands of those who would use them for harm.
I will continue to work for common-sense gun safety measures. Thank you again for contacting me.
Sincerely,Carl Levinlevin.senate.gov
Next, my rebuttals to his reply to me. I sent this just as I sent the original letter voicing my concerns, via snail mail.....
Dear Mr. Davis:
Thank you for contacting me about gun safety issues. I appreciate you sharing your views with me. I support sensible gun safety laws and strict enforcement of those laws to help prevent crimes, suicides and violence committed with firearms. I support the steps President Obama outlined recently to curb the gun violence that plagues our nation, and I believe Congress can and should work to enact legislation to prevent gun violence without infringing on the rights of law-abiding citizens.
********Senator Feinstein's legislative proposal covers far more than what is termed an 'assault' weapon. It actually includes rifles with detachable magazines of all types. I typically hunt with with bolt action rifles with detachable box magazines, all are considered 'assault' weapons under the Feinstein bill.
The term 'assault weapon; is a misnomer, any rifle of any type as well as any pistol can be considered a weapon of assault if the operator of that weapon is using it for malicious or criminal intent.*********
I was an original cosponsor of the Brady Law (P.L.103-159). This law requires prospective handgun purchasers to undergo criminal background checks before purchasing a firearm from a licensed dealer. The background check system is able to make 92 percent of background check determinations on the spot, and since 1994, has prevented more than 1.5 million firearm purchases. Additionally, according to Centers for Disease Control statistics, since the Brady Law went into effect, the number of gun deaths in the United States dropped 22 percent, from 39,595 in 1993 to 30,769 in 2007.
The number of gun homicides dropped by more than 29 percent, from 17,024 in 1993 to 12,129 in 2007. While the Brady Law has been successful in reducing gun violence, I believe more has to be done. For example, only 60 percent of all gun sales in the United States take place at licensed federal dealers, where background checks are mandatory. The remaining 40 percent of gun sales are conducted by unlicensed individual sellers, often at gun shows, and a background check is not required.
This means that across our nation, any dangerous individual can go to a gun show and purchase a deadly weapon without any form of background check. To close this 'gun show loophole,' I am a cosponsor of the Gun Show Background Check Act. This bill would enact the common sense principle that anyone who wants to purchase a firearm at a gun show should be able to pass a simple background check. Ten national police organizations support closing this loophole.
**********I have no issue with 100% background checks on all firearm purchases. The process that is already in place is understaffed and ill utilized. To that I agree 100% with your assertions.**********
Additionally, I am a cosponsor of the Denying Firearms and Explosives to Dangerous Terrorists Act, a bill that seeks to reduce gun violence by keeping firearms out of the hands of terrorists and criminals.
Although hard to believe, nothing in current law prohibits individuals on terrorist watch lists from purchasing firearms, unless they fall into another disqualifying category. This "terror gap" in federal law must be closed, and this bill would do just that. This legislation would deny the transfer of a firearm when a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) background check reveals that the prospective purchaser is a known or suspected terrorist and the Attorney General has a reasonable belief that the purchaser may use the firearm in connection with terrorism. Keeping guns out of the hands of terrorists is just common sense.
**********My comment to that is I agree with keeping firearms out of the hands of terrorists, however, if the AG was cognizant of that fact then why was 'Fast and Furious' allowed to put firearms in the hands of known terrorists and one of those weapons killed one of our Border Patrol Agents. I believe Eric Holder isn't a competent person to hold the AG position in this country and should be removed and someone competent and that has common sense put in his place.**********
I also have always supported the rights of sportsmen and hunters. Hunting is a way of life for millions of Americans and plays an integral role in modern wildlife management. But military style assault weapons have no sporting purpose. Because of these weapons, our nation's citizens are in greater danger and police officers across the country are encountering criminals armed with highly lethal military style weapons.
**********I went through the definition of an 'assault' weapon previously. While I don't own an AR platform, the AR is a very competent hunting rifle for small to medium game and again, only becomes a lethal to humans weapon in the wrong hands. Law abiding gun owners own many thousands of AR type rifles and hunt with them. It's the use determined that differentiates the weapon, any weapon.**********
To support our law enforcement community and to save lives, I am a cosponsor of the Assault Weapons Ban of 2013. This legislation would prevent the future possession, manufacture, sale and importation of assault-type weapons while grandfathering weapons lawfully possessed at the date of the bill's enactment. It would ban firearms with detachable magazines and military style features, such as grenade launchers, protruding pistol grips, and barrel shrouds. It would support law enforcement officers across our nation, who should not be forced to confront lawbreakers toting military arms. And it would protect the rights of hunters by specifically naming thousands of firearms with legitimate sporting, sentimental or other value that would remain legal to possess.
*********I'm in disagreement with your previous paragraph. The Assault Weapons Ban flies in the face of the Second Amendment which states in part "The Right to bear arms against a tyrannical government" I interpret any direct infringement of the ownership of (assault type weapons), a misnomer as I've explained to you previously, as a direct attack on the Second Amendment. Again, and I've underlined the crucial sentence, that applies directly to 95% of legitimate hunting rifles, most of which have detachable magazines.********************
*********Banning any type of weapon will do nothing to curtail recent violence or to be committed acts of violence simply because Criminals don't register their weapons and obtain them through illegal means to perpetrate crimes. That's just plain common sense. If I was a criminal and your administration imposed a ban on a certain type of gun, do you actually think for a minute that I as a criminal, would turn in that weapon? Think about it. You are an intelligent person. I'm sure your conclusion is the same as my statement….**********
This bill also would ban high capacity ammunition magazines. Studies have shown that high capacity ammunition magazines are used in 31 to 41 percent of fatal police shootings in cities across our nation. They also have been used by the perpetrators of numerous mass shootings, including at Columbine High School, Virginia Tech, the Tucson shooting of Representative Gabrielle Giffords and 19 others, the attack on a movie theater in Aurora, Colorado, and the horrifying shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. The Newtown shooting alone left twenty six people dead, twenty of them children.
*********I don't know how closely you have followed the Sandy Hook killings but it's come to light that no AR type weapon was used in the crime. I believe (and hundreds of thousands of others as well) that President Obama is using the 'assault type rifle' more directly the AR platform to advance an agenda to malign the Second Amendment and destroy the very fabric that this country was founded on. You will find stiff opposition to your assertions not only now but in the future as well in the upcoming elections. I would suggest you rethink your position and weight the possible alternatives, especially alternatives that do not infringe on the Constitution.**********
We must not wait until more places are added to this heartbreaking list. We can and should act swiftly to protect our families and loved ones from mass shootings. These measures have the overwhelming support of law enforcement communities around our nation, who have implored us to make changes to stop the flood of these types of weapons into the hands of those who would use them for harm. I will continue to work for common-sense gun safety measures.
**********The only way the shooting like Sandy Hook will cease is when our law enforcement agencies start being pro-active instead of reactive. We have a penal system that recycles criminals to the street to prey on citizens time and time again and mentally ill that are denied treatment or not treated at all. Until the government addresses that, incidents like all you have mentioned above will continue. Removing firearms from law abiding citizens and I might add voters, will not effectuate the result you want, in fact, crime will increase because the criminal element then knows that the citizens are unarmed and easy prey. Criminals don't know that now.**********
In closing, note that I a recent study, 88% of Senators and Congressmen have concealed carry permits and commonly carry, are you one? If so, ask yourself what differentiates you from the common citizen other than your office. My rights (presently as a citizen parallel yours). In my opinion, you have no right to deny my rights while perpetuating yours.
**********I appreciate you taking the time to respond to me. I respect a person who is actually concerned enough to do that while our opinions may differ.**********
Thank you again for contacting me.
Sincerely,Carl Levinlevin.senate.gov
