White House looking for feedback

[GiorgioG]

I received an email from the White House asking for feedback about gun control. Please folks, take 2 minutes to share your concerns:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/share-you...eople&utm_medium=response&utm_campaign=safety

Here's what I wrote:

We need to stop calling "AR-15s" Assault Weapons. They're not Assault Weapons (they're not automatic, and our military certainly does not employ them to assault anything.) When you do this Mr. President you sound ignorant to the average gun owner.

Furthermore, there is absolutely no distinction between how a traditional semi-automatic wood-stock rifle works vs an AR-15. They work the same way. You're vilifying the 'evil black rifle'. This is America - I thought we were bigger than making laws based on knee-jerk emotional reactions. I have a child in first grade - I grieve with the families in Newtown, CT as many others do, but you're trying to treat the symptom and not the cause. Mental illness caused this mass murder.

With regard to the limit on 'high capacity' magazines, let's be honest - all you're doing is annoying law abiding citizens. A mentally ill person can easily carry 9 '10 round' magazines and carry out as much destruction as 3 '30 round' magazines because magazine changes can take less than one second for a trained individual.

I already live under an assault weapons ban in NY which mirrors the previous federal assault weapons ban. Just like the first weapons ban did nothing to prevent Columbine, this media-induced call for more gun control will do nothing but infringe and annoy the good law abiding people of the United States.

 

[SuperNaut]

Here's my missive:

Trying to enact bans is lazy leadership, it is trying to treat the symptom rather than the disease. Guns do not cause crime, guns are inanimate objects. People cause crime and the root causes of violent behavior must be discovered and addressed.

An anti-Constitutional President is no President at all.

...

 

[Double Vision]

DONE!

 

[PRM]

You really think the Obama crowd at the White House wants feedback from PRO-SECOND AMENDMENT citizens.

Support Pro-2nd Amendment groups like the NRA (or other-your choice), contact your Senators and Congressman.

All the White House wants is a compilation of pro-gun control responses.

 

[95XL883]

I also responded. I attribute a big part of the problem to a culture of violence created and grown by the entertainment industry (movies and games) and by the politicians. The entertainment industry with their unrealistic depiction of violence and players that can be shot dead and brought back to life by re-starting the game. The politicians by their unrelenting depiction of anybody who disagrees with them as complete villains. They set a horrible example. I specifically stated that guns aren't the problem, that Connetticut already has strict gun laws and evil-doers don't care about laws.

 

[Steve H]

done

 

[SuperNaut]

You really think the Obama crowd at the White House wants feedback from PRO-SECOND AMENDMENT citizens.

Of course not, that is why it is so satisfying.

Support Pro-2nd Amendment groups like the NRA (or other-your choice), contact your Senators and Congressman.

Of course, the two are not mutually exclusive.

All the White House wants is a compilation of pro-gun control responses.

<---This is what you want -----------------This is what you get--->

 

[k9ridge09]

Here is my comment,

Mr. President,
I strongly encourage you to consider carefully any attempt to dismantle the Second Amendment as it guarantees the protection of all the rest of the Constitution. The American people are aware of the fact that these horrible incidents only occur in places where these weapons are already "banned". So I would ask that your Administration would try to find answers to the real problem behind these tragedies. Get help for people with mental illnesses and support some type of armed protection for our kids in these schools.

 

[Ed N.]

GiorgioG, when you write

Furthermore, there is absolutely no distinction between how a traditional semi-automatic wood-stock rifle works vs an AR-15. They work the same way.

what you're essentially doing is asking them to ban all semi-autos.

You've got to look at this the way an anti will see it. "Hey, just because the rifle has a wood stock and no pistol grip doesn't mean it's any less dangerous. We need to ban these hunting rifles, too."

Try to avoid suggesting MORE bans.

 

[PRM]

Good point SuperNaut - guess some low level staffer will be in over the weekend having to read everything. Wonder how big the delete pile is.

O has already been spewing off about how many respectable gun owners had come forward expressing a desire for an AWB.

 

[GiorgioG]

You really think the Obama crowd at the White House wants feedback from PRO-SECOND AMENDMENT citizens.

I think they're going to classify the responses (pro/anti AWB legislation) to figure out how much support they really have. Would you really prefer that they look at a number like 99% "support AWB legislation" or 50%? Let's not forget that ultimately these people are politicians and while the President doesn't need to worry about re-election, the anti-gun members in congress do. It's not a matter of trying to change their personal opinion - I just think it's important that we try to push the numbers in our favor.

Support Pro-2nd Amendment groups like the NRA (or other-your choice), contact your Senators and Congressman.

Already done.

 

[GiorgioG]

what you're essentially doing is asking them to ban all semi-autos.

I think they'll want to do that following the next shooting takes place after the AWB gets put in place. Some people here may feel they have nothing to lose because they don't have an 'evil black rifle', but it's a slippery slope.

 

[Queen_of_Thunder]

One would hope that the recent buying frenzy has caught their attention and they have realized that the the numbers of gun owners has grown significantly since the Presidents speech.

 

[almherdfan]

I wrote: "An AWB will no nothing to address our nation's proclivity towards violence. Rather it ignores the underlying causes of violence (mental illness, poverty, broken families, isolation, etc.). Our nation deserves bold, outside the box thinking on this issue. The AWB and magazine capacity bans are old, failed, ideas. Please lead this nation FORWARD, not backwards. We need policies that help identify & treat mentally unstable citizens, lift people away from economic & social hopelessness, strengthens our security without weakening our freedom."

 

[M-Cameron]

my input for those interested....

Dear Mr. President,

I know you are eager find a solution to the gun violence problem we are currently facing in this country, as a legal gun owner and law abiding citizen I must say I wish to find a solution as well. I know you have expressed wished to enact legislation similar to the Clinton era Assault weapon ban, I must say in good conscious that this is only a 'band-aid' fix and does not address the real issue at hand. The Clinton era assault weapons ban did nothing to stop the tragedy that happened at Columbine high school, and you will find FBI statistics proved it was not effective in reducing violent crimes in general across the country .I am sure I dont have to tell you that by definition, criminals do not obey the law, which is why I feel any new legislation regarding gun control will only serve to inhibit the rights of legal gun owners (the very people who you not need be concerned with).

I feel the root of this issue is the current state of mental health in this country. As it stands now, much of America is woefully ignorant of mental health and how large of a factor it plays in preventing tragedies like the events at Newton, CT. We need to encourage those who are ill to seek treatment, and encourage friends and families to speak up if they notice odd or disturbing behavior. Mental healthcare needs to be made more available, and we need to remove the stigma that is currently surrounding mental health to ensure people are more willing to accept treatment. I suggest Annual mental health screening by qualified individuals in High schools would be a great way to find and treat those who may be a potential risk to themselves and others before they can act would go a long way in preventing future tragedies.

I would like to thank you for reaching out to the country and allowing me to give my input into the matter.

 

[raddiver]

I wrote this a few days ago, and im considering using it for the basis to my response to mr o.

I don’t know if I’m going to convey my thoughts and views the way that I want to.
I suspect I will not, but I will do my best.
Watching the events over the last year or so, I have reflected on those events just as I'm sure many of you have.
During the course of this reflection, a couple of things have become clear as it relates to me personally.

First, there is no easy be all end all answer to prevent events such as these. There has been evil in this world for thousands of years, and there will continue to be evil for thousands of years to come. What you relate to that evil is your choice, but the premise remains the same.

A gun ban will not help this situation. In a utopian world as it relates to banning guns, it would work. In a utopian world though, we wouldn’t need to. Unfortunately, none of us live in that world.

We instituted a war alcohol that did not work.

We instituted a war on drugs that is still ongoing today that has not worked. This is apparent by the amount of drugs still on the street.

Instituting a war on guns will indeed follow in history’s footsteps, And for what good? We as law abiding citizens are the ones who PAY the price. With our diminished rights, and no doubt some of our lives. So what would have changed and how is it any different?

We've all heard the expression that freedom is not free or that we pay a price for freedom. Generally when we hear these statements we immediately think of our armed forces, law enforcement, etc. (and bless them for their service)

However, we need to understand that we as individuals, as citizens of this country, pay the price for our freedoms everyday as well. It’s part of our history as Americans.
I try very hard not to infringe on anyone’s rights. It's as simple as that. I don’t or shouldn't have the ability to alter your rights in any way. Conversely the same holds true.
A right is a right, period. It doesn’t matter what that right is, the right to bear arms, the right to practice your religion without threat, the right not to be discriminated against, the right to love whom you wish, etc.

When we start to take away the rights of the people, or even chipping away at them, we become more vulnerable and self-reliance diminishes, thus making it harder for us to protect against losing more down the line.

These are our basic rights, not privileges.
With that, If you choose not to exercise one of your rights, that is your choice. I can respect you and your choice either way. However, just because someone chooses not to exercise their right does not mean that the next person should not be able to exercise theirs, or be forced to give theirs up.
I am truly sorry these events happened. I do agree that we need to do something to address it. However it should not come at the cost of individual civil liberties, individual rights or individual freedoms.
This is my opinion alone, but I do not agree that some liberties could/should be given up for the illusion of regulating safety. If we are going to begin moving forward, the foundation of these discussions in my opinion needs to be on the premise of personal responsibility and personal liability.

Ultimately, even in the event of a man made tragedy, its people that come together to help other people. There is a lot of good in our society. Unfortunately though, there will always be the select few that try and shake that foundation. For the lack of a better term, that is our freedom tax.

 

[preachnhunt]

When Ronald Reagan was president I spent a summer working as a low level staffer for the RNC. Part of my job was to read letters that had been written to the president. Things have no doubt changed since then, but I would offer the following guidelines:

1. Be Respectful

2. Be brief. If your submission is read at all it will likely be quickly scanned.

3. State CLEARLY that you are against any bans etc. The person who sees what you write will most likely be keeping some sort of tally of how many are for or against. This information is possibly used in press releases.

4. Be reasonable. The last thing we want to do is give the antis ammo.

As I said I haven't been there for a long time, but I am willing to bet the principles are the same.

 

[Kingcreek]

My response to the WH.gov

As an elected school board official and parent and grandparent, I urge you to look at the mental health and school safety issues and realize that the GUNS ARE NOT THE PROBLEM.
Blaming guns is lazy leadership and nothing more than crisis exploitation to further an agenda that will do nothing to reduce violence.
Remember last Friday, 320,000,000 responsible gun owners didn't shoot anybody.

 

[481]

Thanks for the link, GiorgioG.

Here is my repsonse:

Dear Mr. President,

As a retired police officer, I strongly urge you to reconsider carefully any attempt to dismantle or restrict our Second Amendment freedoms as they guarantee the protection of our citizens from the acts of monsters and criminals who would deprive us of our lives, our loved ones and their innocence, our sense of safety, our happiness, and our property. The American people are aware of the fact that these horrific events only occur in places where these weapons are already "banned"- "gun free zones" are only "free" from the guns of the law-abiding citizen, not the criminal who disregards them knowing full-well that he is free to go about his murderous task unopposed.

I urge you to abandon the attempt to reinstate the failed legislation that is the 1994 Assault Weapons Ban, a piece of legislation that failed to prevent numerous school shootings during its tenure, like those in Paducah, Kentucky; Jonesboro, Arkansas; Edinboro, Pennsylvania; Fayetteville, Tennessee; Springfield, Oregon; Littleton, Colorado; Deming, New Mexico; Mount Morris Township, Michigan; Savannah, Georgia; Lake Worth, Florida; Baltimore, Maryland; New Orleans, Louisiana; Santee, California; Cold Spring, Minnesota, all of which occurred while the 1994 Assault Weapons Ban was in full force and effect. An assault weapons law, the duplicate of the 1994 Assault Weapons Ban, is presently in effect in Connecticut and also did absolutely nothing to prevent the tragic loss of 20 five- and six-year old children.

These tragic events are incontrovertible proof that infringing upon the Second Amendment rights of Americans merely for the sake of creating “feel-good” legislation that permits the wholesale slaughter of our children as they sit defenseless in schools is a costly and indefensible failure that will only continue to result in the loss of more of our children- something that you as a father yourself cannot possibly tolerate.

In that light, I urge you to stop infringing upon the rights of law-abiding American gun owners and focus upon implementing the real solution and join the NRA in establishing a system that protects our schools and children with physical facility security measures and qualified armed security personnel.

Respectfully yours,

 

[M-Cameron]

I feel this is something everyone here should do( perhaps a mod could mass message everyone encouraging them to write in)....

They want your opinions, and they've made it easy for you to do..

You don't need to write anything super long, something along the lines of " I don't think XXXX is the answer, instead I encourage you to to look into XXXX" would be more than enough.

They don't know your opinions unless youake them known.

 

[SilentStalker]

I would be very careful about completing the information they require of you to make a statement. I am just saying.

 

[GiorgioG]

I am just saying.

You're "just saying" what? Simply visiting the white house web site means they can log your IP address, and if they really really want to find out who/where you are, they just need to ask your internet service provider. And if they want to find out who we all are, they can confiscate THR database server, logs, etc. Where do I get my tinfoil hat?

 

[RugerBob]

I sent a polite , short message. Though I really don't own any style like the AR I do not want to see my friends lose thiers. The big issue if this does go through its whats next to be banned.

 

[SilentStalker]

You're "just saying" what? Simply visiting the white house web site means they can log your IP address, and if they really really want to find out who/where you are, they just need to ask your internet service provider. And if they want to find out who we all are, they can confiscate THR database server, logs, etc. Where do I get my tinfoil hat?

^^^Some of this is true, but some of us know ways around the system. I allow certain information on certain sites, but whose to say anyone here used their real info when they signed up? There are also many ways to avoid sniffing of IP addresses to find out who you are. One could simply circumvent this by logging onto a public wifi service. They can contact the ISP of that public wifi all they want but they are not going to be able to track down who did what at that public location. And, there are much more in depth ways to get around that as well but I will not go into them here. Needless to say, its possible not to be found if one so is inclined and smart enough to pull it off. I am not saying you have anything to worry about but I am saying you are willingly giving them information to track you very easily by putting down your true information. I am not saying they would use this for some kind of wrongful gain, but I am saying they could.

And by the way, I used to work IT for a very prominent ISP and I can assure you its not as simple as them coming to the ISP and asking. if you believe that then you have been watching way too much TV.

I sent a polite , short message. Though I really don't own any style like the AR I do not want to see my friends lose thiers. The big issue if this does go through its whats next to be banned.

Exactly! Where does it end? What's next? There are all kinds of weapons out there just as dangerous, just as there are all kinds of objects out there that can be made into weapons. Are we going to ban PVC pipe, cars, scissors, and tons of other junk? Seriously?

 

[M-Cameron]

I would be very careful about completing the information they require of you to make a statement. I am just saying.

i have a Massachusetts LTC-A and a C&R......both state and federal governments already know i am a gun owner.

also, this isnt 1950s Soviet Russia, i highly doubt the government is going to send unmarked vans to your house and haul you off to the Gulag.