USAFRavenR6
Active Member
Ok, scratch that, I have received 5 auto replies stating that the message was unable to be delivered due to the mailbox being full. Hopefully that is from all of us and not the Anti gun people pushing for stricter laws
I have not seen a ton of popular demand for stricter gun control in Maryland. I've seen a lot of people who would be in favor of it, but it's not a big priority for them on a personal level.Ok, scratch that, I have received 5 auto replies stating that the message was unable to be delivered due to the mailbox being full. Hopefully that is from all of us and not the Anti gun people pushing for stricter laws
Lots of auto-replies from the General Assembly.
...
Typical "for our children" non-committal response.
vector03 said:Hello. My name is vector03. I hope you all enjoyed the holiday season with friends and family. I am writing today to encourage you to carefully consider any legislation regarding incorrectly labeled “assault weapons”.
We’re all aware of the tragedy in CT. As terrible as this event was, an additional law restricting weapons will not deter criminals (by their very nature) or the mentally ill. Any new law passed by you and the General Assembly will go unnoticed by criminals. These new laws serve to penalize law abiding citizens for the acts of criminals and the mentally ill.
If can encourage you to review the facts compiled by the FBI, I think you’ll see that these incorrectly labeled “assault rifles” are not the problem.
http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/crime-in-the-u.s/2011/crime-in-the-u.s.-2011/tables/table-20
The Federal Assault Weapons Ban was sunset in 2004. The percentage of murders committed by rifle in Maryland from 2004 - 2011 is 0.74%. That’s right… 29 of 3923 murders in Maryland from 2004 – 2011 were committed with rifles. To drive my point home, the number of murders committed in the same timeframe using Hands, Fists, Feet etc…4.53%. That’s right…more than 6x that of rifles.
I think this pretty clearly shows two things.
1. Acts of murder carried out in Maryland show overwhelmingly that incorrectly labeled “assault rifles” are NOT the primary or most destructive weapon used.
2. The fact that more people use their Hands, Fists, and/or Feet to commit murder shows that banning weapons will not discourage criminals and the mentally ill from successfully committing murder.
Please allow the facts to guide your decision. If you truly want your constituents to be safer, please focus on treatment for the mentally ill and incarceration for the criminals.
Thank you for your time.
Yours truly,
vector03
Surprisingly here is the answer I got from Senator Dyson and Representative Bohanon:
Delegate Frank S. Turner said:Thank you for contacting me concerning possible legislation to help control the proliferation of gun violence.
As you may be aware, I have supported a ban on the sales of assault weapons and large capacity magazines and for instant background checks on all gun sales and for a ban on carrying concealed weapons.
There will be many bills in January to address the problems stated above. The real challenge is how to collect the thousands of assault weapons already in circulation and the need to add more state and federal funding to mental health issues.
I appreciate hearing your comments and concerns surrounding these many difficult issues that need to be addressed.
Best wishes,
Frank
Delegate Frank S. Turner
House Ways and Means Committee
Chairman, Finance Resources Subcommittee
District 13 - Howard County
Room 206, HOB
410-841-3246/301-858-3246
Fax: 410-841-3986
E-mail: frank.turner@house.state.md.us
http://mlis.state.md.us/
Dear Mr. (Kino):
Thank you very much for your correspondence regarding gun control laws. I appreciate hearing your views on this important matter.
Please know that I support strong gun control legislation, including a renewal of the ban on the manufacture and possession of semiautomatic assault weapons.
Sadly, gun violence has become a constant in American life. Both urban and rural areas have experienced numerous tragedies. While increased education, incarceration of violent criminals, and improvements in public safety must be part of our effort to reduce gun violence, I believe that keeping guns out of the hands of criminals is essential to preventing gun violence. I have consistently supported bills that would provide key safety provisions, such as requiring 3 business days to complete background checks on weapons purchased at gun shows; requiring safety locks on or storage of all handguns; banning the importation of large ammunition clips; and increasing the minimum age for handgun purchases.
Please know that I am an original co-sponsor of the Stop Gun Trafficking and Strengthen Law Enforcement Act of 2011, H.R. 2554, which would finally create a dedicated statute prohibiting gun trafficking. This critical legislation would give law enforcement a legal tool to prosecute firearms traffickers.
I am also a co-sponsor of the Large Capacity Ammunition Feeding Device Act, H.R. 308, which would amend the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act to prohibit: (1) the transfer or possession of a large capacity ammunition feeding device, except for its lawful possession within the United States on or before the date of this Act's enactment; and (2) the importation or bringing into the United States of such a device.
While I recognize the rights of law-abiding citizens, I believe it is my obligation to ensure that our nation's communities are safe from the threat of gun violence. For this reason, I will continue to fight for responsible and appropriate gun control legislation, including reinstatement of the assault weapons ban and provisions to limit those with criminal backgrounds or mental impairment from obtaining weapons.
Thank you again for your correspondence, and please do not hesitate to contact me whenever I may be of assistance.
Sincerely,
Elijah E. Cummings
Member of Congress