MicroBalrog
March 3, 2003, 10:28 PM
An open letter to America’s politicians
Dear ladies, genlement, Senators, Representatives, and, of course, Mr. President!
Let me start by introducing myself. My name is Boris Karpa, and I’m in Israel. And I don’t own a gun. Simply because gun control here is so tight it’s illegal for most people to own guns. If I lived in America – or practically any other country, to that matter – I would be able to get a gun legally. Now, because of the terror wave, many police experts are applying pressure to make it easier to get guns, but they are not being successful. Around 265,000 people here own guns – less than five percent. It really helps against terrorism, though – just ask all the people who were stabbed or shot by the terrorists – or by common thugs, who are getting more and more common with every year.
Now, why am I writing that letter, you are wondering? Well, because there is a bill in Congress right now, called H.R. 153, a.k.a. Second Amendment Protection Act. It deals mainly with two things: repealing of the so-called “Assault Weapon Ban” (which sunsets 2004 anyway), and second, repealing the “sporting purpose clause” of the Gun Control Act of 1968 (Am I getting the name right?). Now that is the really important part. This is what you guys in the Senate and Congress should focus on, because that clause is just plain wrong. Let me clarify that:
First of all, it is wrong, because it basically allows the Secretary of the Treasury to ban any shotgun which it deems “non-sporting”, making it as illegal as machineguns and grenades – and there is no definition of “sporting firearm” out there, meaning, in practice, that they just ban any shotgun they don’t like. It also lets the Secretary ban the import of any gun they deem “non-sporting” – so it allows the import ban on the SPAS-12 – known also as the Sporting Purpose Automatic Shotgun.
Second, and more important, laws are made of words. And words create notions and ideas. This clause, by its very existence, creates the idea – with law enforcement and citizens – that the main (and perhaps only) legitimate reason to have guns is for sport – say, trapshooting. So the Secretary of the Treasury banned a semi-automatic shotgun because it was too heavy for trapshooting (yup, you are reading that right). This notion in itself is dangerous. Heard of the fellow known as Slippery Slope? Ask the British. In 1988 they introduced a similar clause into their Firearms Act. Today, their government no longer recognise self-defense as a legitimate reason to have a gun. This clause is dangerous. Go repeal it.
All you are going to do with it is to make it easier for Americans to defend themselves against terrorists– who will always have guns, no matter how much money you put into trying to prevent them from having guns. Go support HR 153
Oh, but I forgot, you won’t do it. Because gun control makes you safer. I’ll try and remember. When the next Islamic Idiot shoots me with an AK-47, my last thought will be “At least I don’t have a gun… I’m so much safer now”.
Dear ladies, genlement, Senators, Representatives, and, of course, Mr. President!
Let me start by introducing myself. My name is Boris Karpa, and I’m in Israel. And I don’t own a gun. Simply because gun control here is so tight it’s illegal for most people to own guns. If I lived in America – or practically any other country, to that matter – I would be able to get a gun legally. Now, because of the terror wave, many police experts are applying pressure to make it easier to get guns, but they are not being successful. Around 265,000 people here own guns – less than five percent. It really helps against terrorism, though – just ask all the people who were stabbed or shot by the terrorists – or by common thugs, who are getting more and more common with every year.
Now, why am I writing that letter, you are wondering? Well, because there is a bill in Congress right now, called H.R. 153, a.k.a. Second Amendment Protection Act. It deals mainly with two things: repealing of the so-called “Assault Weapon Ban” (which sunsets 2004 anyway), and second, repealing the “sporting purpose clause” of the Gun Control Act of 1968 (Am I getting the name right?). Now that is the really important part. This is what you guys in the Senate and Congress should focus on, because that clause is just plain wrong. Let me clarify that:
First of all, it is wrong, because it basically allows the Secretary of the Treasury to ban any shotgun which it deems “non-sporting”, making it as illegal as machineguns and grenades – and there is no definition of “sporting firearm” out there, meaning, in practice, that they just ban any shotgun they don’t like. It also lets the Secretary ban the import of any gun they deem “non-sporting” – so it allows the import ban on the SPAS-12 – known also as the Sporting Purpose Automatic Shotgun.
Second, and more important, laws are made of words. And words create notions and ideas. This clause, by its very existence, creates the idea – with law enforcement and citizens – that the main (and perhaps only) legitimate reason to have guns is for sport – say, trapshooting. So the Secretary of the Treasury banned a semi-automatic shotgun because it was too heavy for trapshooting (yup, you are reading that right). This notion in itself is dangerous. Heard of the fellow known as Slippery Slope? Ask the British. In 1988 they introduced a similar clause into their Firearms Act. Today, their government no longer recognise self-defense as a legitimate reason to have a gun. This clause is dangerous. Go repeal it.
All you are going to do with it is to make it easier for Americans to defend themselves against terrorists– who will always have guns, no matter how much money you put into trying to prevent them from having guns. Go support HR 153
Oh, but I forgot, you won’t do it. Because gun control makes you safer. I’ll try and remember. When the next Islamic Idiot shoots me with an AK-47, my last thought will be “At least I don’t have a gun… I’m so much safer now”.