[cslinger]

Write your letters. I am putting 18 in the mail tomorrow. Start sending your letters and send them again and again. It's not too early.

I am not an optimist but by God at least I will be able to say I tried to get rid of some of that onerous legislation.

Write your Reps, Senators, the President, the people in the background. Write everybody about the AWB.

Anyway I just thought I would give everybody a little push. I need one every once in a while.

I hope this isn't out of line.

Chris

[tlnzz]

Thanks for the reminder, but I for one have been sending e-mails fairly regular lately.

:) :) :)

[Skunkabilly]

Guilty.

I live in Costa Mesa/Irvine-ish, anyone know where I can get a list of who to snailmail?

[cslinger]

I have always been told by people who work in politicians offices that snail mail and phone calls hold the most weight and that emails tend not to hold much weight at all. Just passing along what I have heard.

Skunk,

I got most of my addresses from my local sources and the AWBsunset.com website. Of course this thread about covers it.

Chris
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=34437

[Stickjockey]

I will be writing letters as soon as I get my computer back. (Virus writers should be strung up by their ankles and left to rot! :cuss: :fire: )

[boots]

thread listing each state, the person in the state to write to, and the address of that said person. i would love to pro-actively do something about the gun situation in the usa, but sadly i am ignorant of the political climate. but am willing to learn. do you understand what i'm saying or does my post need to be clarified? when i mean ignorant, i mean that i have no idea of what senator to write too, or what state representatives might be on the gun control board,... etc...

[cslinger]

Boots, click on the thread link I posted. Good list of people to write and their addresses.

[boots]

should've read the whole thread more carefully... i will do my part.

[Malone LaVeigh]

If you enter the name of your state and the word "congress" on Google, you'll probably have the address pretty soon. They're also listed in that mysterious book of lore called a phone book.

Really, I can't believe there are people out there who don't know how to write their representatives...

[HBK]

I've been writing lots of letters lately. I'm glad you posted this, though, because I was beginning to think I was wasting my time. If you don't know how to write your rep, try this site. www.congress.org

[boots]

I didn't ask you anything. i wonder why people say things that aren't nice. i was asking specifics. who chairs the senate board of gun control, who specifically in the senate actually cares about gun control and relevant issues, and things of that nature. What i did NOT ask for was some smart ??? to tell me to go look something up on google.

[boots]

Really, I can't believe there are people out there who don't know HOW TO BE POLITE

[cslinger]

Everybody play nice and save your animosity for the people who deserve it....................................the Politicians:cuss: :D


I guess the reason I posted this was because it is hard to feel like you are doing anything if you feel like you are the only guy writing or voting or whatever.

I know that isn't the case but I for one would appreciate a thread like this posted from time to time. It's good for the motivation. We need to come together and be heard as one voice and even as oppressed gun owners we tend to drop the ball and let the other guy pick up the slack. I've done it and I am sure most of you have done it from time to time.

I just don't think this is the time. This is a big one that will send a big message. I need to start focusing on the small ones too but this is a one voice needs to be heard issue.

Let's do what we do best and be a pain in the a....ahh butt. Do it for YOUR CHILDREN

[TarpleyG]

Well, I mailed 15 letters out on Monday. Let's hope that they will do some good.

GT

[oldfart]

I spoke to a lady in my Senators' local office and she told me that, due to anthrax scares, mail sent to the D.C. offices will be held up for as long as three weeks. If you send it to a local office, they open it and send it to D.C. by overnight courier. So if you're writing about some time-sensitive issue, it might be better to send it to the local office.

[longeyes]

Your reminder is well-advised. I plan to do my part.

I remain of the opinion that gun rights advocates need to become
vocal and visible. We need to show the pols that we are a community
that can't be ignored or offended. This is how other communities--I
could cite the activists who support illegal immigration--get pols
to back off. Peaceful, lawful assembly is the ticket.

[Zak Smith]

Here's what I just sent to all the Colorado senators and congresscritters (a total of 9):


I urge you to oppose any and all bans on so-called ``semi-automatic assault weapons'' or ``high capacity ammunition feeding devices.''

I also urge you to oppose the re-authorization of those portions of the 1994 Crime Bill which banned so-called ``semi-automatic assault weapons'' and ``high capacity ammunition feeding devices'' for a period of 10 years, providing ``sunset'' in 2004.

Banning so-called ``semi-automatic assault weapons'' and ``high-capacity ammunition feeding devices'' does not reduce crime. The primary effects are that law-abiding citizens are prohibited from owning firearms particularly useful for self-defense, sport, and pleasure.

For example, a ``high-capacity'' magazine would be particularly useful in a handgun carried legally for self-defense under Colorado's new shall-issue concealed carry license program. A typical 9mm handgun used for lawful concealed-carry was designed to carry 13, 15, or even 17 rounds, but
under the 1994 Crime Bill, only magazines ``neutered'' to hold 10 rounds are legal. This is
ludicrous.

Furthermore, the distinctions made between an outlawed ``semi-automatic assault weapon'' and a perfectly legal auto-loading rifle or shotgun are essentially cosmetic and do nothing but prevent law-abiding citizens from using them for lawful purposes.

It has become fashionable to blame extremely rare violent events on objects instead of the criminals responsible, and then to use these events as propaganda to restrict the rights and limit the freedom of citizens of this great nation.

The Second Amendment of the United States Constitution acknowledges `the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.''

sincerely,

(signed)


-z

[cslinger]

Wow that is so eloquent. My letters just tell them I am going take them out with a .50 caliber sniper rifle if they don't do as I ask. You think my approach is too strong.:rolleyes: :what: :neener:

Actually I wrote a strong letter saying that I will not vote for anybody who seeks to infrige on RKBA, etc. and so on.

I wrote my letter respectfully and wished them a great day. Every letter we send should be respectful and friendly but strong. No matter whether we like them or not these are the leaders of our country and they do deserve a respecful and well thought out letter.

So I guess my joke above will have black helicopters over my house this evening right?

[HBK]

Man, I always wonder how much my letters are actually "my letters." I see so many eloquent examples on sites such as this and if that's not enough, the words "please feel free to copy" or something to that effect. I think they are 95% my ideas and 5% great ideas from other people. Of course it could be 5% my ideas and 95% great ideas from other people. :neener:
I mailed 12 letters this morning, so I hope they have some effect. Most of the time, it just feels like I'm:banghead: . Especially since I have to write to Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray, neither of whom got my vote in the last election.

[cslinger]

If everybody on this forum, for that matter if only the normal posters mailed ONE(1) letter to say Tom Delay or somebody else intimitely involved and we coordinated it so those letters were all maild on X day, that would have to make some kind of an impact and it would only be an amount of work equal to one letter, handwritten, typed no matter. Just ONE(1) letter, one stamp........I'll buy you a stamp if it's an issue :D, and blam Delay gets say 300-400 letters from us responsible upstanding gun owners who don't like the direction things are going it.

We can all do one letter can't we. 12 is great, 20 is great but come on we can all do ONE(1).

Ok I've said my piece. I am pretty cynical at heart and I honestly don't know if I believe anything can really be done, but deep down no matter what happens at least I can say that I have tried to do my part, no matter how small and insignificant that part was.

Chris

[CZ 75 BD]

that a letter is seen to represent 10,000 people who don't write. So I agree, we all need to write at least every 6 weeks or so. Also, if the mail delay in DC is a concern, the congresscritters all have offices in their state, so send the mail there as well. The Senate Judiciary committee will see the bills in the Senate.

[QuarterBoreGunner]

I've been on an e-mail and phone call campaign lately; but I wonder which of the three: snail mail, e-mail or phone calls are more effective?

Anyone seen any statistics on which method of communication gets the best response?

[Drjones]

I sent this letter to everyone listed below:


My real address

Representative/Senator Whomever
217 Whatever St.
Washington, D.C. 20515-2507

Dear So-and-so,

I am writing regarding an upcoming matter that is of the utmost importance to me and the many other gun owners in my state: allowing the 1994 “Assault Weapons Ban” to sunset in 2004 without renewal. As was stated in a DOJ study on the effects of the ban released in 1999, a significant impact on gun related crime as a result of the ban was not seen nor expected, given the fact that “assault weapons” are only very rarely used in crime.

This law has not reduced crime, and has only affected law-abiding citizens. Every citizen who wants to purchase any rifle has to pass the instant background check. The background check prevents criminals from buying these firearms; therefore the law only affects law-abiding citizens.

Targeting a certain group of firearms based on cosmetic and ergonomic features that have no impact whatsoever on the weapons’ lethality simply does not make any sense to me. Further, supporting any laws that disarm honest, law-abiding American citizens in the face of terrorist threats seems to me like a very bad policy. (***I only added this last sentence on one or two of the letters after I thought it up. What do you think? I like it!***)

As there has been no substantive evidence presented that it has had any significant effect on reducing crime, and as it represents a serious infringement on Second Amendment rights that has produced no worthwhile public safety benefit, I respectfully urge you to oppose any effort to renew the ban.

Please oppose a renewal of the ban. I will not vote for, nor support, any political candidate that votes for a renewal, or attempts to get a renewal to the floor for a vote.

Sincerely,

My Real Name

*********************************

What do you think? I sent that letter to the following:

- President George W. Bush

- Representative Roy Blunt, House Majority Whip

- Representative J. Dennis Hastert, Speaker of the House

- Senator Bill Frist, Senate Majority Leader

- Senator Thomas Daschle, Senate Minority Leader

- Representative Tom DeLay, House Majority Leader

- Senator Dianne Feinstein

- Senator Barbara Boxer

Maybe I'll do some more tomorrow?

It felt so good writing those letters; I am actually doing SOMETHING to help.
And the most amazing thought popped into my head; how lucky am I to be sitting at work, in a nice comfortable office, writing letters to politicians to hopefully have SOME influence on their decisions. I did all of my letter-writing without fear of prosecution, persecution, murder, fear for my family's lives, etc.

How many people in the world are there who would truly, honestly gladly give a LIMB and more to enjoy the same freedoms? You know, this country ain't perfect, but we're the best by a long shot.

:)

[CZ 75 BD]

Great letter!

[telomerase]

Letters to most politicans have no good effect (Not that I haven't wasted many hours writing them). Like polling, at most they teach the politicians how to modify their propaganda. You aren't going to convince the politician that he doesn't want to run your life... because he does.

Now, well-written op-eds and letters to the editors of newspapers, that's another matter entirely. Educating your fellow citizen (assuming that you do it politely and using believable references) will cure some hoplophobes and give your fellow gunowners moral support.

(However, beware of malicious newspaper "editing", whether for op-eds or letters. Give any paper one chance, but if they "edit" your sentences by, e.g., leaving out words like "not", move on to other forums).

[telomerase]

...that is a very well-written letter. (Now write a similar one to your local paper... especially if you can sign it "Dr. Jones"!)

[Drjones]

Bump.

Thanks for the kind words! I can't really take too much credit, as it is a hybrid of two letters posted on a site linked above.

Anyhow, writing letters is better than nothing. I don't suppose the .gov keeps track of letters recieved so that you can punish a candidate for not listening to his constituents? That would be AWESOME!