[NY Patriot]

I was going to write some long-winded & inspirational introduction about how the fight to prevent the re-authorization of the "Assault Weapons" ban will be a major milestone on the path to ending modern American gun control. I contemplated waxing poetic about the nobility of fighting to reclaim & protect our birthright as free Americans, and how "Assault Weapons" are our liberty teeth, & as such, their continued availability to the citizenry is an essential guarantee that future generations will be able to resist the yoke of tyranny.

Then I realized that if you are reading this thread, you know all of this already, and that you are just looking to focus your energies on a structured plan of action which will allow you to expend your time & effort as efficiently as possible. You know the "why"… here is the "who", "where", & "what" [to say].

Thus, The Essential End the AW Ban Contact List & Sample Letter Thread.

Carpe Diem!!!


President George W. Bush
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20500
Phone: (202) 456-1111
Fax: (202) 456-2461

I'm not so naive as to think that Pres. Bush is going to be pressured into publicly reversing himself concerning the AW ban. The point of this exercise is to levy pressure on all levels of the Republican Party, & let them know that we are paying attention, and that we are as serious as a heart attack!
The message must get through loud & clear that any support for the AW ban will have negative repercussions for the GOP!


Mr. Karl Rove
The Office of Karl Rove
1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20500

Karl Rove is Pres. Bush’s top political advisor. Every news account I have read about Rove states that he has the confidence & trust of GWB to a degree that no other presidential advisor has possessed in modern American history.
In other words, when Rove voices an opinion, GWB really listens. If we get Rove's attention, we get the President's as well!!!


Ed Gillespie
Republican National Committee Chairman
310 First St SE
Washington, DC 20003

Additional contact info & ideas for influencing the RNC can be found by clicking the relevant link in this thread.



US HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES:
Locate & Contact YOUR Representative Here (www.congress.org/congressorg/dbq/officials/)



Congressman Dennis Hastert
Speaker of the House of Representatives
235 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-2976
Fax: (202) 225-0697

Congressman Tom DeLay
House Majority Leader
242 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-5951
Fax: (202) 225-5241


Hastert & DeLay are the men most responsible for either advancing or sidetracking bills in the House. We need to let them know that their schedule should not included any attempts to renew or reauthorize the AW ban.



Congressman F. James Sensenbrenner Jr.
Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee
2449 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515-4905
Phone: (202) 225-5101
Fax: (202) 225-3190

The House Judiciary Committee this is responsible for the submission of all gun control legislation that is introduced in the House.



Congressman Howard Coble
Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security
2468 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515-3306
Phone: (202) 225-3065
Fax: (202) 225-8611

Congressman Tom Feeney
323 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-2706
Fax: (202) 226-6299

Congressman Mark Green
1314 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-5665
Fax: (202) 225-5729

Congressman Steve Chabot
129 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-2216
Fax: (202) 225-3012

Congressman Randy Forbes
307 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-6365
Fax: (202) 226-1170

Congressman Bob Goodlatte
2240 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-5431
Fax: (202) 225-9681

Congressman Mike Pence
1605 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-3021
Fax: (202) 225-3382

Congressman Ric Keller
419 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-2176
Fax: (202) 225-0999


***This is the Judiciary Subcommittee that is first to vote on or bury all gun-control legislation. If we all do our job, none of the replacement AW bills will ever make it out of this Subcommittee to see the light of day, let alone to a full vote on the House floor! Hence, Chairman Coble & the seven Congressmen above (all pro gun Republican committee members) need to receive our special attention!

[NY Patriot]

United States Senate
Locate & Contact YOUR Senators Here (www.congress.org/congressorg/dbq/officials/)


Senator Bill Frist
Senate Majority Leader
461 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: (202) 224-3344
Fax: (202) 228-1264

Senator Mitch McConnell
Senate Majority Whip
361-A Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: (202) 224-2541
Fax: (202) 224-2499


Frist & McConnell set the Senate’s agenda & we need to let them know that if they want to remain in control of the Senate, they will stand in opposition to any attempts to renew the AW ban.


Senator Orrin Hatch
Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee
104 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: (202) 224-5251
Fax: (202) 224-6331

The Senate Judiciary Committee this is responsible for the submission of all gun control legislation that is introduced in the Senate.


Senator Lindsey O. Graham
Chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Crime, Corrections, and Victims’ Rights
290 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: (202) 224-5972
Fax: (202) 224-3808


This is the Senate Subcommittee that is first to vote on or bury all gun control legislation in the Senate. We need to urge them to opt for the latter option.


Congressperson Nancy Pelosi
House Minority Leader
2371 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-4965
Fax: (202) 225-8259

Senator Tom Daschle
Senate Minority Leader
509 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: (202) 224-2321
Fax: (202) 224-6603


The point of writing to Pelosi & Daschle isn't because they might actually change their views on the AW ban. The object is to get the message across to the Democrat leadership that gun control is a losing issue and that they might want to find another issue to go to the wall on. If enough people tell them that reauthorizing the AW ban is political suicide, they just might reign in their anti gun zealots (Schumer, Fienstein, etc…) for the "good of the party"!


The NRA also needs to hear from us in droves, and the message should be clear & unwavering… Do everything possible to end the AW ban, or else! Contact info & sample letters can be found here…

You Can Help Make the NRA Stick to Their Guns Concerning the AW Ban! (www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=1&f=5&t=195372&w=myTopicPop)

Sample letters and other ideas for influencing the RNC leadership (as well as the president’s top political advisor) can be found here…

Turn Your RNC Donation Letter into a Call to Allow the AW Ban to Expire (www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=1&f=5&t=191999&w=myTopicPop)

A tool for combating media bias & misinformation concerning "Assault Weapons" can be found here…

NRA’s Project Strike Force – Help Fight the AW Ban! (www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=1&f=5&t=196026)

Lastly, you can wage a battle to win the hearts & minds (and political clout) of hunters & target shooters who may be ignorant of the true intent and purpose of the RKBA by taking the advice found here…

The "Assault Rifle" That You Save May Be Your Own! (www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=1&f=5&t=141360&w=searchPop)

[NY Patriot]

SAMPLE LETTERS TO DRAW FROM...


Thanks to ColonelKlink @ AR15.com…

Dear Senator/Congressman XXXXX,

I am writing you in regards to the "Assault Weapons Ban of 1994". And as I am sure you know, is set to expire via a sunset clause in September of 2004. I wish and urge you to vote against any renewal of this legislation.

The banned weapons and magazines in question are rarely used to commit murders in this country. A criminal is not going to spend $1,000 on a weapon when he can get his hands on one that is often home made, cheaply manufactured, or stolen and just as lethal for less than 200 dollars. The "Assault Weapons" ban simply doesn’t work like its authors said or expected it to, regardless of what they claim. The facts can be distorted but the truth cannot…."Assault Weapons" neither cause, nor significantly contribute to violent crime in America. For this I urge you not to support the renewal of this legislation.

The ban has had no palpable effect on crime, but it has had a tremendous and terrible impact on the law-abiding citizens of the United States. Many people engage in competitive shooting programs such as the Civilian Marksmanship Program that uses mainly semi-automatic firearms. They are no longer allowed to configure their rifles in the constitutionally protected manner of their choosing. This should not be allowed to continue.

Last but not least, the ban targets features just because they look scary. The authors of this legislation honestly have no comprehension of physics or the mechanics of modern firearms. They feel that just because a firearm looks scary it should be banned, when the truth of the matter is that so-called "Assault Weapons" are mechanically identical to semi-automatic "sporting rifles." For this I beg that you to oppose the renewal of this "feel-good" legislation.

The fact this ban has had no effect on violent crime, it hinders the performance of men and women involved in competitive shooting, and attacks weapons based solely on their appearance is more than enough justification for its expiration, and I implore you to vote against any reauthorization or renewal of the "Assault Weapons" ban.

Please do not alienate America’s lawful gun owners.


Sincerely,


Thanks to TheRifleman @ AK-47.net…

Honorable Senator/Congressman XXXXX,

I am writing this letter to urge you to vote NO on any new legislation introduced regarding the so-called "Assault Weapons" ban. The usual anti-gun suspects in the Senate, Feinstein and Schumer, have introduced into committee legislation to continue the Clinton era semi auto rifle ban.

I’m sure you know that this ban has been a farce from the start. It banned semi auto rifles that looked "evil" because they have a bayonet lug and pistol grip on them. These are not assault weapons. They are not machine guns. I like to call them Homeland Defense rifles. It is a farce that criminals use these types of rifles in crimes. A criminal who intends to rob the corner store sure doesn’t carry in a semi auto rifle that is difficult to conceal. They use small handguns, which are not normally acquired through legal channels. Banning weapons because of how they look is just plain ridiculous feel good garbage.

More ridiculous is the ban on magazines that hold more than 10 rounds. I find it odd that somehow the police can use a 15 round magazine in a pistol to defend their lives yet as an ordinary Joe I am limited in my defense by 10 rounds. Is a policeman’s life more valuable than mine?

I understand President Bush has made statements to the effect that he supports the ban. I hope he is counting on a bill never making it to his desk. I will be writing him a letter stating my displeasure with his statements.

I will not vote for any politician who supports gun control. In 1994 over 60 representatives lost their jobs over this issue and this vote. We have fought tooth and nail as gun owners to get Republicans to the position they are in. We keep losing our gun rights and for no good reason that I can see. Republicans who have paid good lip service to gun owners over the years now control the House, the Senate and the Presidency. There is no excuse for any bill banning any firearms or magazines for those arms to be passed into law. Let the Clinton ban quietly expire.

The question that I need you to reply to me with is simple.

Are you with us, or against us?
Sincerely,

Thanks to ksuguy @ AK-47.net…

Dear Senator/Congressman XXXXX.

As one of your constituents, and I am writing to inform you of my feelings on a very important issue. As you are probably aware, a very bad and unconstitutional law is due to sunset in 2004. I am referring to the 1994 ban on certain types of semi-automatic firearms, and the production of ammunition magazines capable of holding more than 10 rounds.

This ban was instituted by a congress controlled by the Democrats during the Clinton administration. It is an appalling violation of my rights and an affront to all American gun owners. This ban has also done nothing to combat crime since the firearms in question are only used in an extremely small percentage of gun crimes.

I urge you to remember the oath you took when you entered office and fight to ensure that this law dies next year and stays dead. If you choose to side with the antigun forces in congress on this issue, rest assured that I will not be voting for you in the next election.

Regards,


Thanks to DonWally @ AK-47.net…

Honorable Senator/Congressman XXXXX,

My reason for writing is the "Assault Weapons" ban due to sunset in 2004. The restriction of so-called "assault weapons" imposed unacceptable limitations on America’s law abiding gun owners, and did nothing to control or prevent crime. Thus I strongly urge you to oppose any & all attempts to reauthorize this ineffectual ban.

The shame is that these limitations were imposed simply for political expediency and "feel-good" propaganda, and without any regard for the legality of such restrictions. Please understand that the "Assault Weapons" ban is an unambiguous infringement of our God given, and constitutionally acknowledged right to bear arms, and as such, we gun owners will no longer tolerate anyone who chooses to ignore & erode our birthright as free Americans.

When the current ban on so-called "Assault Weapons" sunsets, simply say good-bye to it Senator/Congressman XXXXX. Put an end to the foolishness of cosmetic fixes simply so some of your colleagues can say: "Look what we are doing to make our streets safer!" while doing nothing but punishing collectors and sport shooters of these incorrectly labeled "assault weapons. I implore you look at the real statistics and expose the foolishness & lies, and I ask you to acknowledge the inherit constitutionality of these firearms, and to protect our right to own them.

Sincerely,

[NY Patriot]

Thanks to Gobot @ AK-47.net…

Dear Senator/Congressman XXXXX,

This letter is in reference to the legislation currently being introduced in the House that would extend &/or renew the so-called "Assault Weapons" ban I am asking that you OPPOSE any & all legislation aimed at stripping away my 2nd Amendment rights in the name of "Gun Control."

I have decided that I am now a one-issue voter. I do this because I’m a law-abiding citizen that is sick and tired of having his rights stripped away by people that are ignorant on the subject. Those that take the time to study the issue of "gun control" KNOW that when you restrict the right to self-defense from lawful citizens, crime actually INCREASES in those areas. This is because by definition, criminals do not obey the law (if they did, they wouldn’t be criminals.) I cannot believe that the oppression "gun control" places on law abiding CITIZENS is the way to go on this issue.

Once again any elected official that represents me that supports any form of gun control bills WILL LOSE MY SUPPORT and the support of my family and friends across the board. Please do your part to cast the "Assault Weapons" ban on to the ash heap of history.

Best regards,


Thanks to Skibane @ AK-47.net…

Honorable Senator/Congressman XXXXX,


I am writing this letter to direct your attention to the current effort afoot to renew and reauthorize the failed Clinton era experiment known as the "Assault Weapons" ban. I want to urge you in the strongest terms possible to oppose & defeat any and all efforts to see that the ban lives past it’s current expiration date. .

The usual anti-gun politicians are calling for a needless continuation of the current ban on cosmetic rifle features such as pistol grips, bayonets and grenade launchers (are "drive-by bayonetings" or "rifle-launched grenade killings" really significant crime problems?). Not content with these restrictions, they are also calling for a ban on all self-loading shotguns (a favorite of hunters), all detachable-magazine self-loading rifles (used by most marksmanship competitors), and they seek to require gun manufacturers to submit complete lists of their dealers (a logical first step towards the registration of individual gun owners).

The founding fathers knew that a well-armed populace was a crucial, last-ditch hedge against a government gone bad. Some two and a quarter centuries after the 2nd Amendment was written, human nature hasn't changed: The newspapers still carry stories of governments that disarm their citizens before running roughshod over their rights – Zimbabwe, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Sierra Leone and Cuba, to name a few. Meanwhile, an armed citizenry has allowed our own country to escape any wholesale abuse of official power. To this day, it remains a powerful deterrent to any element of our government that might have designs on the freedoms of its citizens.

However, allowing that same government to pick and choose which types of firearms are "appropriate" for its citizens is like letting the fox guard the hen house – a sure path down the slippery slope to enslavement by degrees. To the greatest extent possible, that choice must be reserved for our citizens to exercise for themselves.

Hence, I urge your vigorous opposition to any reauthorization of the "Assault Weapons" ban, as well as to any other measures that effectively deny citizens the right to choose which ever means they deem to be appropriate in protecting themselves and their loved ones.

Regards,


The following three letters are mine…

Dear Senator/Congressman XXXXX,

As a registered voter and life long resident of our state, I am writing you in order to express my strong opposition to any renewal or replacement of the so-called "Assault Weapons" ban that is set to expire in September of 2004.

As there has been no evidence presented that this ban has had any significant effect on reducing crime, and as it represents a serious infringement of our Second Amendment freedoms, I respectfully urge you to oppose any effort to renew the ban, as well as any efforts to institute an even more restrictive ban.

Senator XXXXX, I realize that you are generally in favor of more Federal restrictions on private gun ownership. Please understand however, that you are doing every law-abiding citizen in the United States a great disservice by supporting such measures. It is not the role of the Federal government to dictate which mode of function, caliber, or accessory may characterize the arms we citizens choose to own.

If you truly want to combat violent crime in America, please support measures that are effective and that do not infringe upon our God given and Constitutionally enumerated right to bear arms.

Thus, I once again urge you to stand in opposition to any and all incarnations of a renewed "Assault Weapons" ban.

Thank you for your time, and I would appreciate a reply from you to learn your position on this very important issue.


Regards,


Dear Senator XXXXX,

As we move ever closer to the expiration of the so called "assault weapons" ban, I want to make it abundantly clear that America’s gun owners expect to see a meaningful and permanent restoration of their Second Amendment freedoms. Any attempts to reauthorize this failed Clinton era experiment, or to replace it with an even more restrictive piece of legislation will be remembered none too fondly on election day, 2004.

Please understand that our frustration stems from years of incremental erosion to our God given and constitutionally acknowledged personal freedoms. The "assault weapons" ban is clearly an infringement of these rights, and as such, it needs to be cast upon the ash heap of history. Any political compromises, back room negotiations, or last minute concessions that result in the extension &/or strengthening of the ban will be viewed as a rejection of our nation’s founding principals, and as a betrayal of the millions of American gun owners who work, raise families, pay taxes, and most importantly…vote.

Thus, I beseech you to stand in opposition to any and all incarnations of a renewed "assault weapons" ban, and to do everything within your power to ensure that history remembers September 14, 2004 as a day that freedom loving Americans regained an appreciable degree of liberty. Your sworn oath to the Constitution and your obligation to this Republic’s law- abiding citizens hang in the balance.

Thank you for your time, and I would greatly appreciate a reply in order to learn your position on this very important issue.


Sincerely,

[NY Patriot]

Honorable Chairman / Majority Leader / Majority Whip,

As a registered voter, life long Republican and financial contributor to the RNC, I am writing to strongly urge you to oppose any reauthorization, reenactment, or continuation of the so-called "Assault Weapons" ban. As Chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Crime, Corrections, & Victim’s Rights, you are in a prime position to ensure that the U.S. Senate allows the current ban to expire without being replaced with any new or identical gun control legislation.

I could argue that the "Assault Weapons" ban is clearly an unconstitutional infringement to anyone who has even a basic understanding of our nations founding documents, and the political & philosophical sentiments that went into their creation...but I won't.

I might point out that in every major federal, state, & privately commissioned crime study that has ever been conducted, "Assault Weapons" play a statistically insignificant role in violent crime...but I won't.

Instead... what I am going to point out to you Chairman XXXXX, is that the renewal of any type of "Assault Weapons" ban could cost the Republican Party control of the U.S. Senate in 2004.

For the sake of perspective, I will point out that the "Assault Weapons" ban was originally passed in a Democrat-controlled Congress by a very slim margin and by a slightly larger margin in the Senate.
The result... In the 1994 national elections, three months after passage, the Democrats lost nine seats in the Senate and 54 seats in the House. There is no denying that gun control, specifically the "Assault Weapons" ban" was a very large part of why the Democrats lost the House for the first time in 50 years. Former President Bill Clinton once even estimated that voting for the ban cost 20+ Democrat Representatives their seats.

Chairman XXXXX, I sincerely want to continue my support for the Republican Party, but I know that I speak for many gun owning & non-gun owning Americans alike, when I say that how Senate Republicans handle this issue will deeply influence our actions in the voting booth come November of next year. You must understand that we will no longer tolerate the infringement of that which "...shall not be infringed."

Thus, I implore you to do everything within your power to ensure that the Republican led Senate embraces personal freedom & turns it’s back on the Clinton era "Assault Weapons" ban. Their individual oaths to the Constitution and their collective obligation to core conservative voters hangs in the balance.

Thank you for your time, and I look forward to your reply.

Regards,


Thanks to Warmonger @ AK-47.net

Honorable Senator XXXXX,


As an avid sportsman and firearms enthusiast, I want to encourage you to work against the passage of any & all legislation that threatens to strangle every American’s Constitutionally acknowledged right to own so-called "Assault Weapons".

As a practical matter, roll that these unfairly maligned and demonized firearms play in crime is negligible, and the only thing accomplished by such restrictive legislation is the piecemeal infringement of our Second Amendment rights. I fear that if left unchecked, gun control measures will continue to worsen to the point that the right to bear arms will be a hollow concept, and the individual citizen’s right to personal protection will be further negated. Rather than further limiting the types of weapons that honest, responsible, law-abiding citizens have the right to possess; I encourage you to focus your energies on increasing the consequences for those who illegally use firearms in the commission of violent crimes.

Senator XXXXX, I must implore you to stand in opposition to any legislation that threatens to strangle my God given rights. By voting to abolish such draconian legislation as the "Assault Weapons" ban, I believe that you and your party will benefit by gaining the favor of gun owners such as myself and the millions of other Americans who step up to actively support their Second Amendment freedoms. I am deeply passionate about this issue, and I know several others who take gun control into serious consideration when entering the voting booth. You Sir, stand only to benefit by supporting our unalienable right to bear arms.

Thank you for your time and I look forward to your reply.

Regards,


Well there you have it… a one-stop resource for becoming politically active & involved in the fight to end the blatantly unconstitutional "Assault Weapons" ban. While voluminous, this thread is by no means complete. Feel free to add your own unique sample letters for others to draw ideas & inspiration from.

We are presented with a rare occurrence here folks… A SECOND CHANCE!!! These don’t manifest themselves very often in life, especially concerning something as important as the preservation & restoration of our unalienable rights. We would be doing a tremendous disservice to future generations of Americans if we didn’t pull out all the stops in an attempt to kill this "law" while we have the opportunity!

The choice is clear... Sacrifice time, money, and effort NOW, or we just might be sacrificing blood & tears in the future!


"Destiny is not a matter of chance; it is a matter of choice. It is not a thing to be waited for; it is a thing to be achieved."

- William Jennings Bryan (1860 - 1925)

[NY Patriot]

BTW... the staff asks that any additional posts to this thread be informational in nature (more sample letters, additional contact info, etc...).

Thanks.

[Oleg Volk]

I will keep this topic floated as long is it remains productive. Feel free to add additional information or ideas.

Oleg

[Nightfall]

(don't forget your name and address in upper right corner above date :))


September 9, 2003


Senator Tom Daschle
Senate Minority Leader
509 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510


Dear Sir:

I am writing to voice my opposition to the renewal or extension attempts of the Assault Weapons Ban that are being introduced and considered. As you know, in 1994, the ban on certain firearms was proposed as a method to fight violent crimes in the United States. In reality, all it has done are place unnecessary burdens on law-abiding citizens. It has further limited the choice of firearms Americans have to choose from for self-defense, or in their enjoyment of shooting sports such as service rifle competitions or hunting.

In addition, I believe it has infringed on the right to keep and bear arms as laid out in the 2nd Amendment of our Constitution, with the intention of an armed yet peaceful populace as a deterrent and form of last resort defense against tyranny.

Many of the provisions of the 1994 ban are utterly ridiculous to all but the most uninformed. Features which have absolutely no impact on crime are banned as dangerous ‘assault' features. For example, new semiautomatic rifles are forbidden from having a bayonet mounting lug when combined with other common features such as a detachable magazine or a grip separate from the stock. I've yet to hear of a ‘drive-by bayoneting' on the evening news.

Another such example is folding or telescoping rifle stocks. This simple feature enables gun owners to store their weapon more easily when traveling to or from a shooting range, or for storage in various firearm safes. A telescoping rifle stock is also useful in allowing shooters of different sizes to adjust the stock to more comfortably fit their body frame.

I hardly think these are dangers to society.

(note, put date and page number like so in upper left of next page)

September 09, 2003
Page 2


Magazines manufactured after 1994 holding more than 10 rounds of ammunition are also banned. According to a National Institute of Justice sponsored study on the effectiveness of this act, it has failed to reduce gun shot wounds per victim or victims per gun murder. Beyond that, it has limited the ability of people, many in rural areas with limited law enforcement availability, to defend themselves and their families against violent intruders. This also makes licensed concealed weapon carriers less effective in their ability to defend against violent crime. The members of the civilian law enforcement community are permitted to have full-capacity magazines for their defense, but I as another civilian cannot. I believe our law enforcement officers should have access to the best and most effective equipment money can buy for their duty, and I find it disheartening that this great nation would see its citizens denied that same ability for their own protection or sporting uses.

Finally, I hope that you will agree that weapons such as AR-15 or AK-47 style rifles should not be banned simply because they appear more menacing than other semiautomatic weapons. These supposed ‘assault' rifles are not functionally different from any other similar rifle, and in fact often use a lower powered cartridge than semiautomatic weapons such as the Garand our brave soldiers used in World War II. Given a different, less military appearance, these objects would be no more at risk for misplaced legal persecution than my grandfather's hunting rifle.

I sincerely hope you will oppose any legislation seeking to renew or further extend the Assault Weapons Ban, so that I may proudly vote for you in the next election. Thank you for your time.


Respectfully yours,

Your signature

Your first and last name typed

Just a possible sample, I suppose. A big thanks to the THR members who helped me think this up BTW. :)

[alan]

Re form letters to senators/comgresspersons re the AW ban, you might consider the following.

Dear Senator or Congressperson xxx

Both the Assaault Weapon Ban itself and the associated limitations on the capacity of "ammunition feeding devices", otherwise known as magazines are scheduled to expire on 13 September, 2004.

At the time of their enactment, neither of these restrictions served any legitimate, useful or valid public purpose, law enforcement or otherwise. Given the passage of almost 10 years, nothing has changed, the breed has not improved.

Both of the above mentioned should be allowed to "sun set". No efforts, under any imaginable circumstances, to reauthorize or otherwise retain or renew these restrictions should be considered, and most certainly none are acceptable.

Thank you for your thoughtful attention.

Respectfully submitted,

[JeepDriver]

Thanks for the letters.

I need all the help I can get when it comes to writing letters.

[FPrice]

This is an OUTSTANDING suggestion. All of us should follow your lead and get these cards and letters going. I will be drawing on your ideas for my letter.

Thanks.

[NY Patriot]

Folks, I was hoping I could ask a small favor...

It's great that so many people have already taken the time to read & utilize this thread, but the more exposure it gets, the better our chances of generating the torrent of letters, faxes, calls, etc. necessary to ensure that when the AW ban dies, it stays dead!

Thus, I respectfully ask that you add this thread to your "bookmarks/favorites" list, and that you spread news of it's existence & importance during your travels on the Internet.

Trust me... opportunities to direct people to this thread abound!

Every time someone, somewhere posts "What are you going to buy when the AW ban expires?", advise them to lend a helping hand & link them to this thread. Every time someone asks "Can I do this to my post ban rifle?", let them know that they can help make the terms "pre & post ban" an irrelevant memory, & link them to this thread. You get the idea...

Please help me spread the word & together we can win this fight!

Thanks.

[jimpeel]

I have a color letterhead that I created that has the NRA Eagle and the caption "Member NRA" that I use. If anyone here would like a copy, send a PM, not an e-mail, with your e-mail addy and I will send a copy as an attachment. The file is a Word .dot document and is about 20k.

[johnr]

NYPatriot:
Thus, I respectfully ask that you add this thread to your "bookmarks/favorites" list, and that you spread news of it's existence & importance during your travels on the Internet.

Consider it done, neighbor.

[NY Patriot]

Fight For Your Rights Bump!!!

[Oleg Volk]

We can't float every worthy thread, but I hope that this one stays near the top. Winning the AWB issue is important!

[NY Patriot]

Mr. Volk...

Winning the AWB issue is important!

Understatement of the day.

:(

[gunsmith]

But will call them,then write as asoon as I get printer as my handwriting is terrible...
I have allready written GW & Ed though

[NY Patriot]

Tick, tick, tick...

That's the sound of your ability to influence the AW debate slipping into the future!

C'mon folks... there is no fate but the fate we make!

[Don Galt]

I'm sorry, but I have to bump.

btt

[NY Patriot]

A couple of points to add...

- Some people seem to be a bit confused about why I posted the sample letters & what exactly I expect us to do with them.

Please mix & match, cut & paste, and generally adapt these letters as you see fit. Heck... copy them verbatim & sign your name to them if need be, but please write!!!

- It is very important that you write early & often! One barrage of letters is simply not enough. I know it is time consuming & a PITA, but we all need to write the politicians & organizations on this list multiple times in order to show them that we are a serious & persistent force to be reckoned with!

Also, be aware that it is taking the Congressional, Senatorial, and Executive postal services aprox. 60 days to process all the written correspondence they receive (due to screening precautions over Anthrax), so in reality we only have another 9 months to write letters that will have any effect on the debate!

[gunsmith]

I believe they are starting to get the message!
lets keep the pot boiling untill we are free!

[NY Patriot]

Out of sight, out of mind BUMP!!!

[tfurey19]

" Winning the AWB issue is important!"

If we lose the Assault Weapon issue its all over my friends. This represents the final fight for gun rights.

The NRA and GOA are well aware of this. This is why both have said that there will be compromise. Even if it means the death of other pro-gun bills like the lawsuit preemption bill, the ban must die.

Everybody should keep this in mind and let others know. I doubt many realize the importance of this. If this passes even hunters will lose their guns. All will be lost.

[NY Patriot]

OK folks... in light of today's events, it's obvious that the SCOTUS isn't going to ride to our rescue anytime soon.

It's time that we ALL take charge of the situation, and make our political will felt!!!

Get motivated. Get active. Get involved. This is our fight to lose guys. Don't blow it!

[CaesarI]

bumpitty bump bump bump.

[NY Patriot]

Bump, because the AW ban is not going to fade into history without MUCH hard work & dedication on our part!

Lead, follow, or get out of the way!!!

[Langenator]

Bump!

Mods: How about making this thread a float?

[Sam Adams]

I second Langenator's motion to make this a float - this is THE issue in the RKBA world this year, and we need to keep as much attention on it as possible. If WE cannot get our own folks to write letters and make phone calls, then the AWB will be back even worse than it is now.

[Zedicus]

Yes, the AWB is to Important of an Issue not to Float.

DOWN WITH THE AWB!!!:cool:

[NY Patriot]

Guys, thanks for chiming in that this thread should be afforded a long-term float.

To be fair, it was floated for about two weeks around the time that I authored it, but then it was removed. On a couple of occasions, I E-mailed Oleg Volk, asking him to reconsider the importance of this topic. After consulting with some of his moderators, he got back to me with the response that while important, not every worthy thread can be floated on these forums.

If some of you seniors members would like to drop him a line & urge him to reconsider his decision, I would be greatly appreciative.

As Sam Adams put it... "This is THE issue in the RKBA world this year!"

[Langenator]

It's the most important issue, and it's only going to get bigger. The ban expires something like a month after the nominating conventions this summer (those are in August, right?). How much would anyone here like to bet that the Dems will be wailing about how Bush isn't serious about keeping sheeple safe because it hasn't been renewed?

Enough letters/email/phone calls to Senators/Representatives (especially the Democrat type) and they might just shut up about the whole thing. The key is to convince them that the issue is a loser.

[BeLikeTrey]

This is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT to me as well. I will be using a frankenstein of all of the templates contained in this thread. Thanks to all those who worked so hard on these, to make it easier on the rest of us.

[mountainclmbr]

I contribute to reelection campaigns. On any correspondence I write "publicly suppory repeal of AWB or this is the last support from me".

I also get invited to socials and dinners and am unrestrained in my criticism if the candidate does not support the Constitution.

[Dave Markowitz]

This thread really ought to be made a float, IMO. The AWB is the biggest RKBA issue we are facing this year.

Here's a letter I sent off to my (Republican) Congress Critters today:

Dear Representatitve/Senator:

I am a Republican and I vote in every election.

In September the "Assault Weapons Ban" is set to sunset. I am writing to
urge you let this odious piece of unconstitutional legislation expire.

The AWB does nothing to reduce crime but does infringe upon our
constitutional rights.

I will be watching this issue with particular interest and it will
strongly influence how I vote in 2004.

Sincerely,

[NY Patriot]

Dave Markowitz...
This thread really ought to be made a float... The AWB is the biggest RKBA issue we are facing this year.

What's that you said, Dave?

I couldn't quite make it out! :D

[Langenator]

Actually, I was doing a bit of speculative thinking...wondering more like...which get read more...floats, or regular threads that hang around at the top of the pile because they generate a constant stream of replies?

[NY Patriot]

Thanks to Prometheus @ AssaultWeb.net...

Dear Senator/Congressman XXXXX.

I am writing to inform you of my feelings on a very important issue. As you are aware, an ineffectual and unconstitutional law is due to sunset in 2004. I am referring to the 1994 ban on certain types of semi-automatic firearms ("assault weapons"), and the production of ammunition magazines capable of holding more than 10 rounds. I want to urge you in the strongest possible terms to oppose any & all attempts to renew or reauthorize this law.

This ban is an appalling violation of my rights and an affront to all American gun owners. This ban has also done nothing to combat crime since the firearms in question are only used in an extremely small percentage of gun crimes.
I’m sure you know that this ban has been a farce from the start. It banned semi auto rifles that looked "evil" because they have a bayonet lug and pistol grip on them. These are not assault weapons. They are not machine guns. I like to call them Homeland Defense rifles. It is a farce that criminals use these types of rifles in crimes. A criminal who intends to rob the corner store sure doesn’t carry in a semi auto rifle that is difficult to conceal. They use small handguns, which are not normally acquired through legal channels. Banning weapons because of how they look is just plain ridiculous feel good nonsense.

I urge you to remember the oath you took when you entered office and fight to ensure that this law dies later this year and stays dead. If you choose to side with your antigun colleagues on this issue, rest assured that I will not be voting for you in the next election.

A response to this letter will be deeply appreciated.

Regards,

[BTR]

I've used these addresses sev. times... very nice.

[NY Patriot]

Folks, first off, I want to thank everyone who has taken the time & effort to sit down & write letters. I know all too well that this can be a tedious chore, but alas, it must be done!

I also wanted to point out that it is vitally important that we contact EVERYONE on the list, not just our local congresscritter & our two Senators. Take me as an example... my Senators are Chuckie Schumer & Madam Hillary, and my Rep. is Nita Lowey, a hard core leftist. If I only wrote to them, my opinions would be virtually guaranteed of being ignored, and my efforts would be for naught.

BUT... I make sure that everyone who could potentially have a hand in the outcome of the AW ban battle hears from me! The POTUS represents EVERY American, thus he hears from me. I'm a registered Republican, so the RNC gets an earful. I'm also an NRA member, so guess what... they are beholden to my views & opinions if they want the continued privilege of spending my money. All the Congressional & Senatorial committee members, as well as the House & Senate leaders & Speakers are, by virtue of their exalted positions, answerable to ALL Americans, not just those living in their districts & states.

You get the idea... our letter writing responsibilities extend FAR beyond our district & state boundaries!!!

It's also very important that we all write, write, and write again! We have less than a year to win this fight & we need to keep the pressure on HIGH! The only way the relevant politicians & organizations will know that our will is strong & unwavering is if we continuously and relentlessly badger them until the ban is gone.
I know it's a PITA, but we really, really need to write the names on the list MULTIPLE TIMES. There is no easy or lazy way around this fact... it just needs to be done!!!

Well, I'll get off my soapbox (for now), but just realize that this is our fight to lose. The AW ban is a goner IF we remain active involved & unified!

Thanks.

[NY Patriot]

Tick, tick, tick...

That's the sound of your ability to influence the AW debate slipping into the future...

Only eight months to go folks!!!

This is THE RKBA battle of the decade, and it's our fight to lose... let's not blow it!!!

[TXBera]

I'm writing mine, are you? :scrutiny: :D :scrutiny: :D

Edit: In the process of writing and would it sound better to call the AWB by it's proper name of VCCA of '94, or the assault weapons ban?

[Art Eatman]

TXBera, the odds are by now that they all know, reflexively, what you're referring to with "Assault Weapons Ban"; the other might require a moment's thought.

Let's not strain the poor dears any more than we have to...

Art

[CaesarI]

By referring to it specifically, by the name of the law, and the speicific section under the law, you may convince them that you know rather a lot about the topic.

There's an upside and a downside to this.

Upside: You're educated, and intelligent, and likely involved enough to persuade a few other of my potential voters.

Downside: You're a serious activist, and more likely to be seen as a wacko than influential. Possible the letter may be dismissed, as Art noted, because they dunno what you're talkin' about.

Can't make heads or tails of it myself.

-Morgan

[Langenator]

Bump.

Everyone go pester your Congresscritters come more.

[Peetmoss]

Letters done for all my reps tommorow set asside for the other reps listed. And consider this a bump Please float this mods.

[Dave Markowitz]

Bump. :)

[N3rday]

You would be surprised how much difference letters make...it is rare nowadays for people to even know how to address a letter, and trust me, they listen to the snail mail!

someone needs to make this a float, PLEASE!
PLEASE!

I don't wanna turn 18 and not be able to get that CETME!

[NY Patriot]

N3rday...
Someone needs to make this a float, PLEASE!
PLEASE!

From your lips to Oleg Volk's inbox, my friend! ;)

[4570Rick]

I agree this is the issue this year. Here's what I've come up with. Using the letters as templates, I've made up letters for all the committy members, my Congress critter Loretta Sanchez, my Senators Terminator 1 & 2, Karl Rove, Gillespie, Hastert, DeLay, and a few others. Using about 20 slightly different letters and rotating them between the 20 or so politicos, I've got 1 letter per person for the next 20 weeks stamped and sealed. I've mailed 3 weeks worth so far. Each Monday, I take another 20 out to the mail box. My mail man has thanked me for the job security. :D

400 sheets of printer paper...$3.25
400 envelopes.......................$8.00
400 postage stamps..........$148.00
Copy service at Kinkos.........$12.57
Preserving our rights........Priceless

[NY Patriot]

To whom it may concern (I assume Mr. Volk)... Thank you!

[Rembrandt]

There is good news and bad news....

First the bad news....we do not have the votes in the Senate to over-ride. It's somewhat unclear as to what GWB will do, but he has indicated in the past he would renew it.

Now the good news....the battle can be won before votes are ever taken....the key is Tom Delay, chairman of the House committee that is handling this. If the renewal does not make it out of committee...AWB fails to be an election issue and sunsets as planned...currently the best strategy to employ.

[w1mnk]

Aren't there implications to sending snail mail? Since the first anthrax letters 2 years ago, and the recent ricin incident, my understanding is that all snail mail sent to congress, POTUS etc. is sent a facility in NJ, where it is irradiated. I believe that the process takes several weeks, and the paper can be damaged (ie. turning yellow and becoming brittle). I wonder if the phone/email/fax route may be the better way to go. Just a thought.

[alan]

How about the following, It's quick and might get attention.
Hey, Hey, Ho, Ho That Assault Weapons Ban Has Got To Go. If desired,one can certainly say more, but sometimes fewer words are better than many.

Additionally, if anyone is interested in using the phone, the TOLL FREE number for Capitol Switchboard, tell them which congressional or senate office you wish to speak with is: 1-800-648-3516

[No4Mk1*]

I sent this to Senator Fritz Hollings (D-SC):

Since the 1994 "Assault weapons ban" is going to be a subject of debate soon I would like to point out a few facts. No rifles were actually banned in '94. You can go into a gun store or a gun show and buy a newly manufactured semiautomatic copy of any modern military rifle you desire. Current market prices for M-16 style rifles are $750. The AK-47 style rifle will cost about $400. The FAL will cost about $600. the G3 will cost $600. The M-14 is about $1100. Those are the five most popular rifles of the cold war and they are all available today in South Carolina. They are the same rifles which could be purchased 10 years ago before the "Ban" went into effect. The "high capacity magazines which were "banned" are also readily available today. AK-47 Magazines cost $6. M-16 Magazines cost $15. FAL Magazines cost $4. G3 magazines cost $2. M-14 magazines cost $35. They all still hold 20-30 rounds of ammo just like they did 10 years ago. Nothing was banned, so if you look for an impact on crime you won't find one. What was banned??? well thanks to the ban the M-14 and AK-47 style rifles cannot accept a bayonet like they should be able to. Will this impact violence in America? The M-16, FAL, and G3 style rifles cannot have a certain piece of metal on the end of the barrel which reduces flash. Will this impact crime? No. They all still hold 20-30 rounds of ammo and fire as fast as you can pull the trigger.
Please do not continue the "ban." I will not vote for anyone who votes for any new gun control law. I have never voted for any Democrat due to the fact that they seem to support such laws as the "Assault Weapons Ban."
Thanks for listening and if you are ever in Greenville and want to go shooting at the SC-DNR rifle range in Pickens County let me know.

-Michael
864-xxx-xxxx

[alan]

No4Mk1*:

The points you made are entirely valid, well written and unmistakeably clear, or should be to anyone who is awake. I have some question as to some of the prices you quoted, but that's a minor point. I'm not in South Carolina these days anyhow. Used to shoot IPSC at Charlotte R & P Club, Mid-South, near Columbia and several others thereabouts, but that was some years back.

I do believe that this Assault Weapons Ban renewal can be whipped, provided that "our side" gets energized, and stays energized. Those elected things need to hear from their constituents, and they need to keep hearing from them. They certainly do hear from the other side. It's our war, to win or to loose.

By the way, if memory serves, hasn't Hollings announced his retirement? Wasn't he also anti-gun?

[No4Mk1*]

He is retiring. Awbansunset.com gives him a fairly good rating but when asked if he would support renewal he said he needed to study the issue to see if there has been an impact on crime. I wanted to point out that crime has not been impacted because the 1994 ban because it did not effectively ban any weapons. As far as the prices, ask away. I wasn't concerned with finding the lowest price on everything, just pointing out that everything is out there for those with money. Email if you don't want to clutter up this thread.

[alan]

No4Mk1*:

In my book or booklet, that comment from Hollings would mark him as a double-talker, if not worse, but then I don't vote in South Carolina. As for "my" senators, Santorum, who gets very hard to take re some things, seems to be pro-gun, pro Second Amendment, at least he claims to be so. Arlen Spector, the other senator, has always struck me as a double-talker, he used to brag about his support for the Assault Weapons Ban, so-called, but these days, what with what might be a tough primary fight, is talking out the otherside of his mouth, when he says anything about firearms, which it seems you have to corner him on to get any sort of response. When he held elective office in Philadelphia, his reputation was strongly anti gun, but when he ran for statewide office, he changed his tune. Whether or not the man changed, or just the tune, is open to question.

As to prices of firearms, and accessories, inflation not withstanding, about the only thing that this so-called ban on "assault weapons", no actual assault rifles, they being selective fire weapons were effected anyhow, was to RAISE PRICES.

Like I said, I believe that our side can win this fight, others too, but only if "gun people" take a hard look at realities, and act on the basis thereof. The realities are that the antis, from their own mouths, have one constant goal, that is the basis for their every move. Their goal is THE TOTAL PROSCRIPTION OF FIREARMS, and they work away at it too. Strikes me as sad that to many people our side doesn't really seem willing to put in the time and the effort needed to really win this. That's life, I guess.

If you doubt this, then try the following expirement. When together with a bunch of gun owners, at your local gun club or elsewhere, or with any bunch of people, who might be complaining about one or another piece of legislation, ask the following, and then pay close attention to the responses you will likely get. Ladies and gentlemen, re whatever it is that has your "knickeres in a knot", when did you last contact any elected officals regarding what it is that concerns you. All to often, you will be greeted with thunderous silence. As I mentioned above. I guess that that's life.

[NY Patriot]

Proof positive that our letters, faxes, & phone calls DO make a difference in the minds and opinions of politicians...

Gun lobby shows clout in Ohio: Letters speak louder than donations... (www.daytondailynews.com/localnews/content/localnews/daily/0221gunlobby.html)

So... what is your excuse now??? :)

[alan]

NY Patriot wrote:

Proof positive that our letters, faxes, & phone calls DO make a difference in the minds and opinions of politicians...

Gun lobby shows clout in Ohio: Letters speak louder than donations...

So... what is your excuse now???

The story from the Dayton paper yu linked to was quite interesting. As to the question at the end of your post, " So... what is your excuse now???", I'm sure that the lazy numbnuts's will manage to find some sort of excuses.

Interestingly, if they spent half the energy doing something, that they spend avoiding doing anything, who knows but what we might have beaten Gun Control Act of 1968, and perhaps even obtained repeal of National Firearms Act of 1934.

[Gray Peterson]

Big Bump for this thread!

[NY Patriot]

To whom it may concern,

Can we at least get a temporary "tack" or "sticky" for this thread???

The Senate debate on the AWB amendment is going to take place Tuesday (3/2/04), so we have less than a week to exert all the political pressure that we can muster!!!

The time is NOW folks... this is THE RKBA battle of the last decade!

If not us, who? If not now, when???

[alan]

NY Patriot:

Small piece in my local paper Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, one of America's Great Newspapers, as their masthead claims, laughter can be heard in the background, noted that 75 senators voted "to continue" Gun Liability Bill, fillibuster was voted down, final vote scheduled for Tuesday, same day you mentioned. Sevewral amendments to be voted on today, supposedly.

I've been on to my senators almost daily, re S. 659/1805, the so-called gun show loophole, and assault weapons ban sun set, as well as general comments on the essentially phoney nature of "gun control". Re the three specific items mentioned above, as I see things, they are must win things for our side, there is absolutely no room for "compromise" by anyone who claims to be other than anti-gun.

As to those ill advised souls who have managed to talk themselves into believing that one can be "reasonable"with the anti gunners, or who have permitted others to con them into such belief, I'm at a loss to determine how the thing could be clarified so that they would see and understand what is really afoot here. I think that such people are, sad to note it, a lost cause. Nothing more to be done with them, for while one can place food and water before a horse, one cannot make the creature eat and drink.

Quite soon perhaps, we will see a resolution to matters above mentioned, at least for a while, for should the anti's loose, they will likely be back for another try. In the meantime, our side must keep the pressure up. Those people in The Congress House and Senate, must be made to realize that our side is a force to be reckoned with.

End of rant.

[Ktulu]

Here is my letter...


Dear Senator Levin,

I am writing you regarding title XI of the Federal Violent Crime Control Act of 1994, also known as the “Assault Weapons Ban.” This useless piece of legislation is due to expire in September 2004. I urge you to vote against any legislation that seeks to renew, extend, or expand on the ban no matter what bill it might be attached to.

The “assault weapons” ban was bad legislation when it was enacted and it is bad legislation today. There is no compelling evidence that it does anything to stop or reduce crime. A study conducted by the non-partisan Urban Institute for the U.S. Department of Justice found that, “…because the banned guns and magazines were never used in more than a fraction of all gun murders, even the maximum theoretically achievable preventive effect of the ban on gun murders is almost certainly too small to detect statistically...” and, “At best, the assault weapons ban can have only a limited effect on total gun murders, because the banned weapons and magazines were never involved in more than a modest fraction of all gun murders.” (1) Furthermore, in an October 2003 study the Center for Disease Control found no evidence that “bans on specified firearms or ammunition” have any effect on violent crime. (2)

As you can see there has been no substantive evidence presented that the “Assault Weapons” ban has had any significant effect on reducing crime and has no worthwhile public safety benefit. I respectfully urge you to oppose any effort to renew this ban.

I would appreciate a reply from you to learn your position on this very important issue.

Sincerely,

Ktulu





(1) Jeffrey A. Roth, Christopher S. Koper, William Adams, et al. “Impact Evaluation of the Public Safety and Recreational Firearms Use Protection Act of 1994” Urban Institute - March 13, 1997 http://www.urban.org/url.cfm?ID=406797

(2) Robert A Hahn, Oleg O. Bilukha, et al. “First Reports Evaluating the Effectiveness of Strategies for Preventing Violence: Firearms Laws” Center for Disease Control (CDC) – October 3rd, 2003 http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr//PDF/rr/rr5214.pdf

[Renegade]

Sending e-mails and letters as fast as I can type. Even got the wife typing letters for us!

May the AWB RIP:evil:

Later,

Dave

[duckfoot]

Sending letters to all listed

[duckfoot]

faxed to all listed and got about half way through the Senate. Up to Mass.

Will finish up the rest tomarrow

[Sungun09]

Write letters - Call - Email

Just get off you A$$3S and do SOMEHTHING

[No4Mk1*]

Has anyone contacted the Vice President specifically? I havn't really thought about him, but he does have the ability to break a tie in the senate (like Gore did in 1994 to give us the ban in the first place).

[general]

Thought this was imporatant enough to post here too...
Oh My...
I think I may be an Idiot. Yes, with a capital "I".
All this time - I had a modem capable of sending faxes... all I had to do was upgrade grab a driver and put in a patch and v'iola...
A fax machine right under my snout!
Anyway... What kind of fool am I... dada da da....
Any one who wants to should be able to do this also...
I went HERE (http://downloads-zdnet.com.com/3120-20-0.html?qt=fax&tg=dl-20) for THIS (http://downloads-zdnet.com.com/3000-2109-897968.html?tag=lst-0-4)
I am in buisness now...

[RatFink]

I took one of the previously letters and added a couple paragraphs for effect, here it is.

I am writing you in regards to the "Assault Weapons Ban of 1994". And as I am sure you know, is set to expire via a sunset clause in September of 2004. I wish and urge you to vote against any renewal of this legislation.

The banned weapons and magazines in question are rarely used to commit murders in this country. A criminal is not going to spend $1,000 on a weapon when he can get his hands on one that is often home made, cheaply manufactured, or stolen and just as lethal for less than 200 dollars. The "Assault Weapons" ban simply doesn’t work like its authors said or expected it to, regardless of what they claim. The facts can be distorted but the truth cannot…."Assault Weapons" neither cause, nor significantly contribute to violent crime in America. For this I urge you not to support the renewal of this legislation.

The ban has had no palpable effect on crime, but it has had a tremendous and terrible impact on the law-abiding citizens of the United States. Many people engage in competitive shooting programs such as the Civilian Marksmanship Program that uses mainly semi-automatic firearms. They are no longer allowed to configure their rifles in the constitutionally protected manner of their choosing. This should not be allowed to continue.

Last but not least, the ban targets features just because they look scary. The authors of this legislation honestly have no comprehension of physics or the mechanics of modern firearms. They feel that just because a firearm looks scary it should be banned, when the truth of the matter is that so-called "Assault Weapons" are mechanically identical to semi-automatic "sporting rifles." For this I beg that you to oppose the renewal of this "feel-good" legislation.

The fact this ban has had no effect on violent crime, it hinders the performance of men and women involved in competitive shooting, and attacks weapons based solely on their appearance is more than enough justification for its expiration, and I implore you to vote against any reauthorization or renewal of the "Assault Weapons" ban.

Keep in mind, there are many Republicans like myself that are upset with our party's latest movement away from it's base, for a long time we have held on, remaining Republicans just because they were the lesser of two evils, or because, while we may find the Libertarian party interesting, their stance on "Open borders" kept us from voting for their candidates. Our presidents latest movement to give amnesty to millions of illegals with no plan to stop more for coming in doesn't give us a clear distinction between the effects of the libertarians "Open Border" policy and the Republicans "Do Nothing" policy. Let me be clear on this, ANY move by the Republican party to further limit our 2nd amendment rights will push myself and many others out of the Republican Party, even a small migration of Republican voters to another party could very well be be the end to President Bush's administration, this next election will be so close that we could very well be the straw that breaks the camels back.

Please do not alienate America’s lawful gun owners, do not take it for granted that we will always just vote for the "Lesser of two evils", many of us have already made a move to vote for the person we think most represents our interests, regardless of their chances in a national election. Take note, Perot was a big factor in Bush Sr. losing his second run for President, Ralph Nader was instrumental in Al Gore losing in the last election. For many of us this is the last straw, and the outcome of the votes on S.1805 and whether or not it is voted in as a clean bill, or muddied with anti-gun laws will be our deciding factor.

Thank you for serving, thank you all the work you do for our country, but beware, there is a very large group of us that have become one issue voters, and that one issue is the 2nd Amendment.

[alan]

RatFink:

Re your lketter, a couple of points.

1. It strikes me as a clear, reasoned exposition of your thinking. The ideas you brought to the forefront make sense, though I nbelieve that you are unwarrantedly kind to those who proposed, pushed and supported the so-called assault weapons ban.

2. In my opinion, you need to shorten the letter.

As for S. 1805, we should have been able to get a "clean bill" out of The Senate, The House produced one. Unfortunately, with the situation being what it appears to be, that being a lack of balls on the part of Republican Leadership, there are a number of baloney amendments that have been proposed, some of them have been accepted too already, there others pending too.

In any case, it strikes me that the above mentioned Republican Leadership might be all to ready to sell gun owners down the proverbial river on S. 1805. One almost shudders to think on what sort of stunt they might try re the reauthorization or extention of this Assault Weapons Ban, if they thought that they could get away with it.

After all, not much happened re firearms legislation during the past three or so years, other than extending of a ban on firearms that do not exist, thre extend for another 10 years of the 1988 ban on Firearms that Can Pass Undetected Through Airport Metal Detectors and or "X-Ray Machines". Now there are ROLL CALL VOTES, and the roaches are running around like mad.

[RatFink]

alan,

Only the last 3 paragraphs are mine, I felt that a previously posted letter eplained pretty well why the AWB should be allowed to sunset, I just added the last 3 paragraphs to point out that any capitulation on this matter by the Rebulicans would cost them.

My senators are Kyle (No worry's from him) and McCain
(Stupid gunshow ammendment) My comments were mostly to point out to McCain that his Gunshow ammendment might cost him votes, and to let them both know that if the president signs any extension of the AWB it could very easily cost him his job.

And it is probably too long.

[alan]

RatFink:

From what I heard on the radio this aftewrenoon, The Senate did a job of the law abiding gun owners of this country, respecting their having voted a 10 year retntion of the Assault Weapons Ban. seems as if they screweds us twice, I didn't get the deytails of the other act.

The next phase of this nbasttle lies in The House, who by failing to do anything with this Assault Weapons Ban, effectively kill it, via the setting of the sun. The Senate Majority Leadership stabbed us in the back. Lets seen what the Republican Leadership in The House does.

As I said, the next battle lies in The House, and the one after that comes in November. It's called elections. The Republicans and Democrats who did us must learn that there are serious costs to such action. How will gun owners vote? Will they vote at all? What will happen between then and now? We shall see. It might well turn out thqat a number of Republicans, like Democrate after 1994, will find themselves on the outside, looking in, a fate that they likely deserve for their traiterous actions.

[telewinz]

Worst case...manufacturers will have a chance to restock our supply of "pre-ban" magazines and assault weapons before any new AWB can be voted in after September. Front door, side door, or back door we still get inside and thats whats counts.

[BeLikeTrey]

I could've sworn I heard, the creator of the anti lawsuit bill asked and got the senate to vote down his bill due to the poison in it...

[Langenator]

Feinstein wonders how the NRA moved 60 votes in the Senate...this is how. The Antis are crwoing about killing lawsuit protection and Rep McCarthy (how ironic-a Commie named McCarthy) has introduced a bill to strengthen the AWB. Send more letters, and send them now!

[NY Patriot]

In light of Feinstein's actions in the Senate, it's time to dust off this thread!!!

Let's get back to work folks!

[alan]

NY Patriot wrote:

In light of Feinstein's actions in the Senate, it's time to dust off this thread!!!

Let's get back to work folks!

Re that "let's get back to work folks!", does that mean that gun people had stopped "working" on this matter?

If that be the case, then in my opinion, such people are totally undeserving of such freedom as still remains.

If they haven't "gotten it" by now, when might they?

Current TOLL FREE PHONE NUMBER for Capitol Switchboard is as follows:

1-800-839-5276.

Freedoms, including FREEDOM OF SPEECH are funny things. If one fails to use them, they are likely to be lost. "Use em, or loose em" as has been noted by others.

By the way, re Feinstein's latest, according to the latest NRA-ILA Grassroots Alert, S. 2498 is being "held on the floor of The Senate", where is could be voted on any time, as oppposed to being sent to some committee, possibly Judiciary, as is usually the case with legisalative proposals, they go to committee for discussion, debate, possibly for hearings.

Looks like someone is playing fast and loose here. Bill Frist is Senate Majority leader. He needs to hear from a lot of people, as do the rest of the Senate.

Assault Weapons or that bolt action deer rifle, the one with a scope sight, otherwise known as a "sniper rifle" are at grave risk. Only you can save them, not to mention such other guns as the law abiding population might opt to own, for remember that the often stated and unchanging goal of the anti gunners is THE TOTAL PROSCRIPTION OF FIREARMS. Re this, NOTHING has changed, and you disregard the facts of the matter, at your peril.

End of comment, rant of whatever you choose to call it.

[Esky]

Well, I'm still in action-

Thanks for "dusting off" this thread, I got a big renewal of energy just from reading it again.

And now I'm sending the letters out, first batch hits the post on Monday.

That AWB is still dangerous, IMO, and we had all best be doing everything we can to head it off at the pass. Or it WILL pass!

Esky
who'd rather be shootin than writin

[alan]

Esky:

Just a thought, but what with the "sanitation"methods applied to snail mail, for the protection of our employees, our "elected things", you might be better off using the telephone or e-mail.

Noting that you are from California, it seems that your Senators are "part of the problem", a large part. Possibly your House of Representatives person might be better, I do not know who they are.

[Esky]

Thanks, Alan--

Yeah, my "representatives" are real PITA-es, aren't they. :cuss:

And I'll be using my fax machine, it's collected enough dust, time to get some use out of it! And the phone too- but I have more faith in written things, especially when I request a response.

I've even received responses from Feinswein, which proved to me beyond any doubt whatsoever that she couldn't care less about my wishes. So now I don't bother wasting my time on her, or on Boxer either. Boxer is so... umm, "intellectually challenged"... that she wrote me, thanking me for my support for her anti-gun crusading! I just can't believe that these two keep getting reelected... but then, there's no "sense" in politics, is there?

Fortunately my House rep is Duke Cunningham, and he's on our side! I do send him quite a few faxes & emails, thanking him for his efforts on our behalf, and giving him my support. That's a lot more fun than writing to the anti's!

Esky
who'd still rather be shootin'

[alan]

Esky:

Re the "reply" from Boxer, and the seeming confusion, I suspect the following. The "envelope stuffer" who Boxer's peop;le hired, eiyther cannot read, is terribly lazy, or disovered that there was onl;y one form lettder that addressed the issue.

I supopose that saying nothing would havce been the wiser course, but that's another matter. As for the quality or lack thereof of California's Senators, Boxer and Feinstein, two problems at work, or so it looks like to me.

First is that there are an excess of anti gun voters in California, amongst the population. Second, and perhaps more important is that the Republicans do a piss poor job of presenting any meaningful oppposition. oOf course, we have problems here in PA also, as with the ongoing re-election of Arlen Specter.

[NY Patriot]

This is an "all hands on deck" moment guys... Let's get rolling!!!

Carpe Diem!

[PUMC_TomG]

Hey everyone,

I'm bumping this thread at the moment because of the importance of contacting your Senators/Representatives.

With Feinstein, et al's S.2498 AWB Renewal Bill now on the calendar - this is increasingly important.

Make your voice heard!

[NY Patriot]

To paraphrase MLK...

Well, I don't know what will happen now. We New Yorkers have some difficult days ahead. But it doesn't matter to me now. Because I've been to the mountaintop. And I don't mind. Like anybody, I would like to own new "assault weapons". New guns have their place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people will get to the promised land. And I'm happy, tonight. I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing Fienstein or Schumer. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the ending of the "assault weapons" ban.

Yup... kick up your heels & enjoy this moment in time folks! We've accomplished what many thought was impossible... the restoration of previously lost freedoms. It feels good, don't it?

Crack a cold one, light up a fine cigar, and go to bed tonight with more freedom than you woke up with this morning!

But remember.. The leftist gun grabbers will be back with a vengeance, and we need to rise to the challenge!

The price of freedom is eternal vigilance.

Thanks to all that made this possible. God bless.

NYP