I have sent the following the Vice President Richard Cheney:
I have always had the utmost respect for you and your work. I know that you support gun owners, that you always have, and always will.
There is talk that the enemies of freedom will attempt to attach a renewal to the so-called "assault weapon ban" to the gun maufacturers liability protection bill currently being debated in the Senate. Word has it that the vote for approval will be close and that both Senator Kerry and Senator Edwards are being called in from the primary campaign for the vote in the Senate tomorrow. It is also being stated that you may be called to break any tie.
The so-called "assault weapons" that have been banned, and which the opposition is trying to continue to ban, are semi-automatic rifles. The banning criteria are cosmetic and abitrary and capricious. Bayonet lugs, flash hiders, and pistol grips do not improve the performance of a rifle, nor do they make the rifle any more of a threat. Magazines for semi-automatic pistols and rifles have also been limited to 10 rounds. These prohibitions has been in operation for 10 years. All of the studies that I have reviewed show no positive effect on crime. But this is not about crime. This is about the right of the people to keep and bear arms. This is about self-defense, hunting, sport shooting, and maintaining a well-armed citizenry. These gun control measures only affect law-abiding citizens and have no effect on criminals which, by definition, break laws anyway.
I also want to inform you of the activities in the Senate regarding the so-called "gun show loophole." The opposition was discussing "unlicensed dealers" selling firearms to felons with no background check. There are no unlicensed dealers. Gun shows are open to private citizens which do not meet the definition of a "dealer" (which would require the Federal Firearms License). They are private citizens selling a gun or two to other private citizens. Such transactions occur every day via classified advertisements, word of mouth, or just outside of a gun show. There is no loophole. Actually, I believe that no citizen should be required to undergo any "checks" to by a firearm since it results in prior restraint.
Gun control has been a failure and is unconstitutional. Please stay the course. and restore our freedoms