My letter to Feinstein

[reggie_love]

Critiques welcome. Motivation and resources at the bottom.

Dear Senator Feinstein,

As your constituent, I am writing you to inform you that I will be voting against you and your party in any upcoming elections. It is unfortunate that I have to do this, as you have faithfully represented many of my stances in other matters, but due to your insistence on re-instituting the failed experiment and egregious violation of civil liberties that is the so-called "Assault Weapons" ban, you have forced my hand to the other side. Bills like these have no demonstrable impact on public safety or crime. They did not work in 1994, they do not work in California, and they will not work in the future. The only thing they will do is harass and malign the millions of law-abiding Americans, myself included, who own such weapons for purely legitimate purposes.

On another note, I did appreciate your efforts to restore the Fifth Amendment rights of American citizens in the face of the National Defense Authorization Act. I hope that Congress will act on your good ideas instead of the bad ones. I am deeply sorry to have to vote Republican, but you and your party have betrayed my interests.

Thank you for your time,
Reginald Z. Love {NOTE: I signed my real name in the actual letter}

And to my local reps

As your constituent, I am writing you to inform you that I will vote against any candidate who supports a federal ban on so-called "assault weapons." These bills represent an egregious violation of civil liberties, and have had no demonstrable impact on public safety nor reduced crime. They did not work in 1994, they do not work in California or New York, and they certainly did not work in Connecticut. I have supported your stances on many issues in the past, but if you support this legislation, I will have no choice but to vote for your opponent in any and all upcoming elections.

This is a political warning from someone who is immersed in America's lawful gun culture. You will force our hands to vote against you if you support this offensive and useless legislation. "Assault weapons" bans only serve to target and malign millions of lawabiding Americans who own such weapons for purely legitimate purposes. I support the Democratic party, and I support my representatives, but I will hold my nose and vote Republican on this issue if need be. Millions of us will do the same. I do not want this to happen, as I very much approve of your leadership, but the response to such legislation will only go one way. I hope I need not remind you of the backlash to the Democratic party in the 1996 elections.

There are many "common sense" solutions to violence in our country, but this is not one of them. Do the right thing, and vote against any ban that uses the vacuous term "Assault Weapons." I would hate to have to vote you out of office.

Did you guys write your reps to let them know how you feel? It takes like two seconds. Show them how popular these "weapons of war that nobody needs" really are, especially the Democrats (remind them of how 1996 turned out for them). Go down to your local gun store/show and tell everybody there to do the same.

If you remain silent on this, you might as well say "I deserve to have my guns confiscated and be put in gitmo" because you are abandoning the defense our constitution through the channels our veterans died to keep open. It is your duty to stand up for your rights and interests. You are your congressman's boss, not the other way around. Do your job and write those letters/emails.

The NRA-ILA has a handy write-your-reps tool here. Let DC know how you feel, and what awaits them if they don't listen. Keep it civil, use your best grammar, and remind them of the political consequences that await those who tread on our civil rights.

 

[Hacker15E]

I salute your efforts, but she is unlikely to change her views, as she has been the #1 champion of gun control in America for 20+ years. She is unlikely to change that stance, even if she received a letter from every single citizen she supposedly represents.

Her quote:

"If I could have gotten 51 votes in the Senate of the United States for an outright ban, picking up every one of them -- Mr. and Mrs. America, turn them all in -- I would have done it."

http://www.sfgate.com/opinion/openf...ment-Mr-and-Mrs-America-turn-them-2813319.php

I do like your letter to your local representatives, though.

 

[reggie_love]

I salute your efforts, but she is unlikely to change her views, as she has been the #1 champion of gun control in America for 20+ years. She is unlikely to change that stance, even if she received a letter from every single citizen she supposedly represents.

Her quote:



http://www.sfgate.com/opinion/openf...ment-Mr-and-Mrs-America-turn-them-2813319.php

I do like your letter to your local representatives, though.

I figured she wouldn't care, but I thought I might as well do my part to let her and her staff know how many votes it's gonna cost her.

 

[Surculus]

I figured she wouldn't care, but I thought I might as well do my part to let her and her staff know how many votes it's gonna cost her.

Unfortunately, not enough. Too many marching morons supporting her demagoguery for your reasonable stance to affect her position.
Feinstein's political rise began with her opportunism following the assassination of Harvey Milk: she'll never change her spots!

 

[ole farmerbuck]

I wrote out 2 senators and Governor. I got a reply form out governor this morning. He said he supports and will always support us.

 

[Hokkmike]

Check some of your spelling.

Your letter makes the point directly and clearly.

I always try to be a lot more delicate and ease my way into any disagreement. I want the reader to see what advantage my points may have for him/her.

Maybe not better - just different.

Anyway, YOU have the right idea. I have contacted Sen. Casey, Rep. Marino, Pres. Obama, Vice Pres. Biden, along with my state rep and senator.

I applaud your efforts. I might add that I consider email much less weighty than actual letters or phone calls. A personal meeting might be the best, and I am seriously considering that.

Keep up the good work.

 

[phil dirt]

"I salute your efforts, but she is unlikely to change her views, as she has been the #1 champion of gun control in America for 20+ years. She is unlikely to change that stance, even if she received a letter from every single citizen she supposedly represents."

You are correct, no doubt, but if there is any thing politicians fear, it is the threat of being removed from the government hog trough.

 

[Zoogster]

She just was re-elected this year. She has another 6 years before she is up for election.

With the short attention span of the average voter, what she does now is less likely to count against her than what she does 5 years from now.



She has been one of the strongest anti-gun politicians for over 20 years, in the top handful on most anti-gun bills in Congress, authoring or co-authoring many. That has not seemed to impact her ability to be reelected by landslides.
Even at times when others in Congress that may favor gun restrictions are afraid to touch the subject she is willing to sponsor some new draconian bill. She is not even influenced by party politics in DC on whether she introduces more gun restrictions. (Although if she sees an increased opportunity to pass them she intensifies her efforts.)


She faced only token resistence in the last election, winning by a landslide. So far from a close race that she has been essentially told to keep doing exactly as she has been.


She seems to feel strongly enough that she won't care about your letter. She is a San Francisco politician, from a place that not many years ago voted by popular vote to ban handguns even in the home, and ban virtually all firearm sales in the city.
Going beyond what even California would allow.

Your letter will have no impact. None.
Won't even raise a consideration by the individual (which won't be the Senator) screening the mail that reads it before they dismiss it without even bothering to forward it or the message to her or anyone higher than themselves, knowing it is so far from a consideration to almost be humorous.
It is a matter of seconds between that letter being opened by the screener and being dismissed once they understand the subject.

 

[r1derbike]

Did I hear that D.F. has a carry license? Doesn't that make her the epitome of political hypocrisy, as the majority of heinous deeds involve sidearms? You know, the "do as I say, not as I do" elitists?

Please correct me if I'm wrong, about this.

"We're the government, and we're here to help you"!

 

[KTXdm9]

Well written letter. Whether she heeds it or not is her choice, but you've done your part.