MisterMike
Member
I recently sent this letter to my representative, Congresswoman Judy Biggert. I wanted her to know that most in the law enforcement community support the right of individual citizens to defend themselves.
Dear Judy:
I realize that you receive a massive amount of correspondence from your constituents. I hope that you will take a few moments to read my comments, mull them over, and consider them as legislation relating to gun control is considered by the House of Representatives.
We have met in passing, but it's unlikely that you remember me personally. My wife, ***, and I have lived in *** since ***, and have been active members of the community. I retired from the U.S. Air Force in ***, after 27 years of active and reserve duty, and I have been a federal prosecutor, employed by the *** of the U.S. Department of Justice, since ***. While I wish to make it clear that I do not purport to represent the position of the Justice Department in my remarks to you, I do want you to know that my viewpoint on issues relating to the Second Amendment and gun control issues has been formed through my experiences over thirty years in the criminal justice system. I have served as a law enforcement officer and as a prosecutor, investigating and prosecuting a wide range of crimes, ranging from drug distribution to espionage. While my duties with the Department of Justice have involved white collar crimes, my Air Force experience touched on a wide range of offenses, some involving acts of violence and homicide.
Over the past 32 years I have worked with law enforcement officers from many jurisdictions, ranging from local police departments to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Nearly all of them, like me, support an individual's right to protect innocent life through the use of firearms.
As was recently settled with finality in the Heller decision, the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution guarantees American citizens the right to keep and bear arms. Over the past several decades, governments have sought to limit this basic human and Constitutional right with ill-advised laws that often carry unintended consequences.
Recently, members of the current administration have proposed reenactment of the "Assault Weapons Ban," a law enacted during the Clinton Administration that outlawed a number of weapons that are legitimately used by millions of Americans for self-defense and sporting purposes. Ultimately, this law, which had absolutely no effect in reducing violent crime, expired. Subsequent to its expiration, there was no increase in gun crimes.
Contrary to the policies being advocated by the current administration, most states have considerably expanded citizens' rights to carry and employ firearms in self-defense, with 48 states now allowing some form of concealed carry. These laws have uniformly resulted in the reduction of crimes of violence, illustrating something that I and nearly every one of my colleagues who has dealt with violent criminals knows: Criminals with predatory instincts shirk from violence when confronted with the knowledge that their intended victims may be capable of defending themselves.
In closing, I wish to again reiterate the fact that I am writing to you as an individual citizen. While my public service and legal education have served to help form my opinions, I do not intend to suggest that they reflect the official position of my agency. Having said that, over thirty years of experience enforcing criminal laws has convinced me that laws abridging the right to keep and bear arms under the Second Amendment are fraught with peril, ultimately placing the lives of innocent citizens at risk. I want you to know that, among most law enforcement officers and prosecutors whom I know, the belief is that armed citizens play a significant role in preventing violent crime.
Thank you for your consideration of my comments.
Sincerely,
***
Dear Judy:
I realize that you receive a massive amount of correspondence from your constituents. I hope that you will take a few moments to read my comments, mull them over, and consider them as legislation relating to gun control is considered by the House of Representatives.
We have met in passing, but it's unlikely that you remember me personally. My wife, ***, and I have lived in *** since ***, and have been active members of the community. I retired from the U.S. Air Force in ***, after 27 years of active and reserve duty, and I have been a federal prosecutor, employed by the *** of the U.S. Department of Justice, since ***. While I wish to make it clear that I do not purport to represent the position of the Justice Department in my remarks to you, I do want you to know that my viewpoint on issues relating to the Second Amendment and gun control issues has been formed through my experiences over thirty years in the criminal justice system. I have served as a law enforcement officer and as a prosecutor, investigating and prosecuting a wide range of crimes, ranging from drug distribution to espionage. While my duties with the Department of Justice have involved white collar crimes, my Air Force experience touched on a wide range of offenses, some involving acts of violence and homicide.
Over the past 32 years I have worked with law enforcement officers from many jurisdictions, ranging from local police departments to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Nearly all of them, like me, support an individual's right to protect innocent life through the use of firearms.
As was recently settled with finality in the Heller decision, the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution guarantees American citizens the right to keep and bear arms. Over the past several decades, governments have sought to limit this basic human and Constitutional right with ill-advised laws that often carry unintended consequences.
Recently, members of the current administration have proposed reenactment of the "Assault Weapons Ban," a law enacted during the Clinton Administration that outlawed a number of weapons that are legitimately used by millions of Americans for self-defense and sporting purposes. Ultimately, this law, which had absolutely no effect in reducing violent crime, expired. Subsequent to its expiration, there was no increase in gun crimes.
Contrary to the policies being advocated by the current administration, most states have considerably expanded citizens' rights to carry and employ firearms in self-defense, with 48 states now allowing some form of concealed carry. These laws have uniformly resulted in the reduction of crimes of violence, illustrating something that I and nearly every one of my colleagues who has dealt with violent criminals knows: Criminals with predatory instincts shirk from violence when confronted with the knowledge that their intended victims may be capable of defending themselves.
In closing, I wish to again reiterate the fact that I am writing to you as an individual citizen. While my public service and legal education have served to help form my opinions, I do not intend to suggest that they reflect the official position of my agency. Having said that, over thirty years of experience enforcing criminal laws has convinced me that laws abridging the right to keep and bear arms under the Second Amendment are fraught with peril, ultimately placing the lives of innocent citizens at risk. I want you to know that, among most law enforcement officers and prosecutors whom I know, the belief is that armed citizens play a significant role in preventing violent crime.
Thank you for your consideration of my comments.
Sincerely,
***
