Potential "Letter to the Editor"

[Cellar Dweller]

Please critique...I tried using gungrabber-type simple language. Gonna try the Chicago Tribune, Sun-Times and Daily Herald in a day or two. Remember - the average reader and editor doesn't know or care what defines an assault weapon

Discharging a firearm in public is illegal.
Possessing a firearm or ammunition without a FOID is illegal.
Actual or attempted assault, manslaughter, and murder is illegal.
Possession of a firearm or ammunition by a felon is illegal.
All firearms must be registered in Chicago, and no new handguns have been approved for common citizens for over 20 years; there is no "grandfather clause" for inheriting/transferring registered weapons.
The TEC-9 and AK-47 are specifically banned in Chicago and Cook County already.
With all this existing law in place, two more young innocents were shot dead.

Mayor Daley, ICAHV, and Governor Blagojevich continue to push for an "assault-weapons" ban, amongst other "sensible gun control" ideas. Most municipalities have few or no restrictions beyond existing state law. Chicago, despite having the most restrictions, has a disproportionate volume of gun violence. When Chicago effectively closed the handgun register, no states had concealed carry laws; currently 46 states have a provision for CCW. Somehow, Illinois is "progressive" by being a holdout. Neither more nor less gun control would have made a difference to Starkesia Reed or Siretha White, because gang members can get guns and ammunition regardless of the law.

"Sensible" gun control only deprives lawful citizens. It does nothing to hinder criminals. ICAHV, Mayor Daley and Governor Blagojevich cannot or will not admit that their approach does not work.

 

[MrTwigg]

Well said !

Clear, concise and well thought out. Language the average Joe understands.

 

[crashresidue]

Very well written. Covers the issues without shouting from the soap-box.

BUT - they won't publish it. Can't have the electors thinking for themselves.

 

[Sgt.Slappy]

With all this existing law in place, two more young innocents were shot dead.

Would probably flow better like this:

Even with all these existing laws in place, nothing prevented two more young innocents from being shot dead.

I concur with crash, that it is very unlikely to be published by the newspapers.

To your statement:

"Sensible" gun control only deprives lawful citizens. It does nothing to hinder criminals.

I already hear the editor's replies... "This is because all guns should be outlawed, except for the military and the police. If no one had access to guns, there wouldn't be anymore gun violence. It's the reckless gun manufacturer's fault(s)."

It's like arguing with 5-year-olds... They don't need words, they need a spanking!

 

[Oldtimer]

First of all, you need an "eye-catcher" of a title for your letter. With the topic you have chosen, the title should be something like "Un-armed citizens = potential victims", or "The police and gangs have guns....why not honest citizens?"

Secondly, start the text of your letter by addressing the title matter BEFORE listing several indisputable FACTS.

I think that it might be best to steer clear of mentioning firearms that the average citizen might look upon as being "assault"-type firearms. It might be better to try to "DE-escalate" the jargon that might bring hysteria-based thought.

By the way, the last time I sent a "Letter to the editor" of my local newspaper, it was in response to an insane anti-gun article written by their main columnist. That letter was NOT printed in its entirety, for it was merely passed on to their columnist for his review. In one of his columns that followed at a later date, he referred to all of the letters that he had gotten regarding the anti-gun article. What nearly had me hacking up blood was when he wrote "Here's yet ANOTHER letter from an irate, senseless and one-sided NRA member, (he included my name)!" Quite interesting, since I never even mentioned anything about the NRA in my original letter! YES, they will "cut and paste" certain parts of your letter to fit their agenda!

 

[Standing Wolf]

...amongst other "sensible gun control" ideas.

On the whole, it's an excellent letter. I'd use "among" rather than "amongst."