SAG0282
Member
What I wrote to my Rep. Norm Dicks (D-6th District) and two US Senators (Patty Murray and Cantwell, both Democrats).
Her response, from which defensive uses and the more fundamental reasons for the 2nd Amendment are conspicuously absent.XXSenator/RepXX-
Thank you in advance for considering my opinion. I am writing you concerning HR 1022 to express, in the strongest possible terms, my opposition to this bill. While violent crime is a major problem and one that should be tackled with aggression, gun control has time and again proven only to be politically convenient, and not at all useful to the problem. Studies done by the NIJ and CDC both found that the original assault weapons ban had no demonstrable value to crime in any way. As a lawful concealed gun carrier and sport shooter, I would be adversely affected by this bill and penalized for the actions of the criminal element. Please oppose this bill and stand up for Washington's many gun owners.
Thank you,
Siegfried Geringer
Dear Mr. Geringer,
Thank you for contacting me to express your views on gun ownership. I appreciate hearing your concerns about gun control and understand how strongly you feel about the right to bear arms.
You should know that I take our Constitution very seriously. It is a most fundamental goal for me as your Senator to work to uphold the rights guaranteed by our founding document. Furthermore, I know that recreational use and collection of guns for hunting, sport, and other activities is extremely important to you and many other law-abiding Washingtonians.
Just as I am committed to protecting Second Amendment rights, I believe you would agree with my long-standing conviction that we must keep guns out of the hands of criminals and children. I believe that our first step in preventing further criminal and youth gun violence should be stricter enforcement of responsible gun laws that punish criminal use of firearms and that make access to guns harder for children and criminals.
As your Senator, you can be assured that I will work to protect the legitimate rights of law-abiding American gun-owners, while continuing to support responsible gun control legislation to reduce crime and make our communities safer. I believe both of these goals are important and can be simultaneously accomplished through common-sense gun laws and stricter enforcement of existing laws.
Again, thank you for contacting me on this important issue. Please do not hesitate to contact me again on this or any other issue.
Sincerely,
Maria Cantwell
United States Senator