WI Gov's Reply to letter

[litman252]

Here is the reply I got from him:



November 7, 2003

Dear Friends:

Thank you for contacting me to express your views about the concealed
carry
legislation that is currently under consideration in the Capitol. I
always
welcome the opportunity to respond to the citizens of Wisconsin.

The legislation sponsored by Senator Dave Zien (R-Eau Claire) and Rep.
Scott
Gunderson (R-Waterford), has numerous problems. It would not deter
crime,
but would be harmful to public safety in Wisconsin. It also is not
supported
by a majority of the citizens of our state.

Supporters of concealed carry legislation often claim that it would
deter
violent crime. In fact, violent crime has dropped more in recent years
in
states with strict prohibitions on CCW than it has in states with
weaker CCW
restrictions. Moreover, the number of crime victims who successfully
use
firearms to defend themselves is actually quite small, according to the
FBI
Uniform Crime Reports.

Most importantly, this legislation is not supported by the citizens of
Wisconsin. I have never believed that a majority of our state's
citizens
favor such a measure. This was confirmed recently when a
scientifically-valid survey conducted by the University of Wisconsin
Survey
Center found that 69 percent of those surveyed said they oppose a
proposal
"to allow people who can legally own handguns to carry concealed
weapons in
most public places." The idea was favored by only 27 percent.

As Governor, I consider the views of all of our state's citizens and
support
measures that I believe will enhance the quality of life for the
greatest
number of people. This measure falls far short of that principle, and
the
majority of our state's citizens know that.

Many important groups also oppose this legislation including the
International Brotherhood of Police Officers, the International
Association
of Chiefs of Police, the Wisconsin Chiefs of Police Association, the
Wisconsin Law Enforcement Coalition, Wisconsin Medical Society,
Wisconsin
Academy of Family Physicians, Wisconsin Coalition Against Domestic
Violence,
Wisconsin Council of Churches, and the Wisconsin Council on Children
and
Families, among others.

Our laws with regard to concealed carry have served Wisconsin well for
more
than 130 years. I see no reason to turn back the clock on public safety
more
than a century in order to support such a flawed piece of legislation.

Again, thank you for writing. Please feel free to contact me any time I
can
be of assistance to you. Best wishes.

Sincerely,


Jim Doyle
Governor

JED: rbw"


Here is his phone # 1-608-266-1212

Please call him!!!!!!!!!!!!
Tony

 

[mpthole]

Hmmm... his letter hasn't changed since the one I got on Sept 22nd.

 

[Standing Wolf]

You need to fire your governor.

 

[xenophon]

Actually, the letter has changed slightly. Prior to ammendment 70 to the CCW, it talked about guns being allowed "taverns, schools, little league games". The old "form letter" also didn't mention the UW Poll. Now it seems they edited the letter a little bit to contain recent changes/polls. Still most of that was same form letter drivel, and there is no way that UW poll was "scientific". And we could name just as many other police organizations that support CCW. Agreed, Doyle needs to go, and if he vetos the CCW bill, he just as well start packing his suitcase.

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