Senator Maria Cantwell's reply to my HR1022 letter (D-WA)

[WAZX3DRVR]

What I wrote to my Rep. Norm Dicks (D-6th District) and two US Senators (Patty Murray and Cantwell, both Democrats).

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

Her response, from which defensive uses and the more fundamental reasons for the 2nd Amendment are conspicuously absent.

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

[mattjohnston87]

Hmm.. so she is for the 2nd Ammendment, but wants to see to it that it is hard as HELL to get a firearm????

Matt

[Old School]

Where is her answer? From what I can tell, she is going to vote for it, because she wants to "protect the children".

I would let her know that you appreciate your response and are saddened that you can know longer support her as an elected official.

OS

[Timmy44221]

I may have missed it, but i didnt catch her stance on 1022.

[WAZX3DRVR]

Originally Posted by Old School

I would let her know that you appreciate your response and are saddened that you can know longer support her as an elected official.

OS

Hehe I've known I can't support her when she first ran. I showed up at a rally with her and Lieberman at UW of Tacoma in 2000 with a Bush pin and almost caused a major ruckus. I also tried to ask Lieberman a question with my pin on but was not called on. *shrugs*

[Neomet]

While I understand it makes political sense and a nice soundbite to say we should keep guns out of children's and criminal's hands, I personally don't remember the last time my favorite gun store sold a gun to a 6 year old so he could go play with his buddies. Also last time I checked felons don't get to own guns and there are laws on the book for that. Keeping guns out of childrens hands can't be legislated, but is the responsibility of the parent/s. Felons don't buy their guns at Dick's Sporting Goods. They get them in trade for drugs, buy them illegally from equally nefariious friends or whatever.

I'm not sure if all this is posturing or lack of intelligent analysis, but either way it is annoying.

[grahamstein]

Wow, isnt it aggrivating when someone uses alot of wind, to respond to what you say without actually giving you an answer?

She is doing the dance, aka she is voting for the ban.

so specific

[bkelm18]

Ah, the old political tapdance.

[Majk]

Wow I that was a lawyers response to his clients charges.

She spun that pretty good to walk the line.