Letter from my congress person Shea-Porter (D
)
February 5, 2009
Dear Mr. Bogan:
Thank you for contacting my office and expressing your concerns about the Blair Holt's Firearm Licensing and Record Sale Act of 2009 (H.R. 45).
This legislation was introduced by Congressman Bobby Rush on January 6, 2009. It has been referred to the House Judiciary Committee for further review. I will continue to keep your concerns in mind as this legislation is considered.
As you know, the Supreme Court recently affirmed that the Second Amendment protects an individual's right to bear arms rather than a collective right. As such, any restriction on individual gun rights is subjected to strict scrutiny. I support the Second Amendment and support an individual right to bear arms. I also support necessary and limited restrictions on this right, consistent with the Supreme Court's interpretation of the Second Amendment, where necessary to protect public safety. I will keep your thoughts in mind as Congress debates this important issue.
Thank you again for contacting my office. It is a privilege to serve you in Washington.
Sincerely,
Carol Shea-Porter
Member of Congress
My reply
Ms. Shea-Porter,
Allow me to point out that the 2nd Amendment is the only Article in the
Bill of Rights which requires individual approval by the FBI. With that in
mind, just what do you consider "limited" restrictions ? Your claim to be
concerned for "safety" is specious to say the least. In order to make Teen
age drivers "safer" we introduced "Drivers Ed" programs in schools, in
order to keep teens safe from pregnancy and STD's we introduced "Sex Ed"
in schools, if safety were truly your objective you would be pushing for
fire arms safety training in schools. If by "safety", you are referring to
crime, your "necessary restrictions" still fails to impress. If you are
concerned with crime you might take note of the fact that the 20,000 anti
2nd Amendment laws already on the books have been a waste of paper. The
reason ? Criminals don't obey them, it's in their job description as "Law
breakers". Murder, Rape, Robbery, and assault are already illegal, guns
are simply a tool used less than half the time to commit these crimes. If
you are truly concerned with crime, why don't you target violent offenders
and the Judges who's light sentencing allows them to re offend instead of
harassing FBI certified law abiding citizens, who are the only ones who
will pay any attention to your misguided infringements of a Right the
Constitution, (which you have sworn to uphold) states "Shall not be
infringed". Thomas C. Bogan Laconia NH