I have no problem with the right of “the people” to keep and bear arms. And I agree with the statement in your letter to me of February 18, 2011, that “that right comes with a huge responsibility.”
I wrote you not to say that the Second Amendment has let the American citizens down, I am saying that the United States Congress has let us down by not establishing sufficient laws concerning the use of firearms in America. That is why I have written you four times and called your office five times in the year 2011 alone concerning gun laws.
You said in your letter that the “government’s responsibility is not to limit the lawful rights of law-abiding gun owners. Rather, it is the government’s duty to strictly enforce current gun laws and levy stiff penalties against criminals who use guns to commit crimes.
Well sir, let me propose to you that the laws of the United States are not sufficient to protect its citizens, and that the Congress of the United States is derelict in it’s duty to pass laws to protect its citizens.
That assertion is based on the following facts:
1) Some 11,000 American citizens are killed each year by firearms (Bureau of Justice - see graph at end of letter)
2) Consider that when a group of Saudi Arabians attacked and killed less than 3,000 Americans (and other nationals) on September 11, 2001, we embarked upon a war that now, ten years later, involves us in combat in three nations, Another 4,000 American troops have been killed in those wars, along with perhaps 100,000 Iraqi, Afghan and Pakistani citizens, and we have spent somewhere between $1.4 and 3 Trillion dollars because “terrorists” killed 3,000 Americans.
3) BUT - that same number of Americans were killed again in the United States from firearms alone, by other Americans before Christmas Day in 2001, 90 days after the attack by alien “terrorists”.
4) And THEN, another 3,000 Americans were killed by other American “Terrorists?” in March, again in June, and September, and Christmas Day again in 2002, and the same in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, and now we are coming up on another “anniversary”.
5) That means about 115,000 Americans have been killed by other Americans with firearms, mostly handguns, since the “terrorists” did their nasty little trick.
6) And you say – in your letter to me – that “the actions of a minority of people abusing their freedoms should not limit the freedoms of the majority of decent and upright Americans.”
7) Mr. McHenry, what part of 33 shot dead every day do you attribute to a minority of people abusing their freedom?
Notice that I have not even asked that you introduce any laws concerning gun control in America. I have simply asked that you help to begin a dialog in this country about whether we even need gun control. I have asked that that group include the NRA, along with other interested groups, and that a full and in-depth discussion ensue to discuss all the problems we can find that are associated with guns.
So - can we have a discussion? And. If not – WHY not? Please either help to start this discussion or tell me why you don’t want to.
Bureau of Justice Statistics http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_violence_in_the_United_States
Note also that the National Center for Injury Prevention and control stated During the 33-year period covered by this report, the total number of firearm deaths increased by 130%, from 16,720 in 1962 to 38,505 in 1994.
http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/pub-res/firarmsu.htm
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