[sgser]

Over the years I’ve written a lot of letters to various reps. and, other than expressing my point of view, I have come to believe I wasted my time. My one letter carried no more weight with these guys that the paper it was written on. What is needed is many letters expressing the same concerns.

My most recent, to my state rep. (About the Gary Young situation) went unanswered. Not even the simple courtesy of an acknowledgement that it was received. My point is that one letter doesn’t seem to impress them at all.

What I firmly believe is that we need a blizzard of letters to those who have the power to make changes. A single letter to the reporter who wrote an uninformed article is likely read, by that individual, and forgotten. But, many letters to the editor of the paper that the article appeared in would get their attention, it would surely get to the reporter and several would likely get printed.

Since the level of awareness about this issue is so high, maybe it is time to organize a letter writing cadre to bring our concerns to the people who will affect our rights in the future. Our reps. live to be re-elected and if there is a groundswell on a singular issue they will most likely start to take notice.

I saw a phrase in the media reporting on the OCB incident. That was, “Community Standards.” There are many voices in the gun community and if we value the rights we still retain, we must become more pro-active. Pa.Patriots flyers and OC events are a good start. And judging from the length of this thread, PaFOA members want to be heard. I believe that we must also become politically active if only to make our reps. know that we have rights and that we want them to support those rights or leave them alone.

One letter, as I said above, is a waste of time. Hundreds might just make them rise up and take notice.