[PAFOA Alert] URGENT: PENNSYLVANIA ANTI-GUN PACKAGE VOTE ON TUESDAY AM - 11/15/07

[Headhunter 13]

I just spoke to Scott Boyd my rep here in Lancaster and he is firmly against these bills and mentioned the John Perzell from Philly was too.

[Tricia]

GRRR!! sent e-mails now time to blow up the phones hehe

[danp]

Originally Posted by Joe Smith

This is my first time writing to members of the Gov't but the most important time.

Naturally I can write a letter, but does anyone have a canned letter or ideas to give me some inspiration? I just don't really know what is good to include or leave out and could use something to help get me started.


~Brian

Right now we need phone calls, not letters due to the timing. WhiteFeather posted some great bullet points for each bill. When I get to work I am going to write some up as well.

Emails and letters are great guys but what we really need is PHONE CALLS!

[ii.sirk]

Originally Posted by Joe Smith

This is my first time writing to members of the Gov't but the most important time.

Naturally I can write a letter, but does anyone have a canned letter or ideas to give me some inspiration? I just don't really know what is good to include or leave out and could use something to help get me started.


~Brian

I too would appreciate a little help with writing a letter being that it is my first time as well. I'm not exactly sure what to say. Do I just express disgust with what I've read about these bills? Quote history as it relates to gun control? All of the above? A canned letter would really help here.

[X5-9]

My emails to all of the legislators above plus my own Reps reads simply:

"I urge you to resist pressures to alter or eliminate rights granted to law abiding citizens under the Second Amendment.

Thank you,
name
address"


I will follow with phone calls beginning with my two pro-2A reps- Sam Rorer and Dave Argall. They might help with friends on the committee.

Let's defeat these Philly leftists

[CCinPA]

I had called all judiciary committee members earlier this week but now that Fast Eddie is attending I will also email them.
Oh, not to discourage anyone from calling and emailing as I would encourage everyone not to stand still on this but I did get pretty decent feed back from the members. I didn't keep a count but if memory serves me right many said they were opposing the package.

[gregorio]

I called everybody on the pro-gun and undecided list. Should we at least e-mail those opposed to gun rights, at least to show our solidarity?

I would like to offer a special thanks to all of our friends across the state from here in Philly. You should all know that the population is not in lock step with these "representatives" we have. We are dealing with a rampant drug problem, and most of the shootings are for turf, its not related even remotely with the legal ownership of firearms. If you want to see the illegal trafficking of firearms disappear, deal with the subculture that needs guns to continue their trade, and has no legal right to own them!

[CCinPA]

Absolutely, The more the opposed hear their phone ring the better they may understand Pennsylvanians want their right protected.

[Rumble]

Originally Posted by ii.sirk

I too would appreciate a little help with writing a letter being that it is my first time as well. I'm not exactly sure what to say. Do I just express disgust with what I've read about these bills? Quote history as it relates to gun control? All of the above? A canned letter would really help here.

In general, when I've written to my pols, I try to keep it short and simple (maybe not as simple as the above). Things I try to keep in mind (YMMV):

1. Disgust is fine, but being abusive isn't likely to help.
2. Keep it short - I name the bill, specify the reason it's bad, and tell them to vote "no" or to vote against the bill.
3. I try to hit the "criminals don't care what laws you pass" thing if I can. Maybe someday it will sink in.

This is what I composed (I figure email won't hurt, but it is true that phone calls are what is necessary):

"Dear Representative ,

I am writing to express my strong opposition to House Bills 18, 22, and 29, all of which will be considered at next week’s Judiciary Committee Meeting, scheduled for November 20th. I ask you to vote against these bills and all other bills that abridge or infringe the rights protected by the Pennsylvania Constitution.

House Bill 18, which would overturn statewide preemption for firearm regulation, would have no impact on criminals who - by definition – violate the law. Instead, HB only makes it impossible for law-abiding citizens to navigate the maze of inconsistent restrictions that will undoubtedly arise. Please vote NO on House Bill 18.

House Bill 22, the so-called “one-gun-a-month” bill, punishes the law-abiding for the actions of criminals. Criminals who require firearms will obtain them by theft, or from other criminals – no law will prevent that. Instead, HB 22 makes it harder for the tens of thousands of law-abiding Pennsylvania gun owners to exercise their rights. Please vote NO on House Bill 22.

House Bill 29, which imposes criminal penalties for the failure to report a lost or stolen gun, is a shockingly bad piece of law. It seeks to make the victims of a crime into criminals themselves, which is cruel and completely devoid of legitimacy. Please vote NO on House Bill 29.

These three bills – HB 18, HB 22, and HB 29 – are bad law. Each hurts only the law-abiding citizen, because criminals do not care what laws you pass. Each is repugnant to the Pennsylvania Constitution. Each violates common sense and will have no effect on crime. Please, vote against every one of these bills, in whatever guise they appear. None of them are worthy of even a moment’s consideration.

Thank you,"


I hope this is helpful.

-Chris

[Glock_22]

There was a great letter to the editor in the Philadelphia Inquirer back in July this year. The author was Joseph Fox, a Chief of Detectives in the Philly PD. I included it in my emails to the committee members, as I thought some good points were made by someone who would know what the problem in Philadelphia is.

Here's the letter:

GUN FRUSTRATION

"Every Tuesday morning, I chair a meeting of local, state and federal law-enforcement agencies during which every shooting from the previous week is reviewed.

The 30 to 50 cases reviewed each week reveal disturbing trends:

A large number of shooting victims have been shot before. The vast majority have criminal records, as do the shooters. Those records almost always involve weapons offenses. Some names crop up week in and week out.

The level of frustration in the room mounts with each case.

As these shooters are left to roam the streets, the quantity of innocent bloodshed increases. After all, they don't always hit those whom they are targeting.

We must have zero tolerance for illegal possession of a gun; on mandatory jail time, even for a first offense; and on maximum time for a subsequent offense.

All Philadelphians should be as sick and tired as we in that room are every Tuesday of the leniency of our judges and the refusal of our elected and appointed officials to insist on accountability."

Philadelphia's problem is definitely one of enforcement.