Whitney
Regular Member
Washington’s next legislative session starts in January and Bob Ferguson's assault weapons ban will be on the block.
I wrote this letter to the editor several weeks ago and sent it off to almost every newspaper in the state.
My local paper published last week over on page 4; The slow erosion of our gun rights.
Central Kitsap Reporter | Kitsap Daily News
(links to every paper with my notes)
I received a lot of good feed back and only two papers said they would not publish it as I was not in their circulation area.
Today I wrote what I thought I would send to the general legislature regarding Bob Ferguson's proposed ban on the most popular firearm in the country. After some consideration I decided I should instead share this in hopes that others might write similar letters-to-the-editor or legislature. My thought process behind this is twofold, grass roots letters and informing the folks who might not otherwise hear about the proposed legislation. In the past we have won up-hill fights with the legislature only to loose to citizen initiatives. It is my hope this is shared and inspires others to write their own letters-to-the-editor.
Your letter does not have to be your own words but it should resonate with you. I mostly write how I talk then go back and clean it up with input from trusted confidants.
~Whitney
>>>>>>>>>>
Todays Musings
Notwithstanding the constitutional questions I previously shared with Mr. Hanson; this proposed legislation serves only to further erode the right of Washingtonians to keep and bear arms.
Let’s be perfectly clear here, this proposed legislation is an emotional response to a young Mukilteo student who murdered his friends in a fit of anger and revenge. A young man, who lacks the tools to comprehend and deal with rejection, is now in prison writing song lyrics about his act of killing.
The legislation in question is really a distraction from bigger problems the AG and the legislature continue to ignore, don’t understand or simply don’t care.
While Allen Ivanov's calculated killing of his ex-girlfriend, Anna Bui, as well as Jacob Long and Jordan Ebner, is absolutely tragic, the banning of otherwise legal activity to curtail murder is wrong headed and the antitheses to liberty and freedom. Ivanov conspired to kill these people; he acquired his firearm legally passed the requisite background check and waiting period. The citizens of Washington State are not the ones responsible for this heinous act yet the AG proposes to punish them for it. This is the type of legislation that continues to divide fomenting hate and intolerance on all sides.
When are you going to enforce the existing laws? You know the ones that state prohibited persons who attempt to purchase fire arms are prosecuted. Even the AG acknowledges in his white paper, Access to Firearms in Washington, the difficulty with “lie and try” prosecutions. His paper states, in 2013, over 1,500 Washington purchasers were denied due to a felony criminal history and 1,400 more were turned away due to a domestic violence history or active protection orders. Men like King County Sheriff John Urquhart have publicly stated they do not have the resources to arrest prohibited persons who attempt to purchase fire arms. Further stating these prohibited persons easily buy illegal guns on the street. This is only one example gun owners keep shouting about with regard to enforcing current law, yet the answer again is “making a new law” and forcing otherwise law abiding citizens to capitulate. Why isn’t the AG or the legislature giving men like Sheriff Urquhart the tools to enforce existing laws?
There is plenty of finger pointing to go around, but you are treeing the wrong cat. In this New Year I hope the legislature will stop acting and thinking like “Republicans” or “Democrats” and start acting and thinking like Americans.
I wrote this letter to the editor several weeks ago and sent it off to almost every newspaper in the state.
My local paper published last week over on page 4; The slow erosion of our gun rights.
Central Kitsap Reporter | Kitsap Daily News
(links to every paper with my notes)
I received a lot of good feed back and only two papers said they would not publish it as I was not in their circulation area.
Today I wrote what I thought I would send to the general legislature regarding Bob Ferguson's proposed ban on the most popular firearm in the country. After some consideration I decided I should instead share this in hopes that others might write similar letters-to-the-editor or legislature. My thought process behind this is twofold, grass roots letters and informing the folks who might not otherwise hear about the proposed legislation. In the past we have won up-hill fights with the legislature only to loose to citizen initiatives. It is my hope this is shared and inspires others to write their own letters-to-the-editor.
Your letter does not have to be your own words but it should resonate with you. I mostly write how I talk then go back and clean it up with input from trusted confidants.
~Whitney
>>>>>>>>>>
Todays Musings
Notwithstanding the constitutional questions I previously shared with Mr. Hanson; this proposed legislation serves only to further erode the right of Washingtonians to keep and bear arms.
Let’s be perfectly clear here, this proposed legislation is an emotional response to a young Mukilteo student who murdered his friends in a fit of anger and revenge. A young man, who lacks the tools to comprehend and deal with rejection, is now in prison writing song lyrics about his act of killing.
The legislation in question is really a distraction from bigger problems the AG and the legislature continue to ignore, don’t understand or simply don’t care.
While Allen Ivanov's calculated killing of his ex-girlfriend, Anna Bui, as well as Jacob Long and Jordan Ebner, is absolutely tragic, the banning of otherwise legal activity to curtail murder is wrong headed and the antitheses to liberty and freedom. Ivanov conspired to kill these people; he acquired his firearm legally passed the requisite background check and waiting period. The citizens of Washington State are not the ones responsible for this heinous act yet the AG proposes to punish them for it. This is the type of legislation that continues to divide fomenting hate and intolerance on all sides.
When are you going to enforce the existing laws? You know the ones that state prohibited persons who attempt to purchase fire arms are prosecuted. Even the AG acknowledges in his white paper, Access to Firearms in Washington, the difficulty with “lie and try” prosecutions. His paper states, in 2013, over 1,500 Washington purchasers were denied due to a felony criminal history and 1,400 more were turned away due to a domestic violence history or active protection orders. Men like King County Sheriff John Urquhart have publicly stated they do not have the resources to arrest prohibited persons who attempt to purchase fire arms. Further stating these prohibited persons easily buy illegal guns on the street. This is only one example gun owners keep shouting about with regard to enforcing current law, yet the answer again is “making a new law” and forcing otherwise law abiding citizens to capitulate. Why isn’t the AG or the legislature giving men like Sheriff Urquhart the tools to enforce existing laws?
There is plenty of finger pointing to go around, but you are treeing the wrong cat. In this New Year I hope the legislature will stop acting and thinking like “Republicans” or “Democrats” and start acting and thinking like Americans.
