Response to my letter to a State Rep on gun control

Maybe there is some hope still.

Dear Marc,

Thank you for contacting my office regarding recent proposed gun legislation and the Second Amendment, which I have sworn to uphold. I have also sworn to uphold the Oregon Constitution, which grants an even broader right to bear arms than the Second Amendment in Article I, Section 27 ("The people shall have the right to bear arms for the defence [sic] of themselves").

Politics has a way of dividing people; unfortunately, this usually happens at the very times when we should be coming together. For example, all Americans mourn the recent tragedies at Sandy Hook Elementary and, closer to home, Clackamas Town Center. This shared grief should provide a foundation for consensus and cooperation, not partisan bickering.

I think most people agree that the single best thing we can do to reduce gun violence is to improve access to mental health care. Accordingly, I am fighting to integrate mental health care into Governor Kitzhaber's health care reforms. I also believe that Oregon can get better mental health care for less money by providing treatment at the community level (as opposed to our current dependence on the state hospital) - we can invest the savings into expanded coverage.

I also believe that most people agree that we need to focus on violent criminals and repeat offenders, not law-abiding citizens. That is why I am introducing legislation to toughen sentences for drug dealers who peddle drugs that end up killing people. I also believe that Oregon should embrace innovative tactics proven to reduce drug addiction and gang violence in other states, such as the HOPE probation in Hawaii (HOPE - Hawaii's Opportunity Probation with Enforcement).

Most people also agree that we should increase investment in community corrections, which will save money in the long-run by preventing crime before it happens. Breaking the cycle of violence and recidivism requires investing in people early.

Again, thank you for sharing your thoughts and concerns. However this conversation unfolds, we will need to work together to find sensible solutions to keep our communities safe.

If my office can assist you in the future, please feel free to contact me at (503) 986-1440 or Rep.BrentBarton@state.or.us.

Sincerely,


Brent Barton
State Representative
House District

April 9, 2013

The Honorable Brent Barton
900 Court Street Northeast
Salem, OR 97301

Dear State Assemblyman Barton,

As your constituent, I want to urge you to oppose any and all gun control proposals that have been, or will be, introduced, particularly so-called universal background checks, which would criminalize the private transfer of firearms and any legislation that would arbitrarily limit ammunition magazines or reinstate the failed ban on commonly owned semi-automatic rifles.

Even Obama's experts say his gun control policies won't work. According to an internal Department of Justice memorandum,"universal" background checks will not work without requiring gun registration and a gun and magazine ban, like the one being debated right now in Congress, will not work without a mandatory gun buyback (confiscation).

The one thing all of these misguided proposals have in common is they won't reduce crime. Criminals, by definition, are lawbreakers. They are not deterred by laws against murder, rape, armed robbery, etc., and they wont be affected by additional gun control laws on top of the tens of thousands of existing laws we have on the books at every governmental level.

Again, I urge you to oppose any and all anti-gun legislation that will simply penalize law-abiding gun owners and instead focus on improvements to our nations mental health system and enhancing school security, while respecting our Second Amendment rights.

Please reply to me with your position on these measures. Your votes on these issues will be a major consideration in my future voting decisions.

Sincerely,

Man FLHT you get a gold star for that letter , Good to here your Rep sent back such a good answer , sounds like you have a great Rep working for you

MountainCruiser, here is what I do not like what BO always says.

These are reasonable, commonsense measures that have the support of the majority of the American people. But change will not come unless the American people demand it from their lawmakers. Now is the time to do the right thing for our children, our communities, and the country we love. We owe the victims of heartbreaking national tragedies and the countless unheralded tragedies each year nothing less than our best effort—to seek consensus in order to save lives and ensure a brighter future for our children.

He continually uses the words commonsense measures that have the support of the majority of the American people. I'm sorry dude but where do you get this majority from. He sure never asked me or the other gun owners I know. then the right thing to do for our children. What a smoke screen he throws up. I just wanna uke:

Here's my take on background checks becoming "Universal" or "comprehensive" or whatever new buzz word is out there for making folks thing the plan is complete.

Universal Background Checks

We hear it all the time, Comprehensive Border Control, Universal Background Check, what is this , what's it mean, and what are they really trying to do.

If you watch main stream news, read Huff Huff, or just about any media outlet you get the impression that thieves roam the aisles or their accomplices do, and buy guns with no checks whatsoever from EVERYONE that sells at a gun show, you know the infamous GUN SHOW LOOPHOLE.

Here's a little secret they don't want you to know, because most people that don't buy guns or have never been to a gun show just presume that reporters and politicians are telling you the truth, well, half truth maybe. At a gun show, licensed firearms dealers and individuals alike buy and sell guns, knives, belts, ammo, beef jerky all kinds of things are sold. Ever licensed dealer performs a background check on the buyer, just as if the transaction was occurring in their store, I've bought at a show from a dealer, walked several shows in FL, not once have I seen a sale where a background check by a licensed dealer was not performed. The fact that they have twenty to 30 people at a time filling out forms at a special table is proof.

Now you do have individuals who collect and sell guns, they will rent a single booth and display
THEIR PERSONAL FIREARMS for sale, they are not dealers, and generally they just have a few extra
they want to sell. So where to sell, a gunshow right, where would you take a 1957 Chevy if you wanted to sell it... a car show... logical, and under the law as it stands now, a private owner can sell to another private owner, legally without background checks, they can do it at home, in a show, in a car, on a train, in a bus on a plane, ok not on a plane but you get the point, it's lawful to sell between individuals.

Now the Politicians (D) want you to believe that this is where all those evil bad guys go to get guns. I kinda went in the first time expecting to see guys in black and white striped body shirts, long sleeve of course, black pants and black gloves and masks over the eyes, like in the movies, or even the joker and
penguin walking the aisles, but alas, no the criminal element isn't present. It's just good ol boys, black, white, asian, hispanic, Jewish, Catholic, Moms, Grandmoms, some with strollers (that's just dumb) but people like you, like me. Looking maybe buying. But all legal.

It's not a hoard of criminals and when you look outside, you find about 20 Floridas Finest in uniform
with FHP cars in the center, checking people, checking guns as you enter, putting zip ties on them, these guys are all over. If you are a criminal are you going to walk in with your dirty 32 and hand it to a LEO for zip tie? No... not happening.

The criminals get them on the street, stolen, trade for dope, $100 cheap azz guns, cheaper than hi-points They are not standing around in packs buying ammo and Sig Sauer P226 9mm 20 round mag $1000 guns, it's just not happening and this has led to the Chuckie Schumer Show of the "universal background check"

Ok right now for me to buy a gun I have a CWP, that means that I've been cleared by the State of FL and the FBI as a lawful good guy with the OK to conceal carry any pistol I have. As long as I don't become a felon I am able to ''LEGALLY" carry a gun into places that are legal, btw in FL that's about every where.

So back to buying a new/used gun, if I desire to plunk down some cash for a new firearm I go to any licensed gun dealer, select the gun, barter the price and give them my permit, dl, and have to fill out a federal form to be checked out again to make sure nothing bad has transpired in my life aka not a felon,.

That data is fed directly into the system and Tallahassee reviews it, bumps up against my non arrest record and returns and auth code for the sale, clearing me to buy and the dealer to sell.

So right now I pay a fee for that of $5 plus the price of the gun tag tax and title. Lawful, legal and proper.

So SocialistSchumer wants to change that, because he wants full control of firearms sales, even between family members. Under his UBC bill you can't give your kids your 22 rifle to shoot on your land for 20 minutes without breaking that law, you can't leave your 38 at home for your wife to use for more than 7 days (think deployed military, overseas jobs, two week trip on a bike) without making her a felon, and when you return, because it's over 7 days you a felon for taking it back. You can't give your grand kids your 22 pistol as a hand me down, felon, you can't even help a friend clean a gun, felon, now will you get arrested? You might, NY passed a $500 reward for anyone that reports an unlawful gun owner or act by a gun owner. Wow your Neighbors just became your enemy because they hate guns, you like them, bam snitch, bam you go to jail felon, loss of permit.

It's all about control and it makes lawful people doing nothing wrong, no robbing, not shooting people
no flashing guns to make people scared, just people that like to own guns, Like DaveT and Bubba, Phil, Mike to name a few, now all of us are potential felons, for what, who's safety.

No criminal will ever follow these rules, they do nothing but cause lawful people to be
forced into potential felonious acts even unknowingly for letting family members use a gun
at a range.

My point, even if you are not a gun owner, remember it's a right of he people of the US per the constitution, as much as free speech is a right, and none of those rights should be the subject of one man
and one parties vitriol and effort to remove them for political gain. Remember one day you might find
yourself on the wrong end of a federal "rule" or law. Most gun owners are very pro liberty and would stand against further government intrusion into your life as it would eventually be theirs.



Link if you are interested in learning More

I hear there is a petition going around to repeal the second amendment, don't laugh it's real.

But if you listen to Obummer its a balanced approach to protect the kids. What a joke, its about control.