As a registered voter of the great state of Texas, I felt it was my civic duty to inform Sen. Gramm of my views on the current state of gun control. The following is the letter he sent back to me 3 weeks later. I have had the opportunity to meet Sen. Gramm a couple of times in the past and he is a very nice man. He is very intelligent and will fight to the end for what he believes in. It looks the "standard response" type letter, but it's nice to know he's on our side.
Thank you for contacting me opposing gun control legislation. I appreciate having the benefit of your views and comments on this issue.
I understand your concern about targeting firearms instead of criminals in an effort to reduce crime. Gun control provisions are rooted in the naive hope that they will deter criminal activity. Such measures, as noted over years of study, serve only to deter law-abiding citizens from obtaining guns--those who do not disobey the law in the first place. Yet gun control would punish them and infringe on their constitutional rights for the illusory goal of preventing criminals from obtaining such weapons. To solve our crime problem we need swift and sure criminal control penalties applied to those who violate the law.
You may be sure that I will continue my ardent fight against gun control measures and will work for criminal control policies that strengthen, not weaken, our criminal justice system. The Second Amendment guarantees our constitutional right to keep and bear arms, and I intend to see that it continues to do so.
I appreciate having the opportunity to represent you in the United States Senate. Thank you for taking the time to contact me.
Yours respectfully,
Phil Gramm
[This message has been edited by mjsarge (edited April 22, 2000).]
Thank you for contacting me opposing gun control legislation. I appreciate having the benefit of your views and comments on this issue.
I understand your concern about targeting firearms instead of criminals in an effort to reduce crime. Gun control provisions are rooted in the naive hope that they will deter criminal activity. Such measures, as noted over years of study, serve only to deter law-abiding citizens from obtaining guns--those who do not disobey the law in the first place. Yet gun control would punish them and infringe on their constitutional rights for the illusory goal of preventing criminals from obtaining such weapons. To solve our crime problem we need swift and sure criminal control penalties applied to those who violate the law.
You may be sure that I will continue my ardent fight against gun control measures and will work for criminal control policies that strengthen, not weaken, our criminal justice system. The Second Amendment guarantees our constitutional right to keep and bear arms, and I intend to see that it continues to do so.
I appreciate having the opportunity to represent you in the United States Senate. Thank you for taking the time to contact me.
Yours respectfully,
Phil Gramm
[This message has been edited by mjsarge (edited April 22, 2000).]
