Here's what I sent J. Shanks:
I think you DO want to ban guns. Look at your position on "Assault Weapons". You want to ban these. The AR-15 is the equivalent of the U.S. Service Rifle and is used recreationally by thousands of civilians in the Civil Marksmanship Program (CMP). Moreover, this rifle is an example of what the Second Amendment refers to in its' "Militia Clause". Let me explain; Well-regulated means well equipped, well supplied, and current with modern standards. This allows for civilians to be similarly armed as are foriegn and domestic army forces. You want to ban "Saturday Night Specials". What are these? I have my ideas on what constitutes a cheap firearm but I don't base it on concealability. Let the industry set standards based on design, metallurgic, and internal ballistic pressure factors and not be forced to conform to political pressures. The HCI does want to ban certain guns and not for anything but emotional reasons.
You say the difference between NRA and HCI/CPHV is money. OK, then I think the NRA deserves even more. Until this debate is contested on an level playing field, and by that I mean where the Media is not obsessed with tragic headline leads, and sales of violent movies and games. Where television stations, movie studios, and newspapers are not owned by liberal elites, and where fear is not marketed to the consumer in order to promote sales of items that are supposed to make us feel better than our neighbors. The hypocrisy in all of this is sickening.
What ever happened to "Use a gun, go to jail"? That's the only gun law we need. Little, meaningless gun possession laws are not going to be prosecuted like laws that involve real injury or violence created by a person armed with a gun. Juries need the ability to convict and then sentence based on the fact that a gun was involved. You don't want a prosecutor sending Joe Sixpack who merely possessed a $50 pot metal "SNS" to trial, do you?
Loopholes, Assault Weapons, Saturday Night Specials, NRA, Gun Lobby, AK-47's, Militias, Gun nuts, etc., are buzzwords presently being used by anti-gunners to create negative images. You mention concealed carry then invoke an image of the old west and shootouts. You talk about the tragic fact of young people being murdered by their peers and you try to make us think of very young, innocent children instead of the violent older juveniles (above 14 years old) involved in drugs and gangs. You say, AK-47 then mention duck hunting. A very deceptive use of images I'd say.
I found your e-mail on an internet message board. The poster said the HCI is afraid of listing an e-mail contact on their site and I agreed. I've been to all these sites, they want to talk and not listen. Not many will give out an e-address or phone number. You might seriously consider adding your e-mail info on the HCI site if you do in fact, represent them, and your organization ought to solicit response from anyone who visits. If you choose not to, then at least tell them the truth: The content here at HCI/CPHV is for propaganda purposes only and we are not open to other ideas.
Yours truly,
