If everyone who bought an AR-15 magazine since 2004 wrote their congresscritter and told them to not support any restrictions on gun rights, no bill would see the light of day. So, get on it.
This is truth. The fact is, there will be those who say “I got mine,” and then proceed to exit the fight, their purchase being their sole act of defiance. Even even half of the new buyers wrote their critters, no bill would see the light of day.
Do you have a suggested template?
1) Tell them to oppose any gun control.
2) Add a personal comment or argument if you like. It doesn’t really matter, it won’t be read.
3) Tell them you are a voter (or if you’re not — that you plan on registering to vote over the holiday break), that you vote in primary and general elections, and that you will support their opponents if they do not OPPOSE ANY GUN CONTROL.
That’s all. Really, a staffer is just going to tally up the letters/emails/phone calls into “for” and “against” columns so there’s no need to write a novel.
Normally I write one. This time I wrote 5. Now for emails…
I wrote to my reps twice since last Friday.
Those who already bought one should not be so confident. There are rumblings of confiscation, and if that happens ,no ones guns, no matter when they were purchased will be safe.
Signed.
Please keep up the good work letting us know when we can sign petitions, write letters, show up at protests, etc. to maximize impact.
Replied in the wrong thread — meant this to be at the White House petition post. Either way, point made. :-)
I would posit (with out a lot of thought, admittedly) that those people who ran out and bought their first rifles or a ton of magazines in the last 9 days and who have figured “I got mine” are in a more vulnerable position than those of us who have been steadily increasing their inventories over time.
The most recent NICS checks are still fresh and quickly accessible. The most recent credit card purchase records at gun shops and internet retailers are still fresh and quickly accessible. I would posit that a warrant for records of purchase in the last 2 weeks or month would be more easily obtained than a warrant for records in the last 5 or 10 years.
If the people who have “been in the fight” for a long time are thinking the “I got mine” crowd may be exiting stage left immediately, then I would bet that our adversaries are counting on that as well.
I’d like to. Unfortunately, i live in one of the many socialist pockets…and THE worst of them all…NYC. Can’t LEGALLY own one because “IT LOOKS SCARY”.
You can still write the speaker of the house, the majority whip, wishy-washy Senators, etc. You can also write reps/senators who are elected by friends and family. For example, “My father lives in Ohio and I will encourage him and all of his coworkers to STRONGLY OPPOSE your re-election efforts if you do not stand firm in OPPOSING ANY GUN CONTROL.”
You can also let money talk: threaten to give money to the opposing party, to a candidate’s electoral opponents, or remind the pols that you donate to the NRA.
There is no reason you cannot write senators and reps who are wishy/washy but who you don’t vote for. It won’t have the same impact as a registered voter from their district but it does contribute to the avalanche.
My Rep requires a nine-digit zip code before I can email him. He won’t respond to out of district emails.
I’ve attempted to speak to a couple of locals and state level pols. They all tuck tail and run when you mention going hard on criminals and leaving law abiding folks alone. Even in their comfort zone, surrounded by like minded individuals. One person from the other side of the argument wants to open the avenues of dialogue…like they always claim to want…and they run.
Bill de Blasio, Jackie Hilly, Malcolm Smith (my state senator), Jackie Rowe Adams (yeah, the one that joined the NRA just to talk to Wayne at the annual). Schumer (an aide took the bullet for him, so to speak…maybe because i booed him after every sentence of a speech during a friend’s graduation). Hell, even my state assemblywoman, Michelle Titus…actually, i haven’t seen or heard from her in years and I used to see her almost on a weekly basis. A city lawyer even ran away after a symposium at Fordham Law…literaly, ran away in wingtip shoes as if they were Jordans, when questioned about upholding 2A for the law abiding or tougher enforcement and cracking down on criminals.
So yeah, I make my voice known, and give when I can. As I type, I’m also close to the point where I have to renew my NRA membership.
If everyone who bought an AR or AK since the mid 1970’s had bought Brownings or Remington Semi-autos in .243 or 308 cal.instead, they’d have ZERO worries.
And how many other rights to we blame, in hard circumstances, on people who chose to exercise it?
I’m still trying to parse what this even means.
@Ed,
What makes you think I, or anyone else didn’t?
More importantly, what makes you think we have zero worries about those “high powered” rifles or ammunition?
In Britain and Australia, everyone who bought Brownings or Remington Semi-autos in .243 or 308 cal now have ZERO guns.
All I own is a Mosin-Nagant and .22 revolver and I sent this email to my reps. I would hope that those with thousands of dollars in guns and ammunition would at the least do the same.
“I must ask you to reject any and all calls for more restrictions on the right of Americans to keep bear arms.Such restrictions are pointless and only serve to deprive average citizens of the best defensive tools available. The 1994 Assault Weapons ban did nothing to stop the Columbine shooting, and Connecticut’s state level ban did nothing to stop the shooting there. Another ban will do nothing to stop a future shooting either, but would stop law-abiding citizens from using the best tools available to stop it.
Allowing responsible adults to carry weapons in defense of themselves and others in are schools would do far more to protect students than a weapons ban that people bent on taking lives ignore.
We trust teachers and school workers with are children but do not trust them with the tools to protect them? We need to allow those who wish to carry a firearm for the protection of themselves and the children under their care to do so.
Any vote you make for more gun control would cost you my vote, while a vote against it would earn it.”
Does a phone call work or email work or is it better to send a written letter?
Written is better, but that’s gotten more complicated in recent years due to threats made by mail. If you write a letter, it will take weeks to get delivered – assume at least 2 months. Obama has set a January deadline for his Biden commission, so the issue may well be moving well along by then. If you can, fax it for fast delivery and the impact of a written letter. Otherwise, email it.
A phone call is also good. It will still be documented, and make sure to let them know that you would really appreciate a written response from the official. Yes, you will get a form letter. However, you will know that your phone call was logged, along with the position you took on the issue. I would actually suggest that you write and call when the issue is this important.
Tam linked to this useful guide from a former Congressional staffer. I pretty much agree with everything in there because I did my time interning for my Congressman way back in the day. I didn’t get paid, but I joined the staff in going through letters, fielding phone calls, and helping to set up responses to the various constituent contact. For our office (the primary district office), we logged everything that came in. We noted the person’s position and their request of support/opposition for the Congressman to consider. They would get a letter targeted on that specific issue within a couple of weeks. It was at least an acknowledgement that they were heard, even if no votes had been taken yet.