A member of TTAG’s Armed Intelligentsia received this response to a letter re: gun control sent to U.S. Representative André “The Tea Party is Racist” Carson (D), Indiana’s 7th Congressional District.
October 31, 2011
Dear Mr. **********
Thank you for contacting me to voice your concerns about the protection of the Second Amendment.
As a former law enforcement officer, I respect the constitutionally guaranteed right of all Americans to bear arms and believe that it should be protected. Most American gun owners register their weapons, follow all necessary safety precautions, and use them only as tools for protection or recreation. However, the United States has an unacceptably high level of gun crime. I believe that strong restrictions must enacted that protect both the public and the Second Amendment rights of all Americans . . .
I appreciate hearing your thoughts and concerns about this important issue. Thank you for contacting me and please let me know if I can be of assistance to you on other matters.
Sincerely,
André Carson
Member of Congress
Our AI responded thusly:
To: [email protected]
Sent: 11/2/2011 9:45:02 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time
Subj: 2nd Ammendment
Rep. Carson,
I am shocked at the misguided assumptions in your response.
I challenge you to provide any valid data to validate the concept that Gun Control
will reduce crime. Indeed, in cities such as Chicago, New York, and D.C. where, until
recently, the strictest firearm laws in the country were in place, firearm related crimes ran wide open, and still does.
The only thing registration does is provide the Government an inventory of legal firearms by owner’s name and address, which serves no practical purpose. The bad guys will always have access to guns and I would suspect the implementation of Gun Control/Registration could well create a larger black market than already exists.
Having worked in Corrections for 20+ years, I have gained an insight into mentality of many criminals. I seriously doubt that any laws or registration schemes, no,matter how well intended, would have deterred them from acquiring the tools needed to pursue their chosen vocation.
The cost of implementing any program related to gun control would be better spent on Crime Prevention at local levels.
Respectfully,
************
gun control is about control. those who represent large urban areas say all of the right things to get re-elected, but even they know, the only way to put down the criminals is to put them down literally. of course, why admit that? People will be up in arms when their cousins, brothers, uncles, and fathers are cut to pieces, despite lengthy records. I catch a lot of flak as an African-American espousing that view, esp when I go back to Detroit to visit (always armed of course), but privately, many admit to the problem and then ask me about how to get a CCW.
Our compatriot has indeed made a valid point. But, common sense is an uncommon thing. CRIMINALS don’t abide by the laws of the land, they break them. Murder, roberry, kidnapping, illegal drugs, rape, on and on and on…….. are illegal there are laws in place that prohibit these acts yet they still happen. Mr. Carson is just another politician with his head up his A$$.
Rep. Carson finally responds thusly:
“Dear AI,
I am deeply troubled by your use of the phrase, ‘black market.’ The inherent racism contained in such a phrase coupled with your willingness to wield it in the direction of a member of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) is astonishing. I am confident you are teabagger; a racist member of the Tea Party whom I previously described, in August 2011, as an individual wanting to see blacks like me hanging from a tree. As I now suspect you possess firearms, I will be forwarding your email to the appropriate authorities for further action. Thank you and, please, follow the link below to contribute to the “Carson for Congress” campaign today.
Yours,
Andre”
Most American gun owners register their weapons,
My weapons are not registered, do I need to contact Big Sis, or the ATF?
“Most American gun owners register their weapons…” Not in Indiana and not in most states according to leghorn’s firearms laws table. This is a persistent little tidbit of misinformation, mostly propagated by television crime dramas, I believe. I sometimes hear it from the lips of gun owners; people who should know better.
I could be wrong, but the only thing the NICS background checks establish is that guns have been purchased by an individual, not which particular guns. Am I mistaken?
This is what NICS Backround Check does:
When an FFL initiates a NICS background check, a search of the individual’s name and descriptive information (e.g., date of birth, gender, race, state of residence, and place of birth) is conducted to identify any matching records in the following nationally held databases managed by the FBI:
Interstate Identification Index (III): The III maintains millions of criminal history records.
National Crime Information Center (NCIC): The NCIC maintains data specific to persons who are the subject of protection orders, criminal warrants, etc.
NICS Index: The NICS Index maintains information (not located in the III or the NCIC) about persons who are federally prohibited the transfer of a firearm pursuant to the Brady Act.
These are the deny messages:
18, U.S.C. §922 (g)(1)
Has been convicted in any court of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year
18, U.S.C. §922 (n)
Is under indictment for a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year
18, U.S.C. §922 (g)(2)
Is a fugitive from justice
18, U.S.C. §922 (g)(3)
Is an unlawful user of or addicted to any controlled substance
18, U.S.C. §922 (g)(4)
Has been adjudicated as a mental defective or committed to a mental institution
18, U.S.C. §922 (g)(5)
Illegally or unlawfully in the United States
18, U.S.C. §922 (g)(6)
Has been discharged from the Armed Forces under dishonorable conditions
18, U.S.C. §922 (g)(7)
Having been a citizen of the United States, has renounced U.S. citizenship
18, U.S.C. §922 (g)(8)
Is subject to a court order that restrains the person from harassing, stalking, or threatening an intimate partner or child of such intimate partner
18, U.S.C. §922 (g)(9)
Has been convicted in any court of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence
So, not a “registry” of firearms. Thanks for clarifying.
I always use the time waiting for the guy to finish filling out the form and making the call to peruse the used gun racks, so I’ve never seen what he writes on his section of the thing. I’m just a naive, trusting kind of guy I guess.
This is my congressman. I want to vomit.
Don’t vomit, vote!
“The majority of Americans register their weapons?” Which America does this dumbass live in? Is it too much to expect that someone who makes laws actually knows what the laws are? I’m disgusted.
Very few Americans ‘register’ their firearms, because only a tiny number of states require it. All new gun transactions are of course logged into an FFL’s bound book, but in most states an FFL is not required for subsequent transfers.
Anyone running for political office needs to first pass a battery of mental/emotional tests and ones that cover being informed about various issues to determine their level of ignorance. I wonder if he ever read the Bill of Rights?
He only got elected because he was taking his grandmother’s seat in congress.
I really don’t understand how gun control advocates can keep spouting about high crime (which is in decline actually) being related to lawful gun ownership (which is increasing). Do they believe their own BS?
Rep. Carson is a good little puppet, spouting the party line just like he was told to do. I’m sure that Nancy Pelosi will give him a tender pat on the head the next time she sees him. Do gun control advocates actually believe their own bullsh!t? I’m sure that some do, but the rest are just taking their rightful place in the Amen Chorus.
I love how all the gun grabbers now add the following sentence into all their talking points:
“I respect the constitutionally guaranteed right of all Americans to bear arms and believe that it should be protected.”
Of course, you can predict with 100% certainty that the next sentence or two of their talking points is going to contain the words “but” or “however.”
When anyone uses the word “but,” it actually means “disregard everything I said before.” As in “I love you, but” or “I’d love to hire you, but” or “I respect 2A, but.” To which I say, kiss my but.
Controlling firearm related crime is about enforcement, not legislation. Is that not apparent, or does it just pay well to ignore it?
Come on man, don’t go bringing common sense into it. This is politics…
“Controlling firearm related crime is about enforcement, not legislation. Is that not apparent, or does it just pay well to ignore it?”
BINGO !
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