My chat with Feinstein

[Barbarian Brewer]

So I sent Sen. Feinstein an email a couple months ago regarding my stance on the 2a, and my vow to vote against any politician willing to strip Americans of their 2a right. This is what she sent back this morning:

Dear __________:

Thank you for contacting me to share your opposition to assault weapons legislation. I respect your opinion on this important issue and welcome the opportunity to provide my point of view.

Mass shootings are a serious problem in our country, and I have watched this problem get worse and worse over the 40 years I have been in public life. From the 1966 shooting rampage at the University of Texas that killed 14 people and wounded 32 others, to the Newtown massacre that killed 20 children and 6 school teachers and faculty, I have seen more and more of these killings. I have had families tell me that they no longer feel safe in a mall, in a movie theater, in their business, and in other public places, because these deadly weapons are so readily available. These assault weapons too often fall into the hands of grievance killers, juveniles, gangs, and the deranged.

I recognize that the Second Amendment provides an individual right to bear arms, but I do not believe that right is unlimited or that it precludes taking action to prevent mass shootings. Indeed, in the same Supreme Court decision that recognized the individual right to bear arms, District of Columbia v. Heller, the Court also held that this right, like other constitutional rights, is not unlimited. That is why assault weapons bans have consistently been upheld in the courts, both before and after the Heller decision. I believe regulation of these weapons is appropriate.

Once again, thank you for your letter. Although we may disagree, I appreciate hearing from you and will be mindful of your thoughts as the debate on this issue continues. If you have any additional comments or questions, please do not hesitate to contact my Washington, D.C. office at (202) 224-3841.

Sincerely yours,

Dianne Feinstein
United States Senator

UPDATE: I posted this on another gun board and saw that a BUNCH of people got that same response. What B.S.

My reply:

Senator Feinstein,

I find it disturbing that you mentioned that mass shootings are "getting worse and worse", when the reality is that the height of mass shootings in America took place in the 1920's. "There is no pattern, there is no increase," says criminologist James Allen Fox of Boston's Northeastern University, who has been studying the subject since the 1980s, spurred by a rash of mass shootings in post offices. You took time to site people's fear of going into public because they may become a victim of a mass shooting...they are simply unaware of FACT, and should not be used as a source, or example of absolute proof that things are getting worse. You are right, however, that weapons fall into the hands of the wrong people all too often. How come nothing was done when Adam Lanza tried on several occasions to purchase firearms illegally? No. Can you blame guns, or gun manufacturers, or even laws for this one? He was denied several times, and ended up obtaining his weapons from his own mother, in an illegal manner as well.

There are deep mysteries as to why mass shootings occur. There are simple answers that are often ignored, and are not brought to light nearly as much as the erroneous term "assault rifle", which has been created to dissuade individuals from knowing the difference between a dangerous tool of destruction, and a dumbed down civilian model of a military firearm.
For instance, how come we never hear about the correlation between SSRI drug usage and mass shootings is linear? How come you have not made more of an effort to make sure that drugs being prescribed to our children do not result in violent behavior? Maybe then, we would observe a decrease in mass shootings.

Here are some examples:
School Shooting Prozac WITHDRAWAL 2008-02-15 Illinois ** 6 Dead: 15 Wounded: Perpetrator Was in Withdrawal from Med & Acting Erratically
School Shooting Prozac Antidepressant 2005-03-24 Minnesota **10 Dead: 7 Wounded: Dosage Increased One Week before Rampage
School Shooting Paxil [Seroxat] Antidepressant 2001-03-10 Pennsylvania **14 Year Old GIRL Shoots & Wounds Classmate at Catholic School
School Shooting Zoloft Antidepressant & ADHD Med 2011-07-11 Alabama **14 Year Old Kills Fellow Middle School Student
School Shooting Zoloft Antidepressant 1995-10-12 South Carolina **15 Year Old Shoots Two Teachers, Killing One: Then Kills Himself
School Shooting Med For Depression 2009-03-13 Germany **16 Dead Including Shooter: Antidepressant Use: Shooter in Treatment For Depression
School Hostage Situation Med For Depression 2010-12-15 France **17 Year Old with Sword Holds 20 Children & Teacher Hostage
School Shooting Plot Med For Depression WITHDRAWAL 2008-08-28 Texas **18 Year Old Plots a Columbine School Attack
School Shooting Anafranil Antidepressant 1988-05-20 Illinois **29 Year Old WOMAN Kills One Child: Wounds Five: Kills Self
School Shooting Luvox/Zoloft Antidepressants 1999-04-20 Colorado **COLUMBINE: 15 Dead: 24 Wounded
School Stabbings Antidepressants 2001-06-09 Japan **Eight Dead: 15 Wounded: Assailant Had Taken 10 Times his Normal Dose of Depression Med
School Shooting Prozac Antidepressant WITHDRAWAL 1998-05-21 Oregon **Four Dead: Twenty Injured
School Stabbing Med For Depression 2011-10-25 Washington **Girl, 15, Stabs Two Girls in School Restroom: 1 Is In Critical Condition
School Shooting Antidepressant 2006-09-30 Colorado **Man Assaults Girls: Kills One & Self
School Machete Attack Med for Depression 2001-09-26 Pennsylvania **Man Attacks 11 Children & 3 Teachers at Elementary School
School Shooting Related Luvox 1993-07-23 Florida **Man Commits Murder During Clinical Trial for Luvox: Same Drug as in COLUMBINE: Never Reported
School Hostage Situation Cymbalta Antidepressant WITHDRAWAL 2009-11-09 New York **Man With Gun Inside School Holds Principal Hostage
School Shooting Antidepressants 1992-09-20 Texas **Man, Angry Over Daughter’s Report Card, Shoots 14 Rounds inside Elementary School
School Shooting SSRI 2010-02-19 Finland **On Sept. 23, 2008 a Finnish Student Shot & Killed 9 Students Before Killing Himself
School Shooting Threat Med for Depression* 2004-10-19 New Jersey **Over-Medicated Teen Brings Loaded Handguns to School
School Shooting Antidepressant? 2007-04-18 Virginia **Possible SSRI Use: 33 Dead at Virginia Tech
School Shooting Antidepressant? 2002-01-17 Virginia **Possible SSRI Withdrawal Mania: 3 Dead at Law School
School Incident/Bizarre Zoloft* 2010-08-22 Australia **School Counselor Exhibits Bizarre Behavior: Became Manic On Zoloft
School/Assault Antidepressant 2009-11-04 California **School Custodian Assaults Student & Principal: Had Manic Reaction From Depression Med
School Shooting Prozac Antidepressant 1992-01-30 Michigan **School Teacher Shoots & Kills His Superintendent at School
School Shooting Threats Celexa Antidepressant 2010-01-25 Virginia **Senior in High School Theatens to Kill 4 Classmates: Facebook Involved: Bail Denied
School Violence/Murder Antidepressants* 1998-05-04 New York **Sheriff’s Deputy Shoots his Wife in an Elementary School
School Knifing/Murder Meds For Depression & ADHD 2010-04-28 Massachusetts **Sixteen Year Old Kills 15 Year Old in High School Bathroom in Sept. 2009
School Stabbing Wellbutrin 2006-12-04 Indiana **Stabbing by 17 Year Old At High School: Charged with Attempted Murder
School Threat Antidepressants 2007-04-23 Mississippi **Student Arrested for Making School Threat Over Internet
School Suspension Lexapro Antidepressant 2007-07-28 Arkansas **Student Has 11 Incidents with Police During his 16 Months on Lexapro
School Shooting Antidepressant WITHDRAWAL 2007-11-07 Finland **Student Kills 8: Wounds 10: Kills Self: High School in Finland
School Shooting Paxil [Seroxat] Antidepressant 2004-02-09 New York **Student Shoots Teacher in Leg at School
School Threat Prozac Antidepressant 2008-01-25 Washington **Student Takes Loaded Shotgun & 3 Rifles to School Parking Lot: Plans Suicide
School Shooting Plot Med For Depression 1998-12-01 Wisconsin **Teen Accused of Plotting to Gun Down Students at School
School/Assault Zoloft Antidepressant 2006-02-15 Tennessee **Teen Attacks Teacher at School
School Shooting Threat Antidepressant 1999-04-16 Idaho **Teen Fires Gun in School
School Hostage Situation Paxil & Effexor Antidepressants 2001-04-15 Washington **Teen Holds Classmates Hostage with a Gun
School Hostage Situation Antidepressant WITHDRAWAL 2006-11-28 North Carolina **Teen Holds Teacher & Student Hostage with Gun
School Knife Attack Med for Depression 2006-12-06 Indiana **Teen Knife Attacks Fellow Student
School Massacre Plot Prozac Withdrawal 2011-02-23 Virginia **Teen Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison For Columbine Style Plot
School Shooting Celexa & Effexor Antidepressants 2001-04-19 California **Teen Shoots at Classmates in School
School Shooting Celexa Antidepressant 2006-08-30 North Carolina **Teen Shoots at Two Students: Kills his Father: Celexa Found Among his Personal Effects
School Shooting Meds For Depression & ADHD 2011-03-18 South Carolina **Teen Shoots School Official: Pipe Bombs Found in Backpack
School Shooting Threat Antidepressant 2003-05-31 Michigan **Teen Threatens School Shooting: Charge is Terrorism
School Stand-Off Zoloft Antidepressant 1998-04-13 Idaho **Teen [14 Years Old] in School Holds Police At Bay: Fires Shots
School Shooting Antidepressant WITHDRAWAL 2007-10-12 Ohio **Teen [14 Years Old] School Shooter Possibly on Antidepressants or In Withdrawal
School Threat Antidepressants 2008-03-20 Indiana **Teen [16 Years Old] Brings Gun to School: There Is a Lockdown
School Suicide/Lockdown Med For Depression 2008-02-20 Idaho **Teen [16 Years Old] Kills Self at High School: Lockdown by Police
School Threats Prozac Antidepressant 1999-10-19 Florida **Teen [16 Years Old] Threatens Classmates With Knife & Fake Explosives
School Stabbing Med For Depression 2008-02-29 Texas **Teen [17 Year Old GIRL] Stabs Friend & Principal at High School
School Hostage Situation Prozac/ Paxil Antidepressants 2001-01-18 California **Teen [17 Years Old] Takes Girl Hostage at School: He is Killed by Police
School Knife Attack Treatment For Depression & Strattera 2009-03-10 Belgium **Three Dead in School Day Care: Two Children & a Caregiver: Happened Jan 23, 2009
School Shooting Plot Antidepressants 2009-09-22 England **Two English School Boys Plot to Blow Up High School
School Arson Incidents Paxil 2002-04-12 Michigan **Unusual Personality Change on Paxil Caused 15 Year Old to Set Fires inside High School
School Bomb Threat Med For Depression 2009-06-29 Australia **Vexed Father Makes Bomb Threat Against Elementary School
School Violence Antidepressant 2005-11-19 Arizona **Violent 8 Year Old GIRL Handcuffed by Police at School
School Violence Celexa Antidepressant 2002-01-23 Florida **Violent 8 Year-Old Boy Arrested At School
School Threat/Lockdown Lexapro* 2008-04-18 California **Violent High School Student Shot to Death on Campus by Police
School / Child Endangerment Antidepressants 2008-02-27 Canada **Wacky School Bus Driver Goes Berserk: Also Involved Painkillers
School Violence Paxil 2004-10-23 Washington DC **Young Boy, 10 Year Old, Has Violent Incidents at School
School Threat Wellbutrin Antidepressant 2007-04-24 Tennessee **Young Boy, 12, Threatens to Shoot Others at School
School Hostage Situation Med for Depression 2006-03-09 France **Young Ex-Teacher Holds 21 Students Hostage
School Shooting/Suicide Celexa 2002-10-07 Texas **Young Girl [13 Years Old] Kills Self at School With a Gun
School Hostage Situation Paxil 2001-10-12 North Carolina **Young Man Holds Three People Hostage in Duke University President’s Office
School Murder Attempt Med For Depression 1995-03-04 California

 

[eb07]

She probably has you on a watch list now. You cannot reason with liberalism. It is a disease. Kudos to your effort however.

 

[Barbarian Brewer]

It is very clear to me, and many others that you have a specific agenda that is being pushed no matter how many logical arguments are presented to the contrary of your push to regulate and CONFISCATE firearms. The issue is wide open now, and many people are aware that there is no good reason to ban what you call "ASSAULT RIFLES". Even Joe Biden agrees that these new laws will "not save a single life".

The fact that twenty children were critically injured in China the SAME day as Sandy Hook, but with a knife, has not been broadcasted as it should. How come the media has focused only on guns, when (your words) "ASSAULT WEAPONS" only account for a single digit fraction of all firearm related shootings? Knives, batons and other weapons of opportunity account for far more deaths yearly than ANY form of firearm. We have heard that AR-15's are not useful in self defense, yet the government just purchased 7,000 of them for...."PERSONAL DEFENSE" (which also have the three round burst option...something that is NOT a feature on 99% of AR-15's you are trying to ban). We hear that the AR platform is only useful in a war zone, yet Fish and Game is engaging in a 20 year contract for AR-10 POF rifles, which do NOT feature bullet buttons, are NOT limited to 10 round magazines (as you have limited Californians such as myself to), and are extremely expensive. Why do they need these weapons, Senator? Why does every agent in that specific branch need a rifle that is far more powerful than the rifles used at Sandy Hook?

We have a lot of unanswered questions. We have a lot of curiosity as to why civilians are not able to defend themselves, and why upright individuals such as myself, without a criminal background, who have provided service to this country (I served six years in the Marine Corps, where I had a 30 round clip in my M16a2, and no bullet button...IN CALIFORNIA!), and who have no intention of doing anything with their firearms, but protect loved ones from criminals who will ALWAYS have illegal weaponry.

I urge you to come up with better reasons to take this style of firearm away, because it is becoming very clear to the masses that what you call "assault rifles" are simply rifles with extra plastic on them. "They are not good for hunting! Who needs 30 rounds to go hunting?" No one needs a 30 round magazine to go hunting, and when that question comes up, have you, or any other anti-gun politician explained that AR15's are capable of accepting 10, or even 5 round magazines for hunting? Absolutely not. Your caucus has misrepresented fact, and will continue to do so, because as I mentioned earlier, your agenda is already set in motion, and logic has already been thrown to the wayside.

Sincerely,

__________

 

[Rule 303]

Its not about mass shootings or killing of innocents, its about Control by the People and Politicians who want to rule this country.

Safety has nothing to do with it.

Rule 303

 

[Texas Star]

I am extremely impressed by the first letter to Feinstein, but because the writer cannot distinguish between, "site" and "cite", it will probably just be used in the senator's office as an example of how those crazy, plebian "gun people" cannot spell or distinguish between wholly different words.

Seriously, the gun war is largely a cultural war, and if we cannot spell or understand the meaning of entirely different words, they laugh at us. It just reinforces their self image as being elite.

If you suspect that you may have language limitations, get someone who is more familiar with such things to proofread your letter before you send it. Better yet, get three people to do that. One may spot an error that others missed. And I suspect that a written, mailed letter (TYPED) is going to impress a politician more than an e-mail or something written in pencil on a yellow legal pad. Remember, these people employ aides who may well have degrees from Ivy League universities! Or from (bleeping) California schools.

Mind you, I'm not saying that I'm perfect. That isn't my point here. I do proofread all of my professional writing and even board posts at least three times, same for fan fiction. And even then, I sometimes catch a misspelled word in a story several years after it was posted. None of us is perfect, and it's just a good idea to get several eyes on a letter before you send it to someone important.

Years ago, gun writer Jack O'Connor told me that he had many handwritten letters from fans who had spelling limitations and who often wrote in pencil on cheap yellow paper. The former editor of a leading knife magazine told me that he actually got many submissions that came in that way! If I had to work hard to think of a way to get an instant rejection slip from an editor, sending a mss. in that manner would rank near the top!

I realize that most here are not trying to sell a manuscript. You're ordinary folks who want to express your deep feelings about a very emotional and important matter. But be careful how you do it. The overall impression left by your letter depends a lot on how it's presented. And don't forget to thank (and encourage) your pro-gun senators and represenatives. They're under a lot of pressure from Those People (the enemy) and many misguided citizens to pass "meaningful" gun laws. Some of these pro-gun congresscritters may be a little shaky in their support. Let them know that you appreciate that they'll do the right thing, despite pressure from the other side.



As an aside, Jack O'Connor had a Master's degree and was a former professor of journalism. I believe that he is the ONLY gun writer ever to have received a celebrity obituary in the mainstream press. Thought that some of his many readers might like to know that. Jack was also one of the most honest gun scribes. And his writing was largely responsible for the return of the classic style rifle stock. I miss his wry humor.

 

[5Wire]

So I sent Sen. Feinstein an email a couple months ago regarding my stance on the 2a, and my vow to vote against any politician willing to strip Americans of their 2a right. This is what she sent back this morning:



UPDATE: I posted this on another gun board and saw that a BUNCH of people got that same response. What B.S.

My reply:

Senator Feinstein,

......

Nicely done. Permission to repost?

 

[Barbarian Brewer]

I am extremely impressed by the first letter to Feinstein, but because the writer cannot distinguish between, "site" and "cite", it will probably just be used in the senator's office as an example of how those crazy, plebian "gun people" cannot spell or distinguish between wholly different words.

Seriously, the gun war is largely a cultural war, and if we cannot spell or understand the meaning of entirely different words, they laugh at us. It just reinforces their self image as being elite.

If you suspect that you may have language limitations, get someone who is more familiar with such things to proofread your letter before you send it. Better yet, get three people to do that. One may spot an error that others missed. And I suspect that a written, mailed letter (TYPED) is going to impress a politician more than an e-mail or something written in pencil on a yellow legal pad. Remember, these people employ aides who may well have degrees from Ivy League universities! Or from (bleeping) California schools.

Mind you, I'm not saying that I'm perfect. That isn't my point here. I do proofread all of my professional writing and even board posts at least three times, same for fan fiction. And even then, I sometimes catch a misspelled word in a story several years after it was posted. None of us is perfect, and it's just a good idea to get several eyes on a letter before you send it to someone important.

Years ago, gun writer Jack O'Connor told me that he had many handwritten letters from fans who had spelling limitations and who often wrote in pencil on cheap yellow paper. The former editor of a leading knife magazine told me that he actually got many submissions that came in that way! If I had to work hard to think of a way to get an instant rejection slip from an editor, sending a mss. in that manner would rank near the top!

I realize that most here are not trying to sell a manuscript. You're ordinary folks who want to express your deep feelings about a very emotional and important matter. But be careful how you do it. The overall impression left by your letter depends a lot on how it's presented. And don't forget to thank (and encourage) your pro-gun senators and represenatives. They're under a lot of pressure from Those People (the enemy) and many misguided citizens to pass "meaningful" gun laws. Some of these pro-gun congresscritters may be a little shaky in their support. Let them know that you appreciate that they'll do the right thing, despite pressure from the other side.



As an aside, Jack O'Connor had a Master's degree and was a former professor of journalism. I believe that he is the ONLY gun writer ever to have received a celebrity obituary in the mainstream press. Thought that some of his many readers might like to know that. Jack was also one of the most honest gun scribes. And his writing was largely responsible for the return of the classic style rifle stock. I miss his wry humor.

What a long winded way to simply put "you spelled cite wrong".

Thanks for the input. How many leaders have you contacted today regarding the preservation of our rights?

I understand your point, and thank you for your interjection.

5Wire-Sure go ahead, just make sure you go back and spell "CITE" correctly for me.

 

[badguybuster]

You were quite brilliant which means she will never wrap her brain arpund it

 

[Texas Star]

What a long winded way to simply put "you spelled cite wrong".

Thanks for the input. How many leaders have you contacted today regarding the preservation of our rights?

I understand your point, and thank you for your interjection.

5Wire-Sure go ahead, just make sure you go back and spell "CITE" correctly for me.

Thanks for not blowing up, but there is more there than a misspelling. The two words have totally different meanings. "Site" refers to a physical place. "Cite" and "sight" are also different.

And I wanted to remind others of the points that I made. This stuff is more important than some here realize.

Apart from the wrong word in one place, your letter was superb. Nice work.

In fact, I am VERY impressed with your list of violent incidents related to prescription drug use. I am in the process of drafting my own letters to congressmen and senators at both federal and state levels. May I print out and include your list of these incidents? May I post that data on other (non gun) boards, where it may amaze some who have never seen pro-gun arguments? If you want credit, what name shall I use, if you approve? PM me if you prefer.

BTW, I won't send both senators the same letter. If they talk, I don't want them to get the idea that I sent a form letter, as Feinstein does.

 

[Barbarian Brewer]

Thanks for not blowing up, but there is more there than a misspelling. The two words have totally different meanings. "Site" refers to a physical place. "Cite" and "sight" are also different.

And I wanted to remind others of the points that I made. This stuff is more important than some here realize.

Apart from the wrong word in one place, your letter was superb. Nice work.

Blowing up is for Jihadists.

I understand the difference between the spelling and definition of the two words. Sorry if I did not make that clear before.

Thank you again.

BB

 

[Texas Star]

Barbarian Brewer-

While you were posting, I edited and added to my post just above yours. Please check my post again and let me/all of us know if we can, ahem, "cite" (quote) your material elsewhere.

I am not too surprised that you can distinguish between "cite" and "site." But some here can't. I see "site" and "sight" misused quite often, as well as "cite." And this includes some aspiring authors on another board. Some have trouble with "to", "too", and "two." I kid you not, and some of these people hope to write books!

Thanks,

T-Star

 

[peyton]

Well researched, I will send it to my congress critters as well. I am amazed that drugs for the mentally ill cause such violent reactions when withheld, or just not taken.

Please post where you found the statistics.

A relative of mine was a big time heroin user, and while growing up I saw him rarely because of his lengthly time spent in the state pen. Once he got out it was just a matter of time before he did something that caused him to go back in. He is now over 70 years old and has missed everything, due to his addiction.

 

[papajohn428]

Arguing with the likes of Feinstein or any of her ilk may make you feel better, but those folks are so far from truth and logic that nothing you say will deter them from their mission to overthrow us for our own good. They are WAY smarter than us commoners, and that's why the laws they pass don't apply to them.

 

[williamlayton]

I have a slightly different "take" on the subject.
I admire people who want to make things better---I---also admire preachers who preach the Gospel.
In both cases the objectivity is the same and is a desireable quest.
It, unfortunately, is an an impossibility.
Neither can be legislated or argued to fulfilling the desired changes.
When will folks understand what God has know since before time---Law only describes the character of the giver and the reciever can never measure up to the Giver.
In the Case for salvation there is Grace---in the case for the other there is only "be prepared"----the first (death) will happen and the second only puts off the first.
Blessings

 

[Sven]

The only mass shooting using an assult weapon at a school that I can recall was May 4th, 1970. Kent State.

 

[aphelion]

Barbarian Brewer-

While you were posting, I edited and added to my post just above yours. Please check my post again and let me/all of us know if we can, ahem, "cite" (quote) your material elsewhere.

I am not too surprised that you can distinguish between "cite" and "site." But some here can't. I see "site" and "sight" misused quite often, as well as "cite." And this includes some aspiring authors on another board. Some have trouble with "to", "too", and "two." I kid you not, and some of these people hope to write books!

Thanks,

T-Star

One thing you have to watch is auto-correct. I turn it off these days because it has messed me up more than a few times.