Letter to My Congressman on Gun Violence

It is profoundly disheartening to accept the fact that I am represented in the United States House of Representatives by Vern Buchanan .  Vern holds the distinction of being the 8th richest member of the United States Congress (House and Senate combined).  When Vern isn't busy dodging ethics investigations (he's a member of the Republic Party- of course he has ethics issues) he is out campaigning for re-election with the slogan "Working For You."  Well, it’s about time Vern went to work for me and not the 1 percent with whom he is in bed.

Recently President Obama encouraged the American public to write to their elected representatives and ask them bluntly for their opinion on controlling gun violence in America.  Barack also said to ask them why they are not supportive of regulations on gun violence.  I have done that in this letter that was just put in the mail box to old Vern (By the way, I've been told that when you email Vern he only tallies the number of emails and pays no attention to the content.  If you want to get his attention you need to write a hard copy letter).

Below is my letter.  Any bets on how quickly it falls on deaf ears?

Craig Faanes

University Park Florida 34201

January 20, 2013

Congressman Vern Buchanan

2104 Rayburn House Office Building

Washington, D.C. 20515

Re:  Gun Violence

Dear Vern

I am thoroughly fed up with the inability of the Republic Party membership in Congress to take any reasonable action to curb gun violence in the country.  Wasn’t the murder of those children in Connecticut enough to wake you up or are the campaign contributions you receive from the gun industry and the National Rifle Association more important?

I am writing to ask you bluntly - Will you support legislation to ban the sale and possession of assault rifles in the United States?  Yes or no.  If not, why not?

Secondly, Will you support legislation to limit the number of bullets that a gun can hold in its clip or magazine to something less than 10 bullets?  Yes or no.  If not, why not.

Third, Will you support legislation requiring mandatory background checks on all individuals intent on purchasing a gun (of any kind) thereby eliminating the internet and gun show loopholes.  Yes or no.  If not, why not?

I am a retired US government employee who was raised on hunting.  I was an avid duck hunter.  Since 1935 US Federal regulations have restricted duck hunters to having no more than two shotgun shells in the magazine of their gun on top of the single shell in the chamber.  I have not heard one duck or goose hunter in America claim that his or her 2^nd Amendment rights have been infringed because of that law regulating how many shells they can carry at once.  If duck and goose hunters don’t have an issue why should anyone else?  Especially with a law that has been in place for 78 years.

Also as a former hunter I can assure you beyond the wildest claim of the National Rifle Association that I never once needed an assault rifle to hunt deer or squirrels or any other animal.  Assault rifles are for the use of the military not for the use of every drug dealer at the corner of 14^th and K in Washington DC, and certainly not for the use of every nutcase who wants to shoot 20 children in an elementary school let alone former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords.

Vern, every year your campaign slogan is “Working for You.”  Well prove it Vern.  Prove to me that you are working for me and not the 1 percent who financially support your campaign every two years.  This person whom you allegedly work for wants you to put aside partisan name calling and voodoo witch hunts and do what’s right for the country.  Nobody has said a word about banning guns or confiscating them.  We want action to limit the ability of nutcases to get a gun and then their ability to shoot 100 people at a setting with them.  How can that be un-American?

Lastly, Vern, I would like you to answer my questions directly.  I do not want you to send me a form reply that some LA or an Intern wrote as a mass reply.  I want to know if you will or will not stand up for the rest of us for a change.