Dear Robert,
Thank you for taking the initiative to contact me with important
concerns about gun control legislation proposed to track firearms sales.
I firmly believe our right to keep and bear arms is vitally important to
protect all our liberties and remain committed to protecting these
liberties.
House File 3324 is intended to track the sale and transfer of all
firearms in Minnesota. It is currently in the Public Safety and Civil
Justice committee, no hearing date has yet been set and committee
deadlines have now passed.
Bill proponents present a noble goal of trying to prevent a firearm
from falling into the hands those with criminal intent. There is
however a significant difference between establishing a particular use
of a gun to be illegal and making access to guns illegal.
Protecting our second amendment right is a matter of conviction for me.
We must never waiver or deviate from this course set by our American
Founders. It is foundational to preserving our republic and has
deteriorated over the years. We must work to restore and preserve these
freedoms.
While fighting to stop Gun Control bills, I have also coauthored Rep
Tony Cornish’s Castle Doctrine bill (HF498) to re-establish people’s
right to self-defense by eliminating a current requirement to retreat
before responding to an attack. Under this proposed law citizens could
use justifiable deadly force as long as they're in a place they legally
have a right to be. It also gives immunity from criminal or civil
charges to a shooter as long as the person shot is not a police officer
There were no hearings on this bill in the 2007 session but the public
pressure helped us gain a full hearing this year. It failed in the House
committee on a 9 to 9 tie vote.
The right to bear arms needs to be strengthened. Taking another tack
to bring this issue before us, I made a motion to recall HF 775; the
constitutional right to keep and bear arms from committee so we could
debate it on the House Floor. In response the DFL majority leader moved
to table my motion. His motion passed 67 to 63 and defeated my
initiative.
While legislative activity on this issue is likely over for the year,
continued pressure on this matter is essential. If you know family
members, friends and neighbors who may not be aware of these legislative
activities, please inform them with encouragements to contact their
legislators persistently. We must preserve our liberties!
To get information on legislators or to check our votes you can go to
www.house.mn or call House Information at 651-296-2146 or
1-800-657-3550. Thank you again for contacting me with your encouraging
support on this very important issue before us. I hope you have a great
day and may God bless America again!
Sincerely,
Mark Olson
State Representative
District 16B
PS: Please consider these additional thoughts…
● In 1929 the Soviet Union established gun control. From 1929 to
1953, over 65 million dissidents, unable to defend themselves, were
rounded up and exterminated.
● In 1911, Turkey established gun control. From 1915-1917, 1.5
million Armenians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and
exterminated.
● Germany established gun control in 1938. From 1939 to 1945, 13
million Jews, gypsies, homosexuals, the mentally ill, and others, who
were unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
● China established gun control in1935. From 1948 to 1952, 20
million political dissidents, unable to defend themselves, were rounded
up and exterminated.
● Guatemala established gun control in 1964. From 1964 to 1981,
1,000,000 Mayan Indians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up
and exterminated.
● Uganda established gun control in 1970. From 1971 to 1979,
300,000 Christians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and
exterminated.
● Cambodia established gun control in 1956. From 1975 to 1977, one
million "educated" people, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up
and exterminated.
That places total victims who lost their lives because of gun control
at approximately one billion in the last century. Since we should learn
from the mistakes of history, the next time someone talks in favor of
gun control, find out which group of citizens they wish to have
exterminated.
Lest we forget the more recent, Australia forced the surrendering of
640,381 personal firearms to be destroyed; a program costing the
government more than $500 million dollars. The results Australia-wide:
Homicides are up 3.2%, Assaults are up 8%, and Armed robberies are up
44%. In that country's state of Victoria, homicides with firearms are up
300%.
Over the previous 25 years, figures show a steady decrease in armed
robberies and
Australian politicians are on the spot and at a loss to explain how no
improvement in "safety" has been observed after such monumental effort
and expense was successfully expended in "ridding society of guns."
Thanks Again!
>>> <
iblong> 3/11/2008 7:20 AM >>>
Dear Senator, I am writing to you because I strongly oppose
HS3324/SF2989. these bills a solution looking for a problem.Guns used to
commit crimes are seldom if ever purchased lawfully. Every mass shooting
this year has involved an insane person with no criminal history who had
passed a background check to aquire their gun.Another back ground check
would not have made a difference.The recently passed NICS Improvement
Act mandates what information the states must report and provides the
funding to Minnesota to implement. Enacting a broad gun registration
system will not stop any known criminal from buying all the guns they
want right here in Minnesota.This bill does not force background checks
or the recording of any transfer of guns sold illegally in the black
market,by gang members to their friends,or to any other criminal,which
is a major flaw in these bills. Minnesota should only require that all
illeagal firearms transfers between persons who are not otherwise
eligible to possess a fire arm under state or federal law,be recorded
and traced.These bills fail to track illeegal transfers. Minnesota does
not need a gun registration law for those citizens who are aready law
abiding sellers and owners.I am personaly asking you to not support
these bills and work hard to put a stop to them. Thank you
iblong, address removed
