BPTactical
01-01-2013, 20:50
I sent this out to the entire Senator/Rep list tonight:
January 1, 2013
Dear Representative
Good day and Happy New Year,
I would like to preface this letter with a little background on myself. I am a Colorado native, 23+ year employee of the State and professional in the firearms industry (Gunsmith).
It seems that all too often of late we hear of atrocities perpetrated by sick and deranged individuals wielding a firearm. I must say that the statements our Governor made immediately after the incident at the Aurora Theater , that “Stricter gun laws would not have prevented this” were in all honesty a shock. Rational, logical words in a time of considerable chaos. Mr. Governor, those were the words of a true leader. Thank You.
And yet in light of the atrocity committed in Newtown, Connecticut (by again a very sick and deranged young man with severe mental issues who stole the firearms used) we are seeing a full onslaught of media hype and political leverage issued to further restrict the God given Rights of citizens both of the country and our State.
You state it is now time to have a discussion on firearm violence. Let’s have that discussion, but let’s make sure it is a rational and fair discussion and we discuss the real root cause of these atrocities: Individuals in our society who feel these types of actions are the way cope with their issues. I offer the following findings from the Citizens Commission on Human Rights:
1. Huntsville, Alabama – February 5, 2010: 15-year-old Hammad Memon shot and killed another Discover Middle School student Todd Brown. Memon had a history for being treated for ADHD and depression. He was taking the antidepressant Zoloft and “other drugs for the conditions.” He had been seeing a psychiatrist and psychologist.
2. Kauhajoki, Finland – September 23, 2008: 22-year-old culinary student Matti Saari shot and killed 9 students and a teacher, and wounded another student, before killing himself. Saari was taking an SSRI and a benzodiazapine. He was also seeing a psychologist.
3. Dekalb, Illinois – February 14, 2008: 27-year-old Steven Kazmierczak shot and killed five people and wounded 21 others before killing himself in a Northern Illinois University auditorium. According to his girlfriend, he had recently been taking Prozac, Xanax and Ambien. Toxicology results showed that he still had trace amount of Xanax in his system. He had been seeing a psychiatrist.
4. Jokela, Finland – November 7, 2007: 18-year-old Finnish gunman Pekka-Eric Auvinen had been taking antidepressants before he killed eight people and wounded a dozen more at Jokela High School in southern Finland , then committed suicide.
5. Cleveland, Ohio – October 10, 2007: 14-year-old Asa Coon stormed through his school with a gun in each hand, shooting and wounding four before taking his own life. Court records show Coon had been placed on the antidepressant Trazodone.
6. Red Lake, Minnesota – March 2005: 16-year-old Jeff Weise, on Prozac, shot and killed his grandparents, then went to his school on the Red Lake Indian Reservation where he shot dead 7 students and a teacher, and wounded 7 before killing himself.
7. Greenbush, New York – February 2004: 16-year-old Jon Romano strolled into his high school in east Greenbush and opened fire with a shotgun. Special education teacher Michael Bennett was hit in the leg. Romano had been taking “medication for depression”. He had previously seen a psychiatrist.
8. Wahluke, Washington – April 10, 2001: Sixteen-year-old Cory Baadsgaard took a rifle to his high school and held 23 classmates and a teacher hostage. He had been taking the antidepressant Effexor.
9. El Cajon, California – March 22, 2001: 18-year-old Jason Hoffman, on the antidepressants Celexa and Effexor, opened fire on his classmates, wounding three students and two teachers at Granite Hills High School . He had been seeing a psychiatrist before the shooting.
10. Williamsport, Pennsylvania – March 7, 2001: 14-year-old Elizabeth Bush was taking the antidepressant Prozac when she shot at fellow students, wounding one.
11. Conyers, Georgia – May 20, 1999: 15-year-old T.J. Solomon was being treated with the stimulant Ritalin when he opened fire on and wounded six of his classmates.
12. Columbine, Colorado – April 20, 1999: 18-year-old Eric Harris and his accomplice, Dylan Klebold, killed 12 students and a teacher and wounded 26 others before killing themselves. Harris was on the antidepressant Luvox. Klebold’s medical records remain sealed. Both shooters had been in anger-management classes and had undergone counseling. Harris had been seeing a psychiatrist before the shooting.
13. Notus, Idaho – April 16, 1999: 15-year-old Shawn Cooper fired two shotgun rounds in his school, narrowly missing students. He was taking a prescribed SSRI antidepressant and Ritalin.
14. Springfield, Oregon – May 21, 1998: 15-year-old Kip Kinkel murdered his parents and then proceeded to school where he opened fire on students in the cafeteria, killing two and wounding 25. Kinkel had been taking the antidepressant Prozac. Kinkel had been attending “anger control classes” and was under the care of a psychologist.
The above clearly outlines the fact that the common denominator is individuals who are under psychiatric care, not the type of firearm used.
Attempting to change human behavior by restricting/regulating a mechanical device is an effort in futility and an exercise in ignorance. If you apply the same logic to other mediums then we must ban pencils for they cause misspelled words and spoons because they cause obesity.
As a professional in the firearms industry I grow weary of the incessant lies, vilification and attacks on lawful firearm owners by the media and political personalities for their own agendas. The mis-information and “knee jerk” reactions that are supported by our elected officials are sickening and pathetic. Let’s have the open discussion on firearm violence. But let’s make sure it is a fair and balanced discussion. I would be honored and happy to join in the discussion.
I strongly urge you to NOT endorse, introduce or otherwise support any form of legislation that further restricts the Rights of lawful and responsible firearm owners of the State. I think you can see by the current CBI backlog of background checks currently (12,000+) that this would not be a popular stance to take. Further restrictions to our Second Amendment Rights (State and Federal) will only harm tens of thousands of law abiding Colorado residents who HAVE COMMITTED NO CRIME. We watch, we work, we pay taxes. We vote.
I would like to close with this reminder: I _____________ do solemnly swear by the everliving God, that I will support the Constitution of the United States and of the State of Colorado, and faithfully perform the duties of the office of Governor of Colorado upon which I am about to enter.
You took an oath. Abide by it please
Sincerely,
XXXXXXXX XXXXXX
Proprietor
B&P Tactical Services LLC
About 7:15 I recieve this from Greg Brophy:
Thanks for writing. I appreciate all of your points. You can count on me and the entire Senate Republican caucus to stand against additional gun control laws.
I recommend writing to your own senator and asking her how she intends to vote on the specific bills after they are introduced. Since you have Senator Tochtrop, I suspect you will get a favorable answer from her. You should also write your representative and ask the same very simple question without anything else in the email.
Greg B.
Spelling errors are Apple's fault, I own the grammar.
Sounds like you folks in his district are lucky[Beer]
January 1, 2013
Dear Representative
Good day and Happy New Year,
I would like to preface this letter with a little background on myself. I am a Colorado native, 23+ year employee of the State and professional in the firearms industry (Gunsmith).
It seems that all too often of late we hear of atrocities perpetrated by sick and deranged individuals wielding a firearm. I must say that the statements our Governor made immediately after the incident at the Aurora Theater , that “Stricter gun laws would not have prevented this” were in all honesty a shock. Rational, logical words in a time of considerable chaos. Mr. Governor, those were the words of a true leader. Thank You.
And yet in light of the atrocity committed in Newtown, Connecticut (by again a very sick and deranged young man with severe mental issues who stole the firearms used) we are seeing a full onslaught of media hype and political leverage issued to further restrict the God given Rights of citizens both of the country and our State.
You state it is now time to have a discussion on firearm violence. Let’s have that discussion, but let’s make sure it is a rational and fair discussion and we discuss the real root cause of these atrocities: Individuals in our society who feel these types of actions are the way cope with their issues. I offer the following findings from the Citizens Commission on Human Rights:
1. Huntsville, Alabama – February 5, 2010: 15-year-old Hammad Memon shot and killed another Discover Middle School student Todd Brown. Memon had a history for being treated for ADHD and depression. He was taking the antidepressant Zoloft and “other drugs for the conditions.” He had been seeing a psychiatrist and psychologist.
2. Kauhajoki, Finland – September 23, 2008: 22-year-old culinary student Matti Saari shot and killed 9 students and a teacher, and wounded another student, before killing himself. Saari was taking an SSRI and a benzodiazapine. He was also seeing a psychologist.
3. Dekalb, Illinois – February 14, 2008: 27-year-old Steven Kazmierczak shot and killed five people and wounded 21 others before killing himself in a Northern Illinois University auditorium. According to his girlfriend, he had recently been taking Prozac, Xanax and Ambien. Toxicology results showed that he still had trace amount of Xanax in his system. He had been seeing a psychiatrist.
4. Jokela, Finland – November 7, 2007: 18-year-old Finnish gunman Pekka-Eric Auvinen had been taking antidepressants before he killed eight people and wounded a dozen more at Jokela High School in southern Finland , then committed suicide.
5. Cleveland, Ohio – October 10, 2007: 14-year-old Asa Coon stormed through his school with a gun in each hand, shooting and wounding four before taking his own life. Court records show Coon had been placed on the antidepressant Trazodone.
6. Red Lake, Minnesota – March 2005: 16-year-old Jeff Weise, on Prozac, shot and killed his grandparents, then went to his school on the Red Lake Indian Reservation where he shot dead 7 students and a teacher, and wounded 7 before killing himself.
7. Greenbush, New York – February 2004: 16-year-old Jon Romano strolled into his high school in east Greenbush and opened fire with a shotgun. Special education teacher Michael Bennett was hit in the leg. Romano had been taking “medication for depression”. He had previously seen a psychiatrist.
8. Wahluke, Washington – April 10, 2001: Sixteen-year-old Cory Baadsgaard took a rifle to his high school and held 23 classmates and a teacher hostage. He had been taking the antidepressant Effexor.
9. El Cajon, California – March 22, 2001: 18-year-old Jason Hoffman, on the antidepressants Celexa and Effexor, opened fire on his classmates, wounding three students and two teachers at Granite Hills High School . He had been seeing a psychiatrist before the shooting.
10. Williamsport, Pennsylvania – March 7, 2001: 14-year-old Elizabeth Bush was taking the antidepressant Prozac when she shot at fellow students, wounding one.
11. Conyers, Georgia – May 20, 1999: 15-year-old T.J. Solomon was being treated with the stimulant Ritalin when he opened fire on and wounded six of his classmates.
12. Columbine, Colorado – April 20, 1999: 18-year-old Eric Harris and his accomplice, Dylan Klebold, killed 12 students and a teacher and wounded 26 others before killing themselves. Harris was on the antidepressant Luvox. Klebold’s medical records remain sealed. Both shooters had been in anger-management classes and had undergone counseling. Harris had been seeing a psychiatrist before the shooting.
13. Notus, Idaho – April 16, 1999: 15-year-old Shawn Cooper fired two shotgun rounds in his school, narrowly missing students. He was taking a prescribed SSRI antidepressant and Ritalin.
14. Springfield, Oregon – May 21, 1998: 15-year-old Kip Kinkel murdered his parents and then proceeded to school where he opened fire on students in the cafeteria, killing two and wounding 25. Kinkel had been taking the antidepressant Prozac. Kinkel had been attending “anger control classes” and was under the care of a psychologist.
The above clearly outlines the fact that the common denominator is individuals who are under psychiatric care, not the type of firearm used.
Attempting to change human behavior by restricting/regulating a mechanical device is an effort in futility and an exercise in ignorance. If you apply the same logic to other mediums then we must ban pencils for they cause misspelled words and spoons because they cause obesity.
As a professional in the firearms industry I grow weary of the incessant lies, vilification and attacks on lawful firearm owners by the media and political personalities for their own agendas. The mis-information and “knee jerk” reactions that are supported by our elected officials are sickening and pathetic. Let’s have the open discussion on firearm violence. But let’s make sure it is a fair and balanced discussion. I would be honored and happy to join in the discussion.
I strongly urge you to NOT endorse, introduce or otherwise support any form of legislation that further restricts the Rights of lawful and responsible firearm owners of the State. I think you can see by the current CBI backlog of background checks currently (12,000+) that this would not be a popular stance to take. Further restrictions to our Second Amendment Rights (State and Federal) will only harm tens of thousands of law abiding Colorado residents who HAVE COMMITTED NO CRIME. We watch, we work, we pay taxes. We vote.
I would like to close with this reminder: I _____________ do solemnly swear by the everliving God, that I will support the Constitution of the United States and of the State of Colorado, and faithfully perform the duties of the office of Governor of Colorado upon which I am about to enter.
You took an oath. Abide by it please
Sincerely,
XXXXXXXX XXXXXX
Proprietor
B&P Tactical Services LLC
About 7:15 I recieve this from Greg Brophy:
Thanks for writing. I appreciate all of your points. You can count on me and the entire Senate Republican caucus to stand against additional gun control laws.
I recommend writing to your own senator and asking her how she intends to vote on the specific bills after they are introduced. Since you have Senator Tochtrop, I suspect you will get a favorable answer from her. You should also write your representative and ask the same very simple question without anything else in the email.
Greg B.
Spelling errors are Apple's fault, I own the grammar.
Sounds like you folks in his district are lucky[Beer]