Tom Ridge
Assistant to the President for Homeland Security
Office of Homeland Security
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500
Fax: 202-456-2461
Colin L. Powell
Secretary of State
U.S. Department of State
Washington, D.C. 20520
Fax: 202-261-8577
I am writing to urge you not to place restrictions on the possession of 50 Caliber rifles as proposed by Representative Henry Waxman. Mr. Waxman, a long time opponent of the second amendment and a gun phobe, is attempting to exploit the current situation to further his own agenda rather than security here in the U.S. This is shameful behavior on his part.
Furthermore, the Congressman's position with regard to 50 caliber rifles is based on a poorly researched, hysterical "policy paper" prepared by the Violence Policy Center, an organization which has shown no reluctence to use false and/or misleading data to support its outlandish claims. The subject "report" is no exception, amounting to little more than speculation about how 50 Caliber weapons might be used, making unsubstantiated claims about such weapons having been sold to foreign terrorists and making false implication that such weapons have been used for terror in the U.S. In fact, such weapons have not been used illegally in the U.S., but rather are a component of civilian marksmanship programs. Rather than follow Representative Waxman's path (which leads ultimately to de facto abolishment of the second amendment), I urge you to consider that our current gun laws in the United States in fact facilitate terrorism by creating thousands of so-called "gun-free" zones (such as the four airliners that were hijacked on September 11) that would be attractive targets for terrorists. Our gun laws also unduly restrict law abiding citizens from arming appropriately to protect themselves and others in light of the increased danger we are all in as a result of this war. It is time that existing gun restrictions on law abiding citizens be lifted in order to increase deterrence against terrorism, and I urge you to make such a measure a cornerstone of your Homeland Security program.
Yours in freedom and liberty,
/s/