[palmer]

I asked him to reconsider and he wrote back: ...

The Assault Weapons Ban has made our communities safer and has not infringed upon the rights of law-abiding gun owners. Recent Department of Justic records indicate that the use of banned assault weapons in crimes has declined measurably -- by 65% in one analysis -- since the measure took effect...

The rest of the letter was fear mongering, truisms and "I'm a gun owner and hunter [just like John Kerry]" insinuation.

[R. Scott]

Recent Department of Justice records indicate that the use of banned assault weapons in crimes has declined measurably -- by 65% in one analysis

The use declined by 65%?
That indicates - by one analysis - that fewer genuine imitation assault weapons were used. That’s not surprising when it is considered they can no longer be imported of manufactured here - they ones available are now outrageously expensive.
How much has the use of “Uzis and AK-47s” declined?
I’m still waiting to hear from him on the subject of how an “assault weapons” ban that does not ban any assault weapons saves lives.

…has not infringed upon the rights of law-abiding gun owners.

It has infringed on my right - I would like to have an M-14 like the one I carried in Viet Nam - but the few on the market are way out of my price range.

[rwfromkansas]

yikes.

Does he realize that the reason why they aren't used in crimes as much is that they are ILLEGAL? It doesn't mean we are any safer just because they are used in crimes less.

This stat only shows the decrease of assault weapons as a correlation to the ban, not a decrease in crime altogether due to it. So, how can he claim it makes us safer?

The criminals are just using pistols instead of assault weapons.