Since this thread is about LEO’s, I am going to post an e-mail my brother in law copied me on this morning. This e-mail is a letter he is sending to all of his reps.
I will state that to me, my brother in law is the most honorable person I have had a chance to know in my 40 plus years of being around. He is retired military and served this country with honor and was highly decorated for it. He served this country (with multiple tours) in both Iraq and Afghanistan as an EOD tech. He also served in places that I do not know of and will never know. He and his family have sacrificed much for this country. I was reminded every time I spoke with my sister and she did not know if he would ever be walking through her door again. Also in the fact they spent over half of their marriage apart from each other until his retirement a few years ago.
So here is his opinion.
James
Title of e-mail: Opinion letter
This is exactly what I said it is, my opinion. I'm sending this to each of my elected officials. I'm sending this to you because that's what the President asked for at his press conference today. I'm indifferent on where you stand, but I ask you to please forward this on so that others might take a moment to consider writing their elected officials. Please remove my email address from this if you are willing to forward my thoughts on; I love speaking with each of you but I'm not interest in receiving emails from people I don't know (better to direct that energy to the politicians).
____________________________________________________________________________________________
I am a police officer. I am a military veteran. I am a hunter and sportsman. I am a parent. I am a citizen.
I just finished watching the president’s press conference on firearms. He said we need to speak out; I agree with him.
I am tired of hearing politicians talk about evil guns. A gun is an inanimate object. Like a car. Like a knife. Like meth. Like prescription pills. They all kill when used inappropriately.
I am tired of hearing politicians talk about how the majority of Americans think we need tougher gun laws. The majority of Americans that I speak to every day tell me they want to know what we can do about our youth killing themselves with drugs. They want to know why they can’t get psychiatric care for their loved ones. They are not concerned about guns.
The president keeps talking about the NRA, which is an association of Americans who share a similar belief in the right to safely and responsibly own firearms. I am not advocating for/against this organization, only pointing out the hypocrisy of politicians. Yet I rarely hear him discuss the pharmaceutical industry or what is being done to make it harder for people to abuse drugs. I understand that in the major cities of our country violence is an issue. But in the rest of the United States the biggest issue is drugs. We don’t have a lot of people murdered with guns, and even fewer are killed with “assault weapons”. What we do have is a lot death’s that are related to the illegal use of drugs.
The president keeps talking about people with psychiatric problems. And yet the government has made it illegal for a doctor to share any information with anyone. I will give you examples of how ridiculous the laws are; I was attempting to locate a missing person and the hospital could not verify if the person was in the hospital. I was investigating a hit and run accident outside a doctor’s office; the staff could not tell me the name of the person who was driving the suspect vehicle without violating the privacy laws. I agree that privacy is important, but if you want the system to work, you have to be able to share information.
Does anyone ever listen to television commercials for medicine? I watched a commercial last night that listed the side effects as paranoia, depression, and not remembering your actions. This goes back to the pharmaceutical industry. They would have you believe that the answer to all of societies woes involve medication. I don’t have the energy to check, but if I did, I suspect that the pharmaceutical industry spends more money lobbying than the NRA. A large percentage of the recent mass shootings involved people who were medicated. Did their medications cause paranoia, depression, or an inability to remember their actions?
I really can’t help but laugh as the politicians talk about the majority of Americans think guns are bad. The more they talk about bans, the more Americans buy guns. I find it difficult to believe that a minority of Americans have depleted the warehouses of every major gun manufacturer in the United States. Do you think I’m exaggerating? Go to the store and see what is available for purchase.
I am against any more regulations on firearms. I am against politicians using this as a diversion to hide what every American should be concerned about. I am against honest Americans being punished for the actions of criminals.
I don’t care where you stand on this specific issue. I took an oath 27 years ago to defend your rights, to include having an opinion different than mine. But the president called for us to speak up. It’s time you do.
Here is my bottom line:
- I’m a police officer; I am not concerned about anyone owning an “assault weapon” or high capacity magazine. The person high on meth or synthetic drugs is a much higher threat to the public.
- I understand the stance on background checks on private sales of firearms; I take issue with any entity deciding what legal product I may or may not sell to my neighbor. It’s already against the law to sell fresh milk. I’m not interested in any entity regulating any commerce between neighbors.
- Why pass new laws if you won’t enforce current laws? All of the proposals being discussed are to restrict law abiding citizens and have no bearing on the criminal element. Prosecuting criminals using current laws takes bad guys and illegal weapons off the street. That’s not NRA propaganda; that’s the opinion of a police officer who does his job.
- Why are we wasting so much time vilifying inanimate objects instead of criminals? I don’t hear any calls for bans on cars or swimming pools, yet they kill kids every day. I get criticized for telling things the way they are; tough. People commit crimes, not inanimate objects. Address the issues with the people (i.e. psychiatric care, over medicating children, lack of social manners, unemployment…) and you will address criminal activity (to include mass shootings).
- Why hasn’t congress passed a budget in years? Isn’t that what they are supposed to do? Isn’t that a much bigger issue that affects every American?
- Why isn’t anyone concerned that the federal government is now spending more money per year than our entire economy generates? Each and every American is faced daily with a decision as to what they will or won’t spend their limited funds on. We all know what happens when we don’t pay our bills. Why aren’t we concerned that the federal government can’t pay its bills?
The media and the politicians are happy to tell you what to think. I am asking you to please take the time to exercise your rights; dig deeper than the media headlines, form your own opinion, and make your opinion known.
