Letter from Barrett Firearms to the senate of Illinois...

[Nicholas Gilman]

   Barrett has stopped selling rifles in California to "law enforcement",
looks like they might do it again if the IL senate doesnt listen up.

Posted :: 3/22/2007 9:04:59 PM GMT







Link: www.barrettrifles.com/DiscussionForum_YAF/default.aspx?g=posts&t=125

March 20, 2007

Honorable Senators

We have much in common. You have sworn an oath to uphold the United States Constitution, in its entirety, and I have spent over 25 years working to preserve the 2nd Amendment of that same Constitution. If we examine the ?fifty-caliber? issue in this context, I am convinced that you and I will come to the same conclusion, and that you will act on principle and truth.

Historically, the anti-gun movement loses when there is intellectually honest debate on outright gun bans. The most recent example was in a Federal Appeals Court where the District of Columbia?s handgun ban was ruled unconstitutional. Those wanting to take our rights are then forced to take them a little at a time and use fear and ?big lie? rhetoric to deceive legislators. Fortunately, only those politicians either unable to understand the issue, or lacking the courage to seek the truth, are vulnerable to this tactic. The ?big lie? is that banning fifty-caliber rifles will somehow make Illinois citizens safer and protect our infrastructure from terrorists.

The truth is that if fifty-caliber rifles are banned, firearms businesses and their manufacturing jobs will leave your state, the rights of law-abiding citizens will be infringed, infrastructure will not be protected and court action is certain. Since passage would be contrary to the Bill of Rights, Barrett Firearms Manufacturing would be forced to cease servicing and selling to any government agency in the state. I am mindful of the consequences of creating an overpowering government force by limiting its citizens? access to powerful arms.

The proposition of trading the illusion of security for freedom is not a new folly. Recall the gang violence of the 1950?s. In that case, politicians seeking the spoils of ?feel good? legislation banned the self-opening knife. First, the knife was demonized by giving it an evil name, "switchblade". Then the voting public was told that the switchblade was itself the problem rather than the violent felons that killed with it. The public was conned by politicians into believing that the citizenry would be safer by simply banning switchblades. We all know that gang violence is still a serious social problem. It is painfully obvious that the cause of the problem is not a knife that opens with one hand.



Now comes the modern day switchblade; a big rifle. Along with it are politicians who blame it for hypothetical problems to which it has no connection. The fifty-caliber rifle is demonized as an evil ?super-gun?. Dishonest rhetoric wrongly portrays it as having wildly destructive capabilities exceeding Hollywood?s best action film. Skillfully manipulating the fearful and the easily duped, the cunning claim is that only the evil ?super-gun? can pierce terrorist targets such as aircraft, fuel depots and fuel trucks. The new ?big lie? is that common rifles are impotent and only the fifty-caliber is a threat. The truth is that any common centerfire deer rifle is capable of disabling these targets.

Unless Senators are willing to support the preposterous idea of confiscating all of the deer rifles in Illinois, banning just fifty-caliber rifles will do nothing to protect targets of terrorism. Current Illinois gun laws address every conceivable form of real-world firearm abuse. Federal law already categorizes fifty-caliber (and smaller) rifles as ?small arms? and governs their use as well. And because crime statistics clearly show that fifty-caliber rifles are almost never used by criminals, the obvious questions are these; how would the citizens of Illinois benefit by your banning fifty-caliber rifles and how much money shall Illinois spend enacting an ineffective law that is likely to be challenged in court?

Unfortunately, we can look to California to see the results of a similar plan. Because an equally flawed argument was used to ban fifty-caliber rifles there, those legislators who fell for the ?big lie? are now suffering the effects of unintended consequences. Their plan has turned into an extravagant waste of taxpayer?s money and new equally capable calibers have emerged that are fully compliant with their new law.

If you agree to let the ?fifty caliber? argument be won or lost on its own merits, you will find that passing this provision is not in the best interest of your constituents. Further, I encourage you to resist the temptation to pass this provision in exchange for dropping other provisions. Freedom is not for barter.

Our common interest is to uphold the freedoms our forefathers won for you and me and we are together now fighting to maintain. I am sure you can see that it is both counter-productive and morally wrong to trade an illusion of security for any of our freedoms.

I am asking you to oppose banning fifty-caliber rifles because it is the right thing to do.




Ronnie Barrett
Owner and CEO
Barrett Firearms Manufacturing, Inc.

[SpeedPhreak]

As I was reading that I was like "right on" "thats so true" "GO Ronnie GO GO GO!!!".

Now that I am done... I think it is sad that this man & the rest of us for that matter have to try & convince our "leaders" to preserve our rights.

[error]

Stop thinking of them as "leaders." They are not now, nor ever have been, leaders of anything.

[SpeedPhreak]

hence my "" marks

but you are right.  We should label them something... unless there is already a label for them?

[error]

unless there is already a label for them?

Powermongers, usurpers, gangsters, ...

[Nicholas Gilman]

   The letter was written well, I liked this line:

Freedom is not for barter.

[lordmetroid]

bureaucrats already have the evil-sound to it...

[Dreepa]

Anyone here own a Barrett?

[SpeedPhreak]

I agree - The letter was well written.

I've shot a barrett.. makes me want to buy one... very easy to shoot... about as much kick as a 12g.

Those will work error... but something a little more nasty... ever see "Titan A.E."?  How about "The Dredge"?

[error]

It should be a common word that most everyone would understand.

Insider "jargon" is nice and makes people feel special because they know something other people don't, but it's useless for spreading the message of liberty.

[EJinCT]

I think it is sad that this man & the rest of us for that matter have to try & convince our "leaders" to preserve our rights.

Let's just be thankful we still enjoy the freedom that let's us challenge these "leaders". In too many countries the populace doesn't even have that much; and if they dare to, they just may disappear.

It should be a common word that most everyone would understand.

Could take one from the "Bush lexicon" and call them deciders   

[Quantrill]

Wow.  That letter was very well written.  Makes me wanna buy a .50 cal from him, regardless of price...