Lies, Stupidity or Stupid Lies? I Think Both.
This letter to the editor was in today's San Francisco Chronicle.
Immune gun dealer
Editor -- Rep. Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena, is dead wrong in his letter to the editor (Oct. 3) attempting to explain why he voted to grant special-interest legal protection to the gun industry.
Perhaps embarrassed by his pandering to the National Rifle Association, Thompson falsely claimed in disputing a Chronicle editorial ("Gun industry's special deal," Oct. 27) that the legislation would not have barred a suit against the notorious gun shop that supplied the Washington, D.C., snipers.
After the D.C. sniper attacks, police traced the Bushmaster XM-15 assault rifle used in the shootings to Bull's Eye Shooter Supply in Tacoma, Wash. Bull's Eye could not account for the disappearance of that assault weapon, along with more than 230 other guns that mysteriously escaped from its shop.
Victims of the shootings filed a lawsuit against this dealer to hold it accountable for a dangerously irresponsible lack of security that allowed so many of its guns to vanish. They won a landmark $2 million settlement from Bull's Eye last year.
Thompson inexplicably voted to shield gun dealers like Bull's Eye whose reckless practices supply criminals with firearms. Legal experts, who examined the legislation, including former White House Counsel Lloyd Cutler, concluded that it would have protected Bull's Eye and required dismissal of the victims' case.
Thompson should admit his mistake and apologize to the victims of gun violence whose cases may now be barred because of his irresponsible vote.
DANIEL R. VICE
Staff attorney
Brady Center to
Prevent Gun Violence
Washington, D.C.
This is my letter to the editor in response.
Editor, After reading the letter from Daniel R. Vice, "Immune gun dealer ", I felt it necessary to address his opinions and statements. Mr. Vice refers to Rep. Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena, as "Perhaps embarrassed by his pandering to the National Rifle Association" in his support of the lawful Commerce in Arms Act. I feel Rep. Thompson was pandering to his constituents which is his job. The NRA has approximately four million members, which politicians should read as four million possible votes. If every law abiding American citizen who owned a firearm was an NRA member, that number would be in the neighborhood of 80 million. NRA members, and firearm owners who are not members, tend to vote based on gun related issues. In 1994 when congress passed several gun control bills, many members were not re-elected and the balance of power changed parties.
Mr. Vice also states that this legislation would have prevented victims of the Washington, D.C. sniper from suing Bull's Eye Shooter Supply in Tacoma, Washington. This legislation clearly states that it does not protect manufactures or dealers from negligence or criminal activity. When Bull's Eye was unable to account for more than 230 guns they were in violation of Federal law. I am a Federally licensed collector of curio and relic firearms and must keep acquisition and deposition records and be able to account for every firearm in my collection.
The Victims of the D.C. sniper, with help from The Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence, also sued the maker of the firearm that the sniper used. Bushmaster Firearms, Inc. Manufactured and sold a firearm to a federally licensed firearms dealer that was licensed and regulated by The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Bushmaster did not violate any laws. This legislation would have prevented this lawsuit. It prevents legal businesses from being sued for the action of criminals.
The Brady Center tends to think that all guns are bad, anyone who has a gun is a criminal, all firearms dealers are selling guns to criminals and all firearm manufactures are getting rich making guns for criminals. They also believe the second amendment does not apply to individuals and that only the military and law enforcement should be armed. This can quickly be verified by reading their website at www.bradycenter.org. This legislation prevents the Brady Center from suing firearms dealers and manufactures out of business.
Rep. Thompson has not made any mistake and owes no one an apology. His is protecting the rights of his constituents whether they wish to exercise that right or not. He is helping preserve that right for the citizens of the United States and the State of California.
Jeffrey Priest
San Mateo, CA
Immune gun dealer
Editor -- Rep. Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena, is dead wrong in his letter to the editor (Oct. 3) attempting to explain why he voted to grant special-interest legal protection to the gun industry.
Perhaps embarrassed by his pandering to the National Rifle Association, Thompson falsely claimed in disputing a Chronicle editorial ("Gun industry's special deal," Oct. 27) that the legislation would not have barred a suit against the notorious gun shop that supplied the Washington, D.C., snipers.
After the D.C. sniper attacks, police traced the Bushmaster XM-15 assault rifle used in the shootings to Bull's Eye Shooter Supply in Tacoma, Wash. Bull's Eye could not account for the disappearance of that assault weapon, along with more than 230 other guns that mysteriously escaped from its shop.
Victims of the shootings filed a lawsuit against this dealer to hold it accountable for a dangerously irresponsible lack of security that allowed so many of its guns to vanish. They won a landmark $2 million settlement from Bull's Eye last year.
Thompson inexplicably voted to shield gun dealers like Bull's Eye whose reckless practices supply criminals with firearms. Legal experts, who examined the legislation, including former White House Counsel Lloyd Cutler, concluded that it would have protected Bull's Eye and required dismissal of the victims' case.
Thompson should admit his mistake and apologize to the victims of gun violence whose cases may now be barred because of his irresponsible vote.
DANIEL R. VICE
Staff attorney
Brady Center to
Prevent Gun Violence
Washington, D.C.
This is my letter to the editor in response.
Editor, After reading the letter from Daniel R. Vice, "Immune gun dealer ", I felt it necessary to address his opinions and statements. Mr. Vice refers to Rep. Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena, as "Perhaps embarrassed by his pandering to the National Rifle Association" in his support of the lawful Commerce in Arms Act. I feel Rep. Thompson was pandering to his constituents which is his job. The NRA has approximately four million members, which politicians should read as four million possible votes. If every law abiding American citizen who owned a firearm was an NRA member, that number would be in the neighborhood of 80 million. NRA members, and firearm owners who are not members, tend to vote based on gun related issues. In 1994 when congress passed several gun control bills, many members were not re-elected and the balance of power changed parties.
Mr. Vice also states that this legislation would have prevented victims of the Washington, D.C. sniper from suing Bull's Eye Shooter Supply in Tacoma, Washington. This legislation clearly states that it does not protect manufactures or dealers from negligence or criminal activity. When Bull's Eye was unable to account for more than 230 guns they were in violation of Federal law. I am a Federally licensed collector of curio and relic firearms and must keep acquisition and deposition records and be able to account for every firearm in my collection.
The Victims of the D.C. sniper, with help from The Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence, also sued the maker of the firearm that the sniper used. Bushmaster Firearms, Inc. Manufactured and sold a firearm to a federally licensed firearms dealer that was licensed and regulated by The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Bushmaster did not violate any laws. This legislation would have prevented this lawsuit. It prevents legal businesses from being sued for the action of criminals.
The Brady Center tends to think that all guns are bad, anyone who has a gun is a criminal, all firearms dealers are selling guns to criminals and all firearm manufactures are getting rich making guns for criminals. They also believe the second amendment does not apply to individuals and that only the military and law enforcement should be armed. This can quickly be verified by reading their website at www.bradycenter.org. This legislation prevents the Brady Center from suing firearms dealers and manufactures out of business.
Rep. Thompson has not made any mistake and owes no one an apology. His is protecting the rights of his constituents whether they wish to exercise that right or not. He is helping preserve that right for the citizens of the United States and the State of California.
Jeffrey Priest
San Mateo, CA
posted by Jeffrey Priest | 12:28 PM
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