Against Bill S 1237
To the Editor:
How many times have you heard the wish that there would be bipartisan cooperation in Washington, D.C.? Be careful about what you wish for.
A new bill has been written by the Justice Department and is being sponsored by Sen. Frank Lautenberg who is not a friend of gun owners. The bill, S 1237, is called "Denying Firearms and Explosives to Dangerous Terrorists Act of 2007."
Under this law the attorney general could seize your firearms and ammunition because you were suspected or have known to be or have been engaged in conduct constituting, in preparation for, in aid of, or related to terrorism, or providing material support thereof and the attorney general has a reasonable belief that you may use a firearm in connection with terrorism. There would be no appeal from the attorney general's decision.
Any information which the attorney general relied on for this determination may be withheld if the attorney general determines that disclosure of the information would likely compromise national security.
In other words, in plain English, you are guilty and your guns are gone, along with your right to due process. Unless you are actually involved in terrorism, you will never be brought to trial as they would have nothing that would stand up in court.
With President Bush in the White House could this become law? Who is to know how the political winds blow? The man who supposedly wrote the law is the same one who couldn't remember firing eight prosecuting attorneys. He is the same one who had two border patrol agents prosecuted for stopping a Mexican drug dealer who had brought 800 pounds of drugs across the border. They will do 12 years in prison for "violating the drug dealers civil rights." So far, President Bush has not given them a pardon. It's hell when you go to prison for doing your job.
Get on the Internet and write to the President. Call both of our Senators, Max Baucus at 1-800-332-6106 and Sen. Jon Tester at 1-866-554-4403. Tell them to oppose S 1237.
Richard Williams
Troy