US. House of Representatives
Honorable Bob Etheridge
1641 Longworth
Washington, D.C. 20515

Dear Mr. Etheridge,

As I noted in my previous letter to you, I believe that representative government functions best in an environment of clear communication between the elected officials and the electorate, therefore I think it important to contact you when legislation arises that I feel needs your attention.

In the past few years, there have been many threats against the rights of gun owners, such as the Brady Bill, the Lautenberg Gun Ban, the Juvenile Crime Bill, the Gun Free Zones Act, and of course the 1994 Crime Bill, all of which take steps toward disarming peaceful, law abiding Americans, and do precious little to stop the cycle of violent criminal offenders. Seeing that crime always increases in areas where the strictest gun control laws are found, one wonders what the true motive of the gun control crowd must be.

Sarah Brady, Chair of Handgun Control Inc, while lobbying Senator Howard Metzenbaum, said that "Our task of creating a socialist America can only succeed when those who would resist us have been totally disarmed." (her remarks were reported in the January 94 issue of THE NATIONAL EDUCATOR).

I certainly hope that you do not share Sarah Brady and Howard Metzenbaum's task of creating a socialist America, or disarming those of us who would resist the creation of such a nation, though it seems many in the Democratic party happily support such views.

There is currently a bill in Congress, HR1009, which would repeal section 658 of Public Law 104-208, commonly referred to as the Lautenberg amendment. I would like for you to put partisan politics aside on this issue and vote with Virginia Democrats Virgil H. Goode, Jr, and Owen B. Picket and those on the other side of the aisle who are willing to support HR1009 and put the Second Amendment to the Constitution ahead of political correctness.

Sincerely,

John Morales

Click here for the response from Congressman Etheridge.