You are going to love this

[seankar]

Hello. My name is Sean and I have lived in Elkton, MD for thirty eight years. I am registered to and do vote in all elections.
I feel that SB 281 and HB294 discriminate against the older citizens of the state. Our joints are stiffer and the addition of a pistol grip , a forward assist, and adjustable stock allow us to better and more comfortably control the Armorlite -15 modern sporting rifle.
These attachments, thats all they are, in no way make the rifle more dangerous or into, as many of the oposition have claimed, an automatic weapon. These additions are no different than hand controls on a motor vehicle. They simply make it easier to control.
This is probably why the military and the police have adopted this design into their truly automatic rifles to allow them better control and accuracy. in addition the current low capacity magazine of 20 rounds that Maryland allows is inadequate for sport shooting and the national standard capacity of 30 rounds should be approved. I thank you for your time, and I especially thank those of you that are listening to the discussions before forming an opinion

 

[drblast33]

Dear Maryland Legislator,

I am a registered Democrat of Montgomery county, district 17, but I seem to have a problem with the current consensus school of thought of the Maryland democratic base on many gun issues:

1. Criminals don't follow laws. Lets make sure we are punishing current violators of current laws. No mass shootings have been committed that did NOT break some sort of law currently on the books. The laws proposed are only disenfranchising law-abiding citizens right to protection and sport.
2. We already have a magazine limited law in Maryland. 20 round magazines and smaller are REGULAR stock capacity. Most standard pistol magazines come with 9-19 rounds as the standard! In fact, where did the 10 round idea come from?
3. AR15 modern sporting rifles are not Military weapons. M16s are Military weapons. There is a major difference of military FULLY AUTOMATIC, burst fire or select fire vs Semi-automatic commercial firearms. Fully automatic, select fire, burst fire firearms are already highly regulated to the public. AR15 LOOKS similar to military weapons, but not AT ALL the same. Would you take all the M16s from our soldiers and give them AR-15s? I don’t think so.
4. Lets be real. Assault weapon is a made up political term. It used to be defined as a fully automatic weapon. Now politicians are calling semi-automatic weapons “Assault weapons”. You cant keep changing the name of weapons in order to slowly ban commonly used guns.
5. I am for background checks, whenever you like. As a law-abiding citizen, I have nothing to hide. But please don't make it ridiculously expensive to keep my 2nd amendment rights or right to protect myself. And as the Baltimore county Chief testified to the Senate, he stated that background checks took about 1.5 minutes. Lets make it fast automated process. Don’t make the background check cost me a dime. We shouldn’t have to pay for a constitutional right.
6. Don’t allow a gun registry. It is currently illegal to create a registry, and would only be used as a tool for confiscation by future administrations.

Think like a criminal for one second. These laws don't stop them. Criminals are for these laws. Why? They only hurt us law abiding citizens, whom which they prey on.

Louis

 

[SmokingGun]

RE: SB 0281 / OPPOSE


Mr. Chairman and Honorable Committee Members:


I am a lifelong 5th generation Marylander, a college-educated professional, a registered Democrat, a son, husband, and married father of three.

I am appalled by the number and the overreaching scope of the gun control bills introduced during this session. I have spent considerable time and effort reading the proposed pieces of legislation and have not yet found one that I believe would help decrease crime. The common theme of this year’s bills seems to be the infringement on the rights of the decent, law-abiding citizens of our State.

There is much opposition to these gun control bills and I can assure you that their introduction has raised the political interest and involvement of many, many people. We will be watching how members vote on these bills and during upcoming elections will work to support those who support freedom and liberty and we will work to defeat those who act to restrict the rights of our most decent upstanding citizens.

Let’s enforce laws already on the books, participate in the federal NICS system, improve our State’s care of the mentally ill, and not infringe on the rights of competent citizens of good moral character.

I strongly oppose the new gun control efforts being put forth this session – they would penalize our fellow citizens of good moral character and be ignored by the criminals.


Thank you,

Larry
Westminster

 

[Infantry23]

Dear Senators,
My name is Kasey Walker and I am a life-long resident of Maryland. Like many here, I have traced my family ancestry to Dorchester, MD as far back as 1642. I have served this state as both an enlisted member, and later as an officer, in the Maryland Army National Guard. I attended and graduated from Salisbury University. I feel that as a resident of this great state with deep roots running back centuries, that it is my duty to ask you to examine the facts.
Please examine how many murders have been committed in Maryland by rifles in the past decade. Please examine how many of those murders have been committed by "assault weapons." Since many of you don't have military service I can assure you that these weapons owned by the public that are mistakenly called "assault weapons" are not actually "assault weapons" at all! A civilian AR-15 is different from a military M4 in that you cannot fire multiple bullets with one squeeze of the trigger. Since this is the case, I find it hard to call AR-15's "assault weapons." In function, they are no different than shotguns or any other firearm.
As a former infantry officer in the United States Army I can assure you that these two weapons are incredibly different. I can also tell you that I swore an oath, from which I was never discharged, to protect the constitution of the United States of America, against all enemies, foreign and domestic. Please examine the facts. Please recognize that the restrictions that are being proposed are unconstitutional. Please act in the good faith and trust with which your constituents have empowered you. Thank you, and may God bless this wonderful state!

Kasey Walker

 

[peafarmer]

Good day. My name is Andy, and I am a registered voter in district 33. I am a retired Navy Captain, and I have a wife and two children that I love and want to protect.

I have watched in dismay during the last few months as the politicians in Maryland voted for liberal agenda driven laws such as gay marriage. I have quietly accepted these and other laws, because although I do not believe in them, they do not hurt me. I am not a hater.

Now we have a situation where the opportunity exists for the liberals to persecute law abiding citizens that support the Second Amendment. Even though the proposed SB281 will not prevent criminals and violent persons from getting guns, the liberal legislators continue to pursue this legislation.

There is really no other way to describe this behavior other than hateful bullying. This is a situation where the majority is discriminating against the minority out of spite, for no rational reason. This legislation will hurt law abiding citizens, and will do nothing to reduce violence.

Please be tolerant of our Second Amendment rights. Please do not become hateful bullies. Remember, it is only a matter of time before you will find yourself in the minority, for something, and will be at the mercy of the majority of your fellow citizens.

 

[Old Salty Dog]

Dear Maryland Senators,

I am a thirteen year resident of Maryland, a retired Naval veteran, a Civil Servant, a father of four, a grandfather of seven and the husband of a kindergarten teacher. I know that making tough decisions on Maryland gun laws on the heels of the tragic shooting at Newtown will not be an easy job. That tragedy brought me to tears as it did to so many other Americans.

Please know that I DO NOT support the ineffective gun control measures that have been proposed, such as SB 281 and its companion bills. The facts and history of gun control do not support the pending legislation. The bills now proposed only serve to further erode the rights of law abiding citizens, such as myself, while not solving the problem of mental illness and gun crime.

I DO fully support rational and effective measures that will actually improve public safety and the safety of our children. Those measures do NOT include the tighter controls now being proposed in this General Assembly.

When I was young, my suburban high school had an active rifle club and a rifle range in the basement of the school. Student club members routinely carried their rifles in and out of school to practice, or to participate in competitions. No one became concerned about this, no one worried about being shot, and in fact no one was ever shot.

Yet, how could that be, because back in those days gun laws were vastly less restrictive than they are today. You really could walk into almost any department store and buy a handgun over the counter, or mail-order real weapons and have them delivered to your door. By today's logic, the streets should have been awash in blood back then. Why weren't they?

What, then, has changed since those years? What has led us to finding ourselves faced with young men more frequently going on murderous rampages with firearms? It clearly it cannot be today’s ‘lax gun laws,’ because Maryland in particular already has some of the most restrictive laws in the nation. Getting a gun was significantly easier back then.

So, what else has changed? Back then there were more hospital beds for the mentally ill than there are today. As strange as it seems, maybe we were more able to care for those with mental illness back then. Using all those psychotropic drugs and turning people loose doesn’t seem to be working out so well for us today, when virtually all recent public mass shooters were on those drugs. If you haven’t read the blog post “I am Adam Lanza’s Mother” it is very much worth reading. It is a heart wrenching description of the problems faced by parents of children like Adam Lanza. You can find it here: http://thebluereview.org/i-am-adam-lanzas-mother

Something we did NOT have back then were hyper-violent movies, such as “Django Unchained” and the violent, first-person shooter video games such as “Tour of Duty,” “Halo” and others. Those video games are perfect simulators for teaching people how to kill, and making them competent at it. If you don’t believe me, please go ask the Army psychologists and others who have studied this.

Another thing we didn’t have when I was young, are the gun free zones in so many places today. If there is any common thread to all these mass shootings it is their presence in gun-free zones.

So, today, looking back over decades of feel-good rushes to ‘do something,’ we have passed much more strict gun laws, Maryland being among the most strict. We have created gun-free zones that appear to be magnets for madmen – places where they can unleash their destruction without impediment. The Aurora CO shooter, for example, passed by six theaters that allowed concealed weapons to shoot up the one that did NOT allow them. We have closed down most hospital beds for the mentally ill, and we have filled our television and movie screens with realistic mayhem. We have created 'virtual killing trainers' of the first order that may be inclining the mentally unstable into slaughtering innocents.

So how do we fix this? How do we keep ourselves and our loved ones, safer? I suggest the following:

1) Eliminate gun-free zones. Making madmen worry about who might shoot back is a PROVEN deterrent.

2) Make Maryland a 'shall-issue' concealed carry state. The single public policy change that has been PROVEN multiple times to have a positive impact on gun crime
is the enactment of concealed carry laws, which have reduced the number and severity of public mass shootings like Newtown.

3) Place armed security guards in the schools. No one laughed at Bill Clinton after Columbine when he did that, so why is the idea ridiculed today?

4) Allow teachers and staff to carry concealed weapons, if they are capable, willing to do so and given the proper training. This, even more than armed guards,
would make killers worry about who might shoot back. This is a PROVEN deterrent to mass violence.

5) Open more hospital beds for the mentally ill so that they could be actually helped and treated, instead of simply being filled with the drugs that are common to
virtually all recent mass homicides.

6) Get "cultural heroes" such as Quentin Tarantino off of their perches. Get serious about ratings and parental supervision. We had the Hayes Code for films back
when I was young, and my childhood was just fine without the gore and extreme violence that makes up much of today's theatrical and television fare. Are we
truly better off as a people with “Hollywood ‘Unchained?’

7) Please look at home invasion rates globally. In the US where homeowners may be armed, the rate is about a third of that in Britain or Australia, where violent
crime rates have risen on the heels of disarming their citizens. We hear so much about their low gun crime numbers. Please check the overall per capita murder
rates in those countries, not just the number of gun crimes. You might be surprised.

I ask you to propose legislation based on facts, not emotion. John Lott's work on violent crime is an excellent reference. No less than the Chicago Tribune said “ Lott turns conventional wisdom concerning violent crime and handguns on its head.” President Jimmy Carter commissioned the NIH to study gun crime, and to everyone’s surprise, they concluded that gun control laws do not have any effect in reducing gun crime. Facts are stubborn things. If stricter gun control actually worked, Chicago would not have had 500+ gun related deaths last year.

Our forefathers were wise when they crafted the bill of rights, and there is a reason they placed the Second Amendment immediately after the First and before the Third. My father flew B-25s in World War II. My stepfather walked the length of Italy getting shot at, and my father-in-law was captured and held as a prisoner by the Germans, twice. These men fought to preserve our rights. Don’t squander them foolishly, because once gone we may ever see them again. Do you really want to leave your children and grandchildren a legacy of looking back on a once-free country?


One last thought. As a retired Naval veteran and civil servant, I pay a LOT of taxes in Maryland, and I spend most of my discretionary income here as well. If the legislation proposed is enacted into law, unchanged, I will be confronted with making the choice of either surrendering significant Constitutional rights or becoming a potential lawbreaker if I remain in Maryland. I will be forced to move my family from this state to one where I am not penalized for the actions of a few madmen, or the failures of our criminal justice system. I know from listening to others that I would not be alone in making this decision. It would be a shame if Maryland lost a number of folks like me.

Thank you for your time.

Very Respectfully,

Gary
St.Mary's County

 

[echo6mike]

Opposed to SB281, HB294 and related bills

Dear Senators and Representatives;

I am a lifelong Montgomery County resident, a former Marine, and a strong supporter of public safety and law enforcement. This should include fair and impartial enforcement of existing laws, support for effective public safety measures such as community policing initiatives, and better support across the State for substance abuse prevention and treatment, mental health services and public education. What this should not include are reflexive, over-reaching extensions of the law in an effort to capitalize on a tragic incident such as last Fall's terrible event in Connecticut. Attempting to gain political points or force a one-sided agenda through the legal system in such a situation is opportunism at its worst.

I personally feel that Maryland's procedures for selling, purchasing and possessing firearms are reasonably well-balanced, and would suggest only a few changes that would be good ways to make them better. That is a subject for measured, factual discussion. This high-pressure drive to push a sweeping set of highly restrictive new laws through the legislature is not the correct way to approach a subject as large, complex, and deep-rooted in American legal and cultural history as firearms possession.

Many of the provisions in these hastily-proposed bills (House Bills 107, 131, 294, 420, 490, and 545 and Senate Bills 281, 382, 445, 531, 532, 539, 540, 544, 577 and 623) are simply redundant and nonsensical. Some would make separate crimes out of behaviors which are already illegal - possession of ammunition while committing a crime, for example. These would do nothing to enhance public safety, deter criminals or provide any benefits other than to allow the legislators who pushed them into effect to show their constituents that they "did something".

There is no evidence that other proposals would have any on crime rates, but would instead impose undue costs and restrictions on the legal activities of Maryland residents. Most estimates of the total costs of proposed licenses, training, taxes and fees for new handguns (as an example) put the additional burden at between $350 and $400 per purchase, making the possession of any regulated firearm a privilege for the rich while penalizing middle- and lower-income residents out of any proportion. In addition, there may be no training facilities able or willing to take on the large number of people who would be required to complete the 8 hours mandated. This could create a de facto ban on licensing for a year or more, until such a system could be established.

Beyond these objections, the proposed requirements for licensing and training would create a large new system of records including sensitive, personally identifiable information on every firearm owner in the State. This would also place an excessive burden on the Maryland State Police or whatever new agency might be created to process, track and secure the screenings and the data generated from them, diverting scarce resources away from the actual work of public safety which the MSP works so hard to protect.

I urge you to vote against this proposed legislation and instead begin a process of measured, reasoned public debate about what restrictions are currently in place in the State, how to better enforce them, and what changes would be both appropriate and legal. If these bills are passed, I will campaign and vote for the challengers to every incumbent who votes for them in the next primary elections and will contribute as much money as I can to defeating those officials. If those incumbents win their primaries, I will work equally hard to unseat them in the general elections. I also know from many conversations that I am far from alone in my views and determination on these matters.

Respectfully,
Andrew
Registered Democrat
Gaithersburg, MD
District 17

 

[Ninety9Soulz]

Testimonial

My name is Ben Mello. I am a registered libertarian. My hometown is Waldorf. I am a student at the College of Southern Maryland. I oppose SB281.

You fingerprint criminals, not law abiding citizens. The proposed gun control measures have already been attempted, and are statistically proven to not work. In 2011, the most recent stat completed year, we had over 1,000 less gun homicides than we did in 2004, the last year of the Clinton Assault Weapons Ban. If this type of gun control works, then shouldn't these numbers be the complete opposite?

The most high profile crime in the United States to involve real assault rifles, was in 1997, the North Hollywood Shootout which occurred during the Clinton Assault Weapons Ban. Columbine, 1999, was committed during the Clinton Assault Weapons Ban. Three of the weapons used used 10 rounds or less per magazine. The D.C. Sniper shootings, 2002, occurred during the Clinton Assault Weapons Ban. The Virginia Tech Shooting, 2007, the deadliest school shooting in United States history, was committed with two handguns; one of which was a .22.

These emotive, reactionary laws do nothing to stop homicides. In fact, the data suggests the opposite. Let us be the first state to put up the best measures to stop the problem. Let's target recidivism rates, put more money into our school systems, raise our children right and crack down on poverty.

Politics and emotion should never go hand in hand.

Sincerely, a concerned citizen.

 

[jonnyl]

Jon L
Jefferson MD
Registered Voter

I am a 48 year old husband and father of two daughters. I have a BS degree in Economics, and a Masters degree in Business Administration. I am an IT manager at a high tech firm. I oppose SB281 for the following reasons:

It further alienates Maryland's law abiding gun owners. Fingerprinting, registration, and banning of certain firearms based on cosmetic differences serves only to marginalize a large part of the population.

I have insurance, fire extinguishers, a burglar alarm, a fairly large dog and some target shooting guns that double for home defense should the need arise. I am responsible for my families safety. I tend to look to the experts for advice. 25 years ago for home defense I would have purchased a .38 revolver and a 12 gauge pump shotgun because that's what the police would have brought with them if I called them for an emergency. Today, they would bring semi-automatic pistols with 17 round magazines and an AR15 rifle with a 30 round magazine. The AR15 is also a very accurate rifle which is good for target shooting. When I decided to buy a rifle, it was the obvious choice. It did not occur to me that it was an "evil" rifle because some criminals use that type any more than I would feel that I shouldn't buy a bottle of wine because some people drink too much and cause fatal accidents. I'm a responsible drinker, and I blame drunk driving accidents on the drivers. I'm a responsible gun owner, and I blame crime on the criminals. Just like MADD focused their efforts on enforcement of age restrictions and punishment of drunk driving. We should address gun violence by enforcing the existing restrictions, and punish violent crimes committed with firearms severely.

However, my biggest problem with this bill is the fact that it will not do anything to make my family safer. My entire family spends their days in educational facilities. My wife is a first grade teach, my youngest is an elementary school student, and my oldest girl is a sophomore in college. None of the gun control aspects of the bill will do anything to increase safety. This is particularly true of the "assault weapons" ban portion of the bill. The idea that a pistol grip or flash hider make a rifle more dangerous would be silly if not for the fact that we're being told it will keep our children safer.

The Baltimore Sun a couple years ago published a study that showed that 80% of murders in Maryland were committed by people with prior criminal records. These are people for the most part that have committed violent crimes, been convicted and for some reason are back out on the street. It is very frustrating for me to be the focus of the Governor's efforts to "do something" about gun violence rather than keeping the actual perpetrators in jail to begin with.

When states embrace their gun owning population they can work together towards real solutions. Whenever that is suggested it's immediately shut down because some are afraid Maryland will become the wild west. It's a pretty old argument, and obviously false. States that embrace their legal gun owner don't see any increase in the crime some are afraid of simply because we legal owners are not the ones who commit the crimes.

I respectfully request your opposition to SB281.

Sincerely,
Jon L

 

[Sthomas229]

Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen of the committee. We were all horrified by the events of Dec. 14th in Newtown Conn. We feel the need to “do something” to prevent such a thing from happening again. However, the simple fact is that there are evil, sick people in this world, and they sometimes do evil, sick things.
The same day the Newtown shooting happened; a man in China went into a school and attacked 22 children with a knife.
In 1927 in Bath Michigan, the worse school attack in US history was carried out with explosives, not firearms.
In 1990 the Happyland social club massacre was perpetrated with a can of gasoline.
On the day Adam Lanza committed his attack, millions of lawfully owned AR-15 rifles killed no one.
You should not punish lawful gun owners for the actions of a few sick, evil individuals. We don’t need more gun laws; we need enforcement and punishment for laws already on the books. Attached you will find 3 news stories from here in Maryland to make my point. The first two pertain to a man arrested in Lexington Park on illegal gun charges on Dec. 22 and released. He was then arrested again Dec. 29th, again on illegal gun charges.
The third story is from the Baltimore Sun on Jan.1st. It is the Baltimore PD report on homicides in the city in 2012. It shows that 79% of suspects had a criminal record and 82% of victims also had a past criminal record.
History shows us that the end of most mass shootings is when a person with a gun responds. We should have armed individuals in our schools. Whether that be armed guards or teachers and staff that choose to carry concealed firearms.
In closing, I am a Maryland resident, a registered Democrat, and I vote. I am currently a one issue voter, protecting my God given, Constitutionally guaranteed rights.
Stephen Thomas

Laurel MD

http://smnewsnet.com/archives/39829
http://smnewsnet.com/archives/40463
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/ma...aggregation&fb_aggregation_id=288381481237582

 

[2AHokie]

Senators,

I am a resident of Ellicott City and a registered voter. I am also a registered Democrat. Additionally, I am a husband, a father and a mechanical engineering graduate of the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. I have lived in MD for just over three years.

I oppose SB281. I oppose the onerous handgun licensing scheme. I oppose the misleadingly named "assault weapons" ban. I oppose further restrictions on magazine capacity. I ask that you stand with me against this bill.

By now, you have all heard the statistics and the evidence that overwhelmingly supports the arguments made by 2nd Amendment supporters against this bill. You have all heard about the Constitution, American history, and the intent of our great nation's founders when they crafted the Bill of Rights. The recent Supreme Court rulings that cemented an individual right to keep and bear arms have been mentioned repeatedly. I will not repeat these arguments for you here. Instead, I want to talk about my time at Virginia Tech and how I came to be a supporter of the 2nd Amendment.

On April 16, 2007, I was a student at Virginia Tech. Prior to the tragic events of that fateful morning, the 2nd Amendment, and firearms in general, were largely irrelevant to me. I didn't own any firearms and I can't remember ever having knowledge that any of my friends, their families, or anyone else I ever interacted with owned any kind of firearm. Given the high rate of firearm ownership in this country, my point is that I was oblivious to this particular issue; it's likely that more than a few of these people were firearm owners and I never knew. I had never fired or handled any firearm more powerful than a .22 bolt-action rifle at Boy Scout summer camp. To the best of my knowledge, I had never even seen a handgun in person. I also, naively in retrospect, thought that Virginia Tech's ban on the concealed carry of handguns by otherwise qualified faculty, students, or staff was in my best interest. I felt safe.

Tragically, the entire nation was given a powerful wake-up call that these kinds of feel-good bans did not and do not actually have any impact on reducing gun violence. Instead, these types of restrictions prevent law-abiding citizens, who are otherwise qualified to carry firearms, from doing so while ignoring one of the root causes of violence in society today, mental illness. In the aftermath of the attack on my campus, I took an earnest look at the issue. I weighed the studies and evidence in my apartment in between vigils and memorial services for the 32 fallen students and faculty. I realized that Virginia Tech's Board of Visitors was simply wrong. The school policy did not make myself or my fellow students any safer.

When the Virginia Tech Review Panel released their findings regarding the attack in August of 2007, "Mass shootings at Virginia Tech April 16, 2007 Report of the Review Panel", they specifically examined the question of whether the previous federal Assault Weapons Act of 1994, that banned magazines holding more than 10 rounds, would have made a difference in the April 16th massacre. I present to you, their finding, "The panel concluded that 10-round magazines that were legal would have not made much difference in the incident. Even pistols with rapid loaders could have been about as deadly in this situation" ("Mass shootings at Virginia Tech April 16, 2007 Report of the Review Panel ". Commonwealth of Virginia, pg 74).

Sadly, these same policies are in place state-wide in Maryland. The prohibitions on concealed carry are so onerous in this state that relatively few citizens here can carry a firearm for self-defense. If one compares the state of Maryland and the state of Virginia, it is painfully obvious that Virginia enjoys lower rates of violent crime. In fact, violent crime in total is about 50% lower in Virginia ("Crime in Virginia 2011", Department of State Police) than it is in Maryland ("Crime in Maryland 2011 Uniform Crime Report", Maryland State Police). Virginia, population 8,185,867 ("2012 Census", US Census Bureau), also has a much higher population than Maryland, population 5,884,563 ("2012 Census", US Census Bureau), so the per-capita crime rate in Virginia is better than 50% lower than it is here in Maryland. I can place no stock in anyone who claims that highly restrictive firearms laws are a prerequisite for lowering Maryland's violent crime rates because Virginia proves this to be false.

Putting the issue of concealed carry aside for a moment, the Virginia Tech Review Panel report set the record straight on the efficacy of banning standard-capacity magazines. The bottom line is that SB281, with its onerous restrictions on the right of citizens of Maryland to own standard-capacity magazines, will simply not have any effect on reducing the lethality of a mass murderer. With this in mind, alongside the mountain of statistical evidence, the intent of our nation's founding fathers, the recent Supreme Court rulings, and the public outpouring of opposition to this bill, I must ask that you oppose SB281.

Thank you for your time and attention.

Sincerely,

Reuben "Wesley" Griffing
Ellicott City, MD

 

[3fingeredWU]

To whom it may concern:

Please do not pass any of these ridiculous firearm bills. They will not protect the general public any more than the laws already written for drunken driving, drug use and many other "like" laws.

The bills you should be for are those bills that demand stronger penalties for items like straw purchases, mental deficiencies, and a law that makes it easier for a normal, good citizen to obtain a concealed carry permit.

When faced with imminent danger - law enforcement personnel may be too late to respond before a rape, battery or murder occurs. Response in 10 or 15 minutes - if you have a chance to call them is going to be too late. I would rather carry a concealed weapon legally as a good citizen with proper training then try to carry a policeman wherever I go! They are just too heavy!

I believe in enforcing our current laws under the second amendment with penalties of Hard Time - Hard Labor. Do not let convicted felons off time and time again.
I believe in:

1. Requiring The NRA Basic Pistol Course before handgun purchases
2. The 7-day waiting period for handguns is OK
3. All firearm sales must go through a Federally Licensed Firearms Dealer
4. Keep the current background checks system
5. Increase jail time and deny plea-bargaining when it comes to firearm crimes
6. Keep the current list of "assault weapons" as it is as they aren't really assault weapons or Class III firearms.
7. Enforce our current Maryland laws and quit spending money on trying to beat the 2nd amendment right on concealed weapons.
8. Grant the right to obtain a Maryland Concealed Firearms Permit for personal protection as directed by the Supreme Court without having to jump through hoops. Fingerprinting and Photo is fine including a background check. A 8-16 hour NRA Personal Protection Course should suffice as it has range time equal to about 200-250 rounds and a good six hours. The course also has an attorney or member of the Police/Sheriffs' department cover the current respective laws in Maryland.

Remember - when seconds count - the police are minutes away!

The Police according to the Supreme Court do not have a duty to protect me if I am attacked! They are usually there to draw the white line around the victim!

I am allowed to carry a concealed weapon in Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia including about 30 more states; Why can't I easily get a Concealed Firearm permit in Maryland? Are others who have them more important than myself or my family? Not to me! I have to believe that our governor has a bodyguard as well as other high ranking officials in this state. I and others in this state - the ones without bodyguards - need protection too! That protection may be needed immediately not after a phone call, a one on one with a dispatcher and a wait! If you want us to give up our guns - give up your bodyguards! Walk the street alone at night, see what it's really like!

At 68 years of age - my wife and I would like to go out at night, and go to the mall and other entertainment sources without worrying whether we are going to be accosted and/or harmed.

Do the right thing and punish the bad people and allow the good people to protect themselves and enjoy this state. I have not seen any bill being offered that dealt with extremely tough punishment for offenders convicted of battery, rape, murder, etc. The courts are a revolving door and criminals will still get weapons from a rock to a machine gun! The majority of the bills introduced deal only with taking away the freedom of good, honest, law abiding, voting, Maryland citizens.

Thank you,

David E. Dworak
Registered Voter (R) Frederick, Maryland

NRA Life Member
Maryland Designated Firearms Collector
Federal Licensed Collector of Curios and Relics - Class 3 FFL
Utah Concealed Firearms Permit
Former Rhode Island Concealed Firearm Permit
Former FFL Dealer in Rhode Island
Maryland Hunter Safety Instructor
NRA Basic Pistol Instructor
NRA Personal Protection in the Home Instructor
NRA Range Officer
Member - Isaac Walton League-Frederick Chapter
Isaac Walton League Range Officer
Member of the Second Amendment Foundation
Member of Maryland Shall Issue
B.S. Post Secondary Education Vocational, Technical and Adult Education - Power Mechanics
M.S Safety, Health & Environmental Affairs
Certified Hazard Control Manager
Certified Safety and Health Manager
Certified Professional Environmental Auditor
Certified Professional Health and Safety Manager

 

[PvtHike]

Charles, US Army Veteran
Annapolis, MD
Registered Democrat

To the Senate of the State of Maryland,

I oppose SB281. I see nothing that would prevent gun-related violence of any kind. The only thing this bill would accomplish - at best - is making it unreasonably difficult for the people of Maryland to protect themselves.

As a legislative body you appear to have no interest in what would make a difference. You appear to have no interest in enforcing the already existing laws. You appear to have no interest in prosecuting those who break the already existing laws. You appear to have no interest in keeping those convicted of breaking those laws in jail.

I urge you to push for the enforcement of laws we already have. Do not create new ones that won't be enforced either. Do not create criminals out of the people who have done nothing to warrant it. Do not make criminals and victims out of the disabled, the low-income, the new resident, the prospective resident, and the current resident of this state.

Please, vote "No" to this bill.

 

[Crxflippr]

Opposition to SB0281

Dear Senators,

I reside in Frederick, Maryland with my wife and three year old son, in the home we purchased together when first starting our young family. I registered to vote well before meeting my wife and have been a regular at the voting booths since. I graduated from Hood College with a degree in Biology, and currently work in education. In my work I teach a range of concepts that can be as broad as critical thinking, problem solving, and the scientific process, down to the specifics of how zebra mussels are hurting native species in our fresh waters.

Problem solving and critical thinking are key skills that I like to focus on, and believe they are best applied with the Socratic method and evidence based decision making. Open conversation, with questions and listening. Arguments with empirical support. Like my students (but on an elevated scale) you are all problem solvers. I view our legislative branch as a group of societal engineers. Women and men that are given the task of assuring that our society flows smoothly and for the benefit of all law abiding citizens (current and future). Like an engineer they are given problems to resolve; and tools, parameters, and limitations required in crafting a solution. At times these problems are easy to solve, and the world hardly notices your work due to the swiftness and effectiveness of your actions. However, there are times the water is muddy and a solution must be sifted from the particulate of emotion and rhetoric. Such is the case in gun violence.

SB0281 and similar bills are not examples of good problem solving or critical thinking. I don't believe that SB0281 resolves the problems at hand, nor fits within the limitations of the job. The support for this bill is one of emotion, anecdotal evidence, and poorly crafted study. Having a young child, I very much understand the emotion. Being a scientist, I can not accept anecdote or twisted data, nor will I trust it to protect my son. I ask of you to vote against this bill, and work together to find solutions that will work, such as expanding mental health care, strictly enforcing current gun crime laws, and assuring that appropriate reports to NICS are made. Thank you for your time and attention.

David
Registered voter in Frederick, MD

 

[aray]

From me:

Senators:

My name is Dr. A. Ray Miller. I am a registered voter in Crownsville, MD. I speak here today to point out that your proposed definition of assault weapons includes many legitimate features that positively help people, the banning of which will hurt innocent citizens.

You say a rail has no legitimate purpose? Tell that to the single mom who hears a noise downstairs in her darkened house, and who needs a flashlight mounted on her self-defense firearm so that she can identify the bad guy and not shoot a family member.

You say a forward pistol grip inherently turns a rifle into a weapon of war? Tell that to my own father, who has a permanently gnarled hand from a factory accident decades ago, or any elderly or disabled person with limited hand strength, and for whom a pistol grip provides needed stability.

You say a shotgun with a rear pistol grip or a thumbhole stock makes it an assault weapon and can no longer be transferred? Tell that to the turkey hunter whose father gave him his shotgun, and who one day plans to give that family heirloom to his own child.

You say an adjustable stock is only used by the military? Tell that to my daughter who is now prohibited from owning the family rifle when she turns 21 because one size does not fit all.

And finally, you claim that these types of firearms have no legitimate self-defense purpose?

Tell that to the Korean merchants in Los Angeles, who lawfully used so-called assault weapons to fend off roving gangs of thugs for 6 days after the police fled South Central LA, abandoning 53 to die and leaving over 2,000 to be wounded.

Tell that to the people of Florida just south of where my father lives, after Hurricane Andrew left 63,000 homeowners and 175,000 people defenseless, save for those lawfully owned so-called assault weapons and other firearms, against roving gangs of thugs for about 2 weeks until the National Guard established sufficient force to restore order.

But especially tell that to the schoolchildren in Israel. In 1974 Palestinian terrorists massacred 25 people including 22 children at the Netiv Meir Elementary School in Ma'alot. That event caused Israel to protect every school in the country with real assault weapons, manned not by the army or police, but by trained administrators, teachers, and volunteer parents. American schools remain gun free zones and remain vulnerable; Israel has demonstrated, successfully, that we can do better.

Senators, the problem is not the characteristics of the guns themselves, nor is it the law-abiding citizens who own them. No, the problem is with the criminals and the mentally unstable. Your legislation does nothing to address the real problems, and only punishes and hurts the innocent and the law-abiding.

I urge defeat of this legislation.

 

[aray]

From my wife:

Good afternoon Senators.

My name is Debbie Miller. I am a registered voter in Crownsville Maryland.

This legislation hurts women. All women. Let me explain.

Against a big huge bad guy intent on rape, robbery, or murder of me, or my daughter, I have NO defense other than a firearm. In the hands of a law-abiding woman, a gun has always been “The Great Equalizer”.

But your legislation bans STANDARD capacity magazines, of the sizes that come with the original purchase and are readily available across the country.

You will force me to obey the law. But bad guys obviously do not and will not obey your laws. Your laws, then, force me to be outgunned.

I need a standard capacity magazine for the same reasons that every law enforcement agency in the country carries standard capacity magazines, including the ones protecting you in this building right now. And that is because:

* I know, like the police know, that not every bullet hits its target.
* And I know, like the police know, that not every bullet that hits its target immediately stops the threat.
* And I know, like the police know, that sometimes there are multiple bad guys.

You are disarming me, and every woman in this state, of a tool that is fundamental to our survival, to our fundamental civil right of self-defense.

As a woman I strongly urge you to vote against this bad legislation.

Thank you for your consideration.

 

[aray]

From my kid:

Note this was written before the SJPC amendments e.g. two vs. one characteristic. But HB 294 still has the same language and so may become law instead via conference. In the meantime this is her original testimony and the same speech she delivered on Lawyer's Mall on Feb. 6th.

Hi. My name is Victoria Miller. I live in Crownsville Maryland. I’m 14 years old and in ninth grade at Rockbridge Academy. Although I'm obviously too young to vote right now, I can assure you that in 2016 at the first opportunity I will be a registered life-long voter.

Your legislation being considered today takes away my rights as an American and Maryland citizen, and other young people like me. I’ll give three examples.

First, I love going target shooting with my family. But we’re not millionaires, so my dad can only afford a few guns. We recently purchased a .22 long rifle with an adjustable stock. A normal rifle stock might be too long or short, so an adjustable stock can be moved forwards or backwards, like the seat of a car. We call it the “Goldilocks Gun”- it fits all of us just right. Your bill bans an adjustable stock and makes an average rifle into some kind of weapon of mass destruction simply because… the length of the stock can be changed?! I don’t think so. For example, any rifle with this stock would turn a legal rifle into a banned assault rifle.

Second, when I’m 21, I can legally own some of my father’s guns. Some of them have that one characteristic that makes an average gun into what you call an “assault weapon”. Your bill allows him to keep owning them, but they can only be transferred to me when he dies and I must inherit them. This is ridiculous and unfair to me.

Finally, less than two years from now I will be eligible to go hunting on my own with a regular hunting license. But if this bill passes as it is written now, I can legally own a hunting rifle or, for example, our .22 long rifle, but cannot own a single shotgun shell or a .22 caliber bullet unless I’m near someone over 21! This is logically invalid and frankly ridiculous- it makes no sense. Later, if I chose to go into the ROTC or into the military, I’ll be trained in the use of real assault weapons, but when I come home I will be a criminal if I am found in the possession of so much as one single bullet. Your legislation turns me into a criminal.

I urge you to defeat this legislation. You say that you’re trying to help the children- if you are, then defeat this bill, because it hurts children like me.

Thank you for listening.

 

[Straightshooter]

My name is Wayne Croft

I live in Parkton, Maryland

I am a military veteran with 5 years service

I am a retire Fire Department Captain with Baltimore County

I am a small business owner

I am a voter who will be voting this one issue in the next election.

I am here to voice my opposition to SB 281.

This bill offers no solutions to the carnage that has prompted the
Governor and the bill’s co-sponsors to write it.

None of the restrictions, additional background checks, safety classes, or registration of weapons, or permit fees, will have any effect on the criminals or the crazies that commit these crimes. Criminals simply do not obey our laws. The simple fact that they committed Felonies proves that fact. Murder is against the law after all. Do you really think they care that an additional 5- 20 years will be tacked onto their sentence for using a magazine
with a capacity of more than 10 rounds?

Criminals won’t take safety classes, register their weapons or submit to background checks. The only people who will submit to these onerous requirements are law abiding people, and they are not the problem.

The shooters at Columbine, Aurora Colorado, Virginia Tech, Fort Hood, and Sandy Hook all had several things in common. They broke many existing laws, they shared a complete disregard for human life and they were evil. No new laws will change any of those traits.

One item in the proposed legislation that I find to be disturbing is the writer’s apparent disdain for our men and women who have served our nation in the military. Under the present law, veterans are exempted from the firearms safety training requirements. They have received this training while in uniform. That training must be considered sufficient, as you are willing to accept it for active duty military.

In this bill, section 5-119 (page 21) which contained that exemption has been deleted and exemptions are now listed on page 17, lines 15 thru 20 and the only military exemptions are for active duty military and National Guard. The reference to “Retired Member or Honorably Discharged Member of the armed forces” has been removed. Veterans have had the same firearms safety training as active members, so that training should be recognized if this bill passes.

The Senate amended this bill to include “Retired Military” but it still doesn’t include Honorably Discharged Veterans.This leaves a gap that makes no sense. A retired service man who may have been out of the service for many years is exempt. But a newly Discharged veteran isn’t.

If you truly wish to make our society safer and reduce gun violence, then please target your efforts toward enforcing existing laws and stop letting violent criminals out of prison.

Thank You for Your Time.

Wayne Croft
Parkton, MD 21120

Registered Voter District 42

 

[Mike OTDP]

I am a competitor in the international pistol disciplines for both cartridge and muzzle-loading firearms, and have represented the United States at nine World Muzzle-Loading Championships.

I am opposed to this bill because it would ban the most capable self-loading target pistols currently used in the Olympic Games. SB 281 specifically outlaws any pistol with a magazine outside the grip . Makes and models that would be prohibited include the Benelli MP90, Hammerli 280, Hammerli SP20, Morini CM22, Pardini SP, Pardini HP, Tesro SP22, and Walther GSP. All cost between $1,700 and $2,000.

Target pistols with magazines outside the grip dominate the International Shooting Sports Federation (ISSF) pistol disciplines. At the 2010 World Championships, the breakdown was as presented below:

PROPORTION OF 2010 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP PISTOLS AFFECTED BY SB 281
Event Olympic Discipline Proportion Of Firearms Banned By SB 281
Women’s Sport Pistol Yes 57%
Rapid Fire Pistol Yes 80%
Standard Pistol No 77%
Centerfire Pistol No 85%

At the Olympic medal-winning level, the proportions of firearms affected are higher. Of the six medals won in the 2012 Olympic Games with self-loading pistols, all were won with firearms that would be banned.

SB281 also has provisions raising questions about the ability of competitors to take their equipment out of state. It would be unjust for a competitor to be imprisoned for the “crime” of traveling out of Maryland to represent the USA in international competition.

SB 281 would have a devastating impact on Maryland's top competitors in the shooting sports. Competing at a World Championship or Olympic level is hard enough without being hobbled by substandard equipment. A bill drafted with such a disregard for our Olympic hopefuls fails the most rudimentary due regard requirements. This bill is rife with other mistakes. It should be rejected completely.

Michael M.
Registered voter
California, MD

 

[tc617]

THEY ARE READING ALL OF THESE TESTIMONIES ON THE FLOOR RIGHT NOW!