Howard Coble responds...

I wrote an email to Howard Coble. This is his response.

Dear Mr. XXXXX:

Thank you for contacting our office to share your views regarding the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. We appreciate hearing from you.

There is no remedy for an innocent life that has been taken by the misuse of a firearm. The tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School is a painful and saddening reminder about the very real threat that is posed by gun violence.

The Second Amendment clearly provides a constitutional right to keep and bear arms but that does not trump the authority of the government to maintain public safety, particularly for children. Although the federal government has an important role regulating the use of guns, most criminal statutes are imposed by state governments. Unfortunately, criminal statutes oftentimes are not enough to stop gun violence, New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts have some of the strongest gun laws in the country, but they also experience high numbers of gun-related crimes.

I believe that the right to bear arms must be exercised responsibly and that the tragedy at Sandy Hook should not be overlooked. Federal and state governments should work together to develop comprehensive policies that will update the manner in which we address gun violence and mental illness. It's clear that stringent laws are not enough to eliminate gun violence, and at the same time, it is obvious that more regulations alone will not ensure our safety from gun violence in the future.

Once again, thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts. We will be sure to keep them in mind should relevant legislation be considered. In the meantime, please feel free to contact our office if we may be of assistance in the future.

Sincerely,

HOWARD COBLE

Member of Congress

That response struck me as wishy washy as Hell. Soooo...I responded back.

Mr. Coble,

Thank you for your response to my email to you. You write that "The Second Amendment clearly provides a constitutional right to keep and bear arms but that does not trump the authority of the government to maintain public safety, particularly for children.". I must disagree. The entire purpose of the Constitution is to place limits on government action. If the Constitution says you can't do it, then you can't. The Second Amendment clearly states that the rights of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. One of your responsibilities as a Congressman is to use your influence to ensure that legislation that violates the Constitution, in letter or spirit, does not make it out of the House. We are a Constitutional Republic. If the majority feels that a portion of the Constitution is flawed then the way to correct the flaw is set forth in the Constitution itself. You repeal it. you don't rationalize your actions and ignore it. With all due respect sir, do your job.

Sincerely,

I know, he'll probably never see, much less read, it. Felt good though.