To Whom It May Concern:
As a Smith & Wesson Authorized Dealer, I know that you must have been following the recent news regarding Smith & Wesson's agreement regarding firearms manufacture, distribution, and marketing with several government agencies.
I am sure you know that many (probably most) knowledgeable gun owners are disappointed and even outraged by this agreement. Its terms are completely unacceptable. The entire agreement represents an unconscionable bypass of the legislative process by government agencies and individuals who no longer even pretend to respect the basic principles that are supposed to govern our nation. I hope that you share our sentiments and are as angry and outraged as we are.
While the proper object of our anger is the government that extorted such concessions from a legitimate business, we are also quite disappointed and angry that Smith & Wesson capitulated under pressure and agreed to such a punitive and unreasonable set of terms.
It is my understanding that Smith & Wesson dealers and distributors are being asked to sign some sort of pledge to abide by the terms of this agreement in order to maintain their status as Smith & Wesson authorized dealers.
As a gun owner and as President of Michigan's largest grassroots pro-gun lobbying and education organization, I ask that you refuse to sign this agreement. Please tell Smith & Wesson that you refuse to comply, and that you no longer wish to sell their products. We no longer wish to buy them, anyway.
I realize that this places you in a difficult situation. It probably seems easy for us to advise you about how to run your business when it doesn't really seem to affect us. But please know that it does affect us. It affects all of us who cherish our right to keep and bear arms along with our other freedoms. If we cave in to government pressure now, we will lose everything sooner or later. Now is the time to stand firm and say "NO MORE!"
We wish to do what we can to help support you in this decision. While we are unable to directly assist you in absorbing the costs associated with making the transition to other manufacturers' products, we can help by publicizing your decision to stand firm with gun owners against this audacious and immoral power grab by the government.
If you will commit to dropping the Smith & Wesson product line, we will do everything within our power to let gun owners in Michigan know about it, and to request that they support you with their business. We have thousands of members who receive our newsletter (as well as countless others who see it second hand). We will publish a list of the dealers who drop Smith & Wesson on principle, and ask our members and supporters to patronize your businesses. Our article submission deadline for the next bimonthly newsletter is April 5th. If we receive your reply by then your name can be included in the article we intend to run in that issue.
Furthermore, we will set aside a special place on our internet website to list your business and explain the decision you have made to stand together with us. We will leave this page on our website as a form of free advertising for you, in recognition of your willingness to stand firm against government intrusions on our firearms rights. If you have other ideas about how we can help you, please do not hesitate to contact me.
While it is tragic to see a fine historic name such as Smith & Wesson's die in ignominy, I believe it is better to let one manufacturer lose everything while the rest of us stand firm than it is to see the entire industry taken apart piece by piece. The fate of Smith & Wesson will serve as an example to other manufacturers and to the government that we will not be intimidated into surrendering our rights. We will win in the end, because we have truth and justice on our side. Please join us!
Thank you for your attention and consideration.
Sincerely,
Bradley J. Foster
President
Michigan Coalition for Responsible Gun Owners
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Bradley J. Foster
President
Michigan Coalition for Responsible Gun
Owners