Anybody see any hope in this? (Don't we wish!) A couple of the local activists put their electronic correspondence with their legiscritter (this guy Zirkin) onto the md-alert list, and I chimed in with the remark that he appeared not to have read Lott, and might wish to inform himself as to straight up. Dunno whether that, or (more likely) the originals triggered this -- Z did respond to the first couple, but with typical bumf, of course . . .
To: "'robert_zirkin@house.state.md.us'" <robert_zirkin@house.state.md.us>
Date: Wed, 2 Feb 2000 06:59:09 -0600
Mr. Zirkin,
I too have been following your conversations regarding "reasonable gun regulation". I am an attorney, former police officer, parent, children's karate instructor and a member of the PTA. I am respectfully requesting you review your oath of office, the United States Constitution, John Lott's writings and Judge Sam Cummings written decision in US v Emerson.
You have a responsibility to the citizens of Maryland to be as informed as possible on the issues surrounding firearms ownership before you cast a vote. It is quite apparent that you are not. "Reasonable Gun Regulations" has been the mantra of every dictator since history has been recorded. If you persist in passing "reasonable gun regulations" you place yourself in the company of Pol Pot, Adolph Hitler and many other "luminaries" of Gun Control. If you insist on pursuing "reasonable gun regulations" in violation of your oath of office, you will be held accountable at the polls as well as in a Court of Law.
If you do the research you will discover that the Second Amendment is a fundamental, individual right that is the bedrock of our Constitution and System of Government. As such, any regulation touching on Second Amendment Rights is subject to strict scrutiny and must be narrowly tailored to serve a compelling state interest.
I have determined that my oath as an attorney to "preserve, defend and protect the Constitution of the United States" demands that I hold you and any other elected official accountable for acts against the Civil Rights of the Citizens of Maryland and America. Any attempt to restrict the free exercise of citizen's Second Amendment Rights is unconstitutional and violates your oath of office.
With Crime Rates falling, firearms related accidents at an all time low and defensive uses of firearms (especially handguns) far outnumbering criminal uses of firearms, your "reasonable gun regulations" do not address criminal activity but do unconstitutionally infringe on the free exercise of a civil right by those you are presumably not seeking to regulate. The fact that the State of Maryland arbitrarily determines who may carry a concealed weapon and forces an applicant to prove a need, rather than respecting the Right of law abiding citizens to carry a weapon for self defense unless they are a felon or mentally unstable is prima facia evidence that the State of Maryland does not respect the Constitution or the principles enshrined therein. This is intolerable and a violation of your oath of office. You are elected to serve, not to subjugate.
If you, and your colleagues, insist on this course of action you will force law-abiding gun owners to pursue this matter in every court available, using every action available. This may include, but not be limited to, requests for injunctions, petitions and court actions to have officials who are violating their oath of office removed, possible criminal charges for attempting to subvert the US Constitution and any other action deemed appropriate.
Firearms owners are through being regulated and vilified to the rear of the civil rights bus. We will not tolerate further unconstitutional erosion of our rights with regulations that will never affect an immoral individual bent on criminal designs. Your "reasonable gun regulations" do nothing to regulate or impede criminal activity, but they do further restrict lawful, constitutional activity on the part of Maryland residents. You are on notice that no longer will lawful citizens sit back waiting for proponents of "reasonable gun regulations" to realize they are acting illogically and unconstitutionally.
Feel free to circulate this notice to all of your colleagues.
Sincerely,
Mark Alexander, Esq.
Middletown, Maryland