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Good evening,

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I must say that I was very disappointed to see that the Falls Church City Council voted in favor of implementing the anti-gun ordinance on Monday night in spite of strong opposition to the measure from the public.

 

I need to clarify a point in my previous email.  When Ms. Mester read my email, she said "I ask that you vote on the side of the freedoms granted to us by the Constitution".   What I actually wrote in my email was "I ask that you vote on the side of the freedoms guaranteed to us by the Constitution".  I recognize that the two words share many of the same letters and appear very similar.  However, they are radically different in meaning.  The Constitution did not grant us the right to keep and bear arms, it guaranteed that our right to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.

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Rights are inalienable, meaning they cannot be granted, given, transferred, sold, or be taken away, except through the use of force.  When establishing our nation, our founding fathers knew that our individual rights were too precious to be left vulnerable to the tyranny of the majority, so they enshrined certain rights in the Bill of Rights for our protection.  They guaranteed that no locality could ban anyone of a certain religion.  They guaranteed that no locality could decide it was practical to quarter soldiers in peoples' homes.  They guaranteed that no locality could allow its police force to stop and frisk anyone they deemed suspicious.  They guaranteed that no locality could eliminate due process.  They guaranteed that no locality could strip its people of the tools necessary to protect their life, liberty, or property from criminals, or more importantly, from tyrants.  On Monday night we heard for hours as nearly everyone who submitted comments reminded you that this ordinance was unconstitutional.  In case that word has lost its meaning due to overuse, it means that this ordinance is illegal.

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Ms Hardi, in your statement toward the end you mentioned that you had recently taken the concealed handgun permit test online, and found that it was really easy.  It should be easy.  It should be easy for citizens to vote.  It should be easy for foreigners to legally immigrate to this country.  It should be easy for people to start a business.  It should be easy for people to marry whoever they want (as long as the other person agrees).  It should be easy for people to legally arm themselves when in public, because criminals already do.  We should not make it hard for  people to exercise their rights.  I highly encourage you to get a concealed handgun permit, get firearms training, and if you choose to, buy a gun.  I would be glad to teach you how to safely and effectively use a firearm.  We would all be safer if you were trained and armed.  This offer goes for any of you in the city council.  I would be glad to teach any of you how to safely handle and shoot a gun.  You probably won't decide to become a gun enthusiast, and that's ok.  Not everyone has to be.  But it would go a long way in showing that you really do care about the views of the people you affect by your ordinances.

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Thanks again for your time.

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David