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A Message from Barrett
Barret is an American rifle producer. When California banned civilian ownership of any powerful Barret rifles, Barret subsequently stopped all sales to California government agencies. The following is a letter from the President of Barret to the government of Hawaii, whom is considering a similar ban.
Original: http://www.barrettrifles.com/news_articles.aspx?id=50
Dear Chief Correa:
I am Ronnie Barrett, President of Barrett Firearms Manufacturing, Inc. In 1982, I invented a rifle and started producing it in my gravel-floor garage. Through hard work and financial risk, my company has grown into a brand that is known around the world for its products and services.
What began for me as a personal sport shooting rifle has evolved into one that is used by many sportsmen throughout the country, the United States military, law enforcement agencies and by nearly 50 American allied countries around the world.
Barrett Firearms Manufacturing, like all U.S. small arms defense contractors, has a combination of civilian, police and government defense sales in order to sustain its business life. This is the only way we can stand ready when products are needed in both peacetime and during war.
Simply put, the small arms defense industry in America would not survive if not for commercial sales, which are a significant part of our business. Unless the government is ready to bring back its manufacturing arsenals that were finally closed in 1968, it needs to guard and protect the privately-owned businesses that provide these essential products.
The act of a governmental entity banning commercial sales of legal firearms, such as my .50 caliber rifle, not only violates the basic principles of the United States Constitution, but also puts national security at risk by ending the delicate balance between the government and the private sector. Furthermore, it sets a precedent that endangers the future of other vital defense contractors.
How important is this particular rifle? In 2004, the United States Army named the Barrett M107 Rifle as one of the Top 10 Greatest Inventions for helping our brave service men and women do their jobs. The free enterprise system allowed me, a civilian sportsman and manufacturer, to perfect that rifle and get it into the hands of those who use it to defend freedom.
I am, of course, aware that you are receiving exaggerated and untrue information that is originating from the Violence Policy Center. For many years The VPC has claimed an urgent need to ban powerful rifles by predicting some attack will soon happen that would result in preposterous destruction. Well, as much as they promote the attack idea, they don’t happen, as this is not the type of weapon our enemies are using against us.
VPC’s call for urgent action is in hopes that no time will be spent in factual research that easily reveals the irrationality of these exaggerated claims. All of these tactics have failed to work in Washington, D.C. Now, the VPC’s plan is to continue this deception at the state level.
I was in law enforcement myself for several years. There is something that bothers me, and I believe it should bother you as a police official. Sir, your general testimony and statements must be based on factual evidence. All police work in this great nation must be firmly grounded in facts, collected evidence, and the solid truth.
Throughout history, when police work was contaminated with innuendos, fabrications and fear tactics, the society was doomed. Now, I must ask you how many murders can you report that were committed in your jurisdiction with a .50-caliber rifle? How many robberies? How many .50-caliber rifles have you found at crime scenes? The answers should be the true facts; anything else is the destroyer of our society, our great republic.
It is the law. Barrett Firearms Manufacturing cannot sell our products to those who break the law even though the officials responsible may not yet be indicted. Barrett will not support a state or local government that is obviously in violation of the United States Constitution thereby jeopardizing the safety and security of its citizens.
Be aware there are more companies that will respect this position. If Hawaii or any state bans the sale of the .50-caliber rifle, we will immediately stop the sale and service of all Barrett products to that state’s government agencies. We will also welcome all small arms manufacturers to take the same action.
Sincerely,
Ronnie G. Barrett
President
How Open is YOUR Congress?
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Following the adjournment of Congress today, Republicans have refused to leave the premises. They are protesting the inaction of the House on addressing the issue of oil prices and domestic oil drilling. A issue they promised to review and resolve before leaving for their 5-week long vacation.
The lights has been turned off, the air-conditioning is gone, and the Republicans has had no access to the microphone. Yet they continued to fight to make their positions known, and hopefully see congress come back in session.
Democrats went as far as to kick journalists from the chambers, and turn off the power to C-SPAN cameras. The police were called to remove journalists from the gallery. Is this where our freedom has gone? Preventing press and speech when we wish our issues to be solved?
The Republicans called for a bull-horn and hijacked the microphone system in order to continue to speak to taxpayers who remain in the gallery. It seems if the Democrats continue to have their way, the taxpayers will not even be able to listen to their representatives.
Republican from Michigan, Thaddeus McCotter is recorded saying “This is the peoples house, this is not Pelosi’s politiburo.” Although I do not usually make it a habit of supporting McCotter he is absolutely right. We, the Citizens of the United states, should have our problems and our concerns addressed. Unfortunately the Deomocrats do not see eye-to-eye.
After five-hours of the Republican standoff it was called to an end. They had hoped for either Pelosi to call congress back into session, or the President to call a special session. Neither has happened, and the media has been unable, or refused to cover the situation. It was called as a lost-cause only when it was getting started. However, plenty of press releases and audio are available around the web from the standoff, and I highly suggest tracking them down.
This should be a wakening call to Americans that care for how their country is run. We cannot allow our congressional representatives to go home instead of addressing key issues and making important decisions. We pay them to act, and work for us, rather than leave when convienant. It is time we start to let them know how we feel.
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