****PAFOA Representation**** Harrisburg Capitol Building, 9/24 and 9/25

[JDA58]

Well done

A+

[Walleye Hunter]

Give him a stupid hat with those stupid shoes and that striped shirt and he could be a member of the Swiss guard protecting the Vatican!

I can't tell myself but the consensus is that that's a 'she'.

[wgjhsaft]

I read several and scanned thru most. What do you want to know?

Where to read them (i.e. are then on the Senate's site?).

[Walleye Hunter]

I have to look for guys in POOFA shirts tomorrow. Sorry I didn't meet any of you today.

My take away from today is that the Left's next big move is to use suicide as a reason to take guns. Mark my words, this will become as dominant as Red Flags laws. The first 2 panels talked extensively about suicide rates being so high because of "easy access to guns". Yeah right....

But you see what they do. Black guns must go. 'Assault' guns must go. Magazines must go. AR's must go. AK's must go. And now with all the suicides, hand guns will need to go too.

Yeah but if I heard them correctly they also said that there was no connection between mental illness and shooting other people.

[gghbi]

Where to read them (i.e. are then on the Senate's site?).

Links in the earlier post listing the agenda. You can also see the ones for tomorrow. the video is also there if you want to watch it. All 3 hours 45 minutes of it.
http://www.senatorbaker.com/2019/09/20/092419/

[Walleye Hunter]

Well the Mrs has to stay home tomorrow and my other comrade has a drs. appointment so I'll be flying solo. I'm figuring for an 1100 or later arrival. It cost $30 to park in the 7th st garage for the day.

[MIKIEG]

Well, anger fresh in my veins and a big Cuban sandwich still in my belly, I just fired off this book to Senator Lisa Baker, copying my Senator Mike Regan, also on the Committee today.


Good evening, Senator Baker.

First, thank you for the your willingness to lead an open discussion on the issues of mental health and the Second Amendment.

I was in attendance today for the first hearing seated in a front row and was interested in hearing how you and the rest of the committee would approach the calls for gun control. Of course in our form of Government, it is important to hear both sides of every issue to make an informed decision for the good of the whole. However, that's where I am very concerned about how today's hearing was organized and run. We were able to hear extensively from many speakers in the fields of medicine, law enforcement and the courts. The speakers from the Philadelphia hospitals in particular, were given an enormous allotment of time despite their speeches being full of emotion with little substance or solutions. When it was time for the representatives of the people, the pro-Second Amendment speakers, there was suddenly no interest by the committee in hearing their words. Three-quarters of the Committee members filed out and the remaining three, including yourself, were not focused on their content, but on the clock.

I, and the rest of the public in attendance noticed. We felt slighted by our representatives who pushed our views and the speakers representing us aside. While the gentleman in the back of the room who shouted for fairness at the end of the meeting may have broken Senate decorum, he was exactly right and said what the rest of of were thinking...our lawmakers need to give us equal time and a chance to stand up for our rights as they come under attack. You must realize that many gun control laws do very little to actually affect crime, because the simple fact that's ignored by proponents of gun control and the legislators who vote for it is...criminals will never follow laws. Any and all gun control will only affect law-abiding gun owners, not those committing crimes.

As we listened to the Senator representing Philadelphia and the doctors from his city go back and forth about "good guys with a gun" and all of the shootings they see in their city, they failed to acknowledge or admit that their city's shootings are not because of our freedoms to bear arms, but they are due to the broken homes and cultural issues in city, like most urban areas with crime problems. It's a problem that sadly carries on from generation to generation but isn't the result of firearms being owned in our country, but a lack of respect for human life and disregard for laws. As we've seen in London and other areas that managed to completely ban guns, the attacks will continue with other means. Now London is trying to ban knives. Acid attacks have become commonplace there too. Guns are NOT the problem, but ARE a means for the good people of America to protect themselves and their children from those who break laws and seek to kill.

In May, Senator Baker, I personally sat in your office and joined in a discussion with you and representatives from GOA after our annual 2A rally in the rotunda. You had assured us that you've used guns in your lifetime, supported our rights and you had no intentions of considering any gun control "at that time". This statement still is on the minds of many of us in attendance today, as we are hopeful that through the pressure of these testimonies we're hearing, that you will stand strong and stay true to what you had told us that day. Your Oath of Office should be kept in mind whenever considering a law that would strip or restrict the freedom of the people who chose you to serve and represent them. I truly hope that freedom and the important of maintaining it will overcome those who wish to restrict it. Without our freedoms, especially the 2A, our nation will cease to be free.

We will be in attendance tomorrow and do hope that both sides get a fair chance to speak and be heard. That was the most disheartening part of the Tuesday hearings...that anti-gun proponents received preferential treatment and near unanimity in the timeshare. Ten minutes at the end, to a quarter of the committee, for those needing to defend our freedoms was honestly a farce.

Thank you for your time.

Concerned PA resident and Second Amendment supporter.

<name>


CC: My Senator, Mike Regan

Nice letter, Alpacaheat...I'm just so frustratednwith this entire F-ing political bullshit system in this country, I can't even think straight right now.

Glad, though, that you have managed to keep your composure. Will the bitch ever read it? Anybody's guess.

[ett]

Here's a little bit of news coverage of today:
https://fox43.com/2019/09/24/house-j...on-for-a-vote/
4f19bcbf-e71d-4b1f-ae4b-7ed4f6619951.jpg

HARRISBURG, Pa. - Second Amendment rights and gun-related issues were big topics at the State House Tuesday. The Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on mental health and Second Amendment rights, while the House Judiciary Committee voted on several pieces of gun and crime related legislation.

Outside the Capitol Tuesday morning, people carried their guns as a sign of protest against stricter gun laws.

“I want to be able to protect myself when the need arrises," said Julia Glenn, protestor.

Inside the capitol, the Senate Judiciary Committee began a two-day hearing to discuss mental health and Second Amendment rights. At the same time, the House Judiciary Committee voted on gun and crime-related legislation.

“Granted, we have not done enough as some people would like on either side," said Chairman Rob Kauffman. "This was a balanced approached today on looking at gun laws in the commonwealth.”

Twelve bills were up for votes in the committee, the majority sponsored by republican lawmakers. The bills mostly focused on brining current state law up to date with federal law, prohibiting people who commit certain crimes from owning a gun, along with consecutive and mandatory minimum sentences for violent offenders.

While these bills passed out of committee, they were not backed by many democrats.

“My fear is that when we install something like a mandatory minimum back into place it hasn’t worked in the past," said State Rep. Josh Dawkins. "I don’t foresee it working in the future and I only see folks who look like me tend to get this mandatory minimum charge more often than not.”

Democratic lawmakers, including Governor Tom Wolf have called on House Judiciary Committee Chairman Kauffman to bring democrat sponsored gun safety legislation, like red flag laws, to a vote. However, Chairman Kauffman makes it clear that will not happen.

“We will not be considering red flag in the house judiciary committee," said Chairman Kauffman. "So long as Chairman Kauffman is chairman.”

Governor Wolf says he is extremely frustrated Chairman Kauffman will not allow votes on some gun safety legislation. He says, "We should be taking action to improve gun safety and reduce gun violence, not going in the opposite directions."

[LBaker]

I hope the person who spoke to WGAL 8 did a good job because what they did was come pull Shira out of the hearing to give the opposing view. They only interviewed those two!

[cruzans]

Well done!

Well, anger fresh in my veins and a big Cuban sandwich still in my belly, I just fired off this book to Senator Lisa Baker, copying my Senator Mike Regan, also on the Committee today.


Good evening, Senator Baker.

First, thank you for the your willingness to lead an open discussion on the issues of mental health and the Second Amendment.

I was in attendance today for the first hearing seated in a front row and was interested in hearing how you and the rest of the committee would approach the calls for gun control. Of course in our form of Government, it is important to hear both sides of every issue to make an informed decision for the good of the whole. However, that's where I am very concerned about how today's hearing was organized and run. We were able to hear extensively from many speakers in the fields of medicine, law enforcement and the courts. The speakers from the Philadelphia hospitals in particular, were given an enormous allotment of time despite their speeches being full of emotion with little substance or solutions. When it was time for the representatives of the people, the pro-Second Amendment speakers, there was suddenly no interest by the committee in hearing their words. Three-quarters of the Committee members filed out and the remaining three, including yourself, were not focused on their content, but on the clock.

I, and the rest of the public in attendance noticed. We felt slighted by our representatives who pushed our views and the speakers representing us aside. While the gentleman in the back of the room who shouted for fairness at the end of the meeting may have broken Senate decorum, he was exactly right and said what the rest of of were thinking...our lawmakers need to give us equal time and a chance to stand up for our rights as they come under attack. You must realize that many gun control laws do very little to actually affect crime, because the simple fact that's ignored by proponents of gun control and the legislators who vote for it is...criminals will never follow laws. Any and all gun control will only affect law-abiding gun owners, not those committing crimes.

As we listened to the Senator representing Philadelphia and the doctors from his city go back and forth about "good guys with a gun" and all of the shootings they see in their city, they failed to acknowledge or admit that their city's shootings are not because of our freedoms to bear arms, but they are due to the broken homes and cultural issues in city, like most urban areas with crime problems. It's a problem that sadly carries on from generation to generation but isn't the result of firearms being owned in our country, but a lack of respect for human life and disregard for laws. As we've seen in London and other areas that managed to completely ban guns, the attacks will continue with other means. Now London is trying to ban knives. Acid attacks have become commonplace there too. Guns are NOT the problem, but ARE a means for the good people of America to protect themselves and their children from those who break laws and seek to kill.

In May, Senator Baker, I personally sat in your office and joined in a discussion with you and representatives from GOA after our annual 2A rally in the rotunda. You had assured us that you've used guns in your lifetime, supported our rights and you had no intentions of considering any gun control "at that time". This statement still is on the minds of many of us in attendance today, as we are hopeful that through the pressure of these testimonies we're hearing, that you will stand strong and stay true to what you had told us that day. Your Oath of Office should be kept in mind whenever considering a law that would strip or restrict the freedom of the people who chose you to serve and represent them. I truly hope that freedom and the important of maintaining it will overcome those who wish to restrict it. Without our freedoms, especially the 2A, our nation will cease to be free.

We will be in attendance tomorrow and do hope that both sides get a fair chance to speak and be heard. That was the most disheartening part of the Tuesday hearings...that anti-gun proponents received preferential treatment and near unanimity in the timeshare. Ten minutes at the end, to a quarter of the committee, for those needing to defend our freedoms was honestly a farce.

Thank you for your time.

Concerned PA resident and Second Amendment supporter.

<name>


CC: My Senator, Mike Regan