Jerry Knowles

I recently sent an email to Jerry Knowles, Representative for Schuylkill County in the PA House of Representatives regarding my concerns about maintaining gun rights in PA. I recieved a letter back today in which he said the following:

"As you know, last year Governor Rendell proposed several measures that would create stricter handgun laws in Pennsylvania. This package was debated and discussed in the General Assembly, but nothing was approved."
"I am an opponent of legislation that would enact further unreasonable controls on law-abiding gun owners. Pennsylvania has a fairly restrictive set of gun laws and regulations. Given these laws, I intend to review any gun control proposals with careful scrutiny and to oppose what seems to be unreasonable control of a law-abiding individual's right to lawfully possess and use firearms."

I was very please with how responsive Representative Knowles was, and it seems that his positions are good ones. He also included a handwritten note at the end of the typed letter saying "PS I agree with you completely"

For anyone else in this area who would like to share their views with him, his email address is jknowles@pahousegop.com

Jeff

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jeff1981

"I am an opponent of legislation that would enact further unreasonable controls on law-abiding gun owners. Pennsylvania has a fairly restrictive set of gun laws and regulations. Given these laws, I intend to review any gun control proposals with careful scrutiny and to oppose what seems to be unreasonable control of a law-abiding individual's right to lawfully possess and use firearms."

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This guy really fooled you, didn't he. Anyone can talk tough words in a personal letter. Why don't you ask him about the last time he introduced a bill to repeal the UFA. Oh, wait, he never introduced one.

These legislators pretend like anything passed before their time is not their responsibility, hence their use of words like 'further controls' and 'review proposals'. These legislators who do nothing about the unconstitutional laws that continue to exist under their watch fail to support the constitution, as is their oath, as much as those who introduce and pass the unconstitutional legislation in the first place.

Tell Jerry that you are going to draft a bill to largely repeal the UFA and errant unconstitutional laws against our arms (like those in Inchoate Crimes chapter of the Crimes Code, or those in the Game Code), and provide auxiliary materials to help facilitate its passage. Ask if he will really stand behind his words regarding that 'Pennsylvania has a fairly restrictive set of gun laws and regulations' by introducing that bill.

Then maybe you will get an idea about where he really stands.

Well, that's a good point. I lack the expertise to actually draft a bill, but if anyone wants to help me develop some points of law to support the repeal of the UFA, I will happily write another letter and see what response and action Rep Knowles is willing to take. I was impressed that he bothered to respond at all, and the fact that he responded favorably puts him ahead of the pack in my view.

I generally distrust politicians, however I get a good vibe from this guy. I think it would be worth putting suggestions for improving the existing legislation before him.

In particular, I'm wondering if anyone can point me to a website to review the actual laws in question, and some advice about how to present changes or repeals to the legislature. In my (admittedly limited) experience, it is better to approach these things politely and respectfully rather than full of fire.