The following is a copy of the letter I sent to Attorney General Jennings.
Attorney General Jennings,
As a citizen of the United States, the state of Delaware, and a Vietnam combat veteran, I am asking you to change or modify some of your 10 priories for 2021.
1. “Require a permit to purchase”. This does nothing to keep guns away from criminals, it only makes it difficult for law abiding citizens to use their 2nd Amendment rights and does not deter any criminal . All “legal” firearm purchases go through the Federal Background check. Please tell me how this will reduce criminals from obtaining a firearm?
2. “Ban high-capacity magazines and “assault weapons”. What constitutes “high capacity” and what is an “assault weapon?
Webster defines “assault” as Verb: “a violent physical or verbal attack”, or “a threat or attempt to inflict offensive physical contact or bodily harm on a person (as by lifting a fist in a threatening manner) that puts the person in immediate danger of or in apprehension”. Noun: “to make an assault on : to attack violently”. Any item such as a knife, hammer, shovel, ice pick, rock, tire iron can be used to assault a person including verbal attacks. So, we should ban all the items listed here? Unless you plan to ban all the mentioned items, do not use the term “assault weapon”.
“High Capacity” What gives you the right to say what is high capacity? Each person has their own opinion on what defines high. What makes your opinion better than mine? As a combat veteran, to me high capacity is 500 or more. Each firearm has a different capacity magazine standard. If you define capacity lower than the manufactures default capacity you will limit the sale of that firearm in Delaware which goes against my constitutional right to own that firearm.
3. “Regulate homemade gun kits” Ok, I can go along with this, but how are you going to enforce this? Do you plan to send all the police in DE to everyone’s home to see if they are making a homemade gun? We have way too many unenforceable laws on the books now without adding another.
4. “Fund body camera for all officer in Delaware” Excellent, I agree with you completely and I am glad to see budgeting to complete this project.
5. “Create a consistent, objective use of force standard” Another good idea but please include recommendations from the State Police and other law enforcement personal.
6. “End cash bail”. This is so outdated and unrealistic and should have been changed many years ago. Credit/debit cards are acceptable standards and should be allowed.
7. “End excessive fines and fees” I agree, why should we have a debtor’s prison in DE. Make sure the fees fit the crime especially on first offense. Repeat offenders deserve stiffer fines.
8. “Outlaw unfair business practices” Finally this subject is being discussed and hopefully a fair resolution will become law.
9. “Secure our right to vote” This is extremely important! The only way to have a fair and secure vote is to require each voter to present a photo ID when voting in person or when requesting an absentee ballot. If someone wants to mail in a ballot, a request should be made via email, web site, US Mail, or in person. A number or code should correspond to the person receiving the ballot and verified upon acceptance at the election office that that number or code was issued. No mail in ballot should be counted or allowed without the code or a number period, no exceptions! Ballots should NEVER be sent out randomly to all, only to registered voters with the aforementioned number or code so they can be verified upon receipt.
10. “Get guns out of polling places” I worked at my local precinct election day and it was a privilege to do so. Guns were never an issue so why should they be now? There are many people that have concealed carry permits and their permit should not be restricted at polling places. Our precinct had a local law enforcement officer outside the door all the time.
Please review my concerns and either eliminate or make major changes to items 1, 2, and total remove 3 as it is useless. Items 4 through 8 are good priorities to pursue. Item 9 must be changed as I noted to maintain a fair election! Item 10 is really not necessary to spend much of your time with.
