Please oppose the House-passed version of H.R. 1585. I agree with Gun Owners of America that the anti-gun provisions in this bill pretend to help battered women,
but in fact leave them disarmed and vulnerable to their abusers.
For example, Section 801 of H.R. 1585 would allow a gun owner to be stripped of his or her constitutional rights by any dating partner or former dating partner.
We know that these quickie
proceedings are frequently used by jilted lovers to exact revenge — and are also used by abusers to disarm their battered victims.
We also know that accusers frequently lie, and seldom are called to account for it. In connection with Connecticut’s red flag
gun confiscation program, for instance, researcher David Kopel has found that at least a third of initial restraining orders are bogus.
Not only that, Kopel recently testified before Congress how a California man, who was cheating on his wife, used the state’s red flag law to have police confiscate his wife’s Glock.
And Salon has reported that men will use Temporary Restraining Orders to disarm their ex’s before assaulting them. So bills like H.R. 1585 can end up hurting the very people this bill is supposed to help.
There are other problems with the bill, too. Please oppose the House-passed version of H.R. 1585.
Greg Raven, Apple Valley, CA
