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An Open Letter From Ronnie Barrett

Dear Fellow Citizens

In the never-ending battle to destroy our constitution, more "big lie"
propaganda is being dumped on our elected officials. The rhetoric
given forth by the Violence Policy Center (VPC) so easily deceived the
legislators of California, resulting in the banning of fifty caliber
rifles because they are powerful and their bullets punch holes when
they strike. Even single shot .50 cal rifles were banned. It's hard
to believe we live in such a dark time that someone has actually
banned a single shot rifle. But as you will see, this is the
cleverest of all gun bans, and the end goal is civilian disarmament,
the confiscation of your tools of liberty, your rifles.

What lies before us is the continuation of the misinformation
campaign, trying to coax yet another state to infringe upon the U.S.
Constitution as California did. The anti-freedom/anti-gun movement
has discovered how transparent they appear when they propose sweeping
gun bans and now are successful by biting off a little at a time.
Ever so small, many politicians are trading off your rights without
you recognizing their violations.

First we had the "Saturday Night Special" which was all affordable
handguns, then "sniper rifles" which were any scoped deer rifles.
Those were obvious, too big a scam to go unnoticed, but with the
creation and demonization of the term "assault weapon," the Clinton's
Crime bill produced a wasted 10-year setback on your freedoms and safe
gun design. Now comes another scam. This time they are shocked to
discover that rifles are "accurate and powerful."

This is the same bull the officials in the 1950's fell for when they
banned the self-unfolding knife. First the knife was demonized by
giving it an evil name, "switchblade," then we (the trusting public)
were told that the problem of gang violence was solved with its
banning. How ridiculous. It's surprising they didn't ban the leather
jacket. In reality, gang violence was and is a serious social
problem, but it was not related to manually unfolding verses
self-unfolding knives. The elected officials voting to ban an object
like a knife proved themselves unwilling or uncaring to understand the
problem, and thus, incapable of any real solutions.

The handful of people that make up the VPC are solely responsible for
the big lie on .50's, claiming fantastic destruction capabilities.
They manipulate fear by claiming terrorists will use these rifles on
targets of our infrastructure. "They will shut down our airports in
flames" they claim. VPC's Tom Diaz refers to them as "super guns"
lying to his dupable group of politicians, concealing the facts that
there are many rifle cartridges that are comparable in performance
(those will be added to the list in phase two). He is boldly telling
these officials (and all who will listen) that the risk of terrorist
attacks on these targets will be solved with the banning of powerful
rifles, in this case, the .50 caliber rifle. In reality, terrorism is
complex and will be defeated with improved intelligence. In this
instance, the officials voting to ban an inanimate object like a rifle
prove themselves to be ignorant of the problem of terrorism and are
wasting time and resources.

You must understand the brilliance of this dangerous back door
deception. Your politicians are being told that the fifty is a highly
destructive cartridge that can destroy airplanes, fuel transport
trucks and depot storages of fuel. They show videos like the one on
60 Minutes showing a 1/2 inch plate of steel being pierced by a .50
cal round while stopping a .308 caliber. This is all to confuse the
people, those with little exposure to firearms; their impression
concludes that the .50 punches holes in sensitive targets where other
rifles cannot. Had they shot actual aluminum that is used on airplane
construction, or aluminum or steel used in actual transport or tank
construction, both the .50 and the .308 will pierce along with most
all centerfire cartridges. But this, they must keep secret.

First, with the confusion of massive, (although incorrect) technical
data and the hammering of urgency, the VPC demands a ban or strict
regulations on rifles that chamber a cartridge that has the ability to
penetrate targets. Sound ridiculous? It is.

VPC's Tom Diaz appears often on TV with maps of Washington, DC,
irresponsibly instructing where to position one's self to illegally
fire on vulnerable important targets of our government, promising
these specific targets will be safe when .50's are banned. He
pressures politicians to act quickly on this URGENT legislation needed
to make these terrorist targets safe, hoping they will act before the
VPC lies are discovered.

Now slow down. A ban on a rifle because the cartridge it shoots
penetrates targets? By the legislation naming and defining the
targets that are damageable by rifle fire, and in this case, .50 cal.
rifle fire, they create a new class of rifles. This new class is not
defined by such foolishness as detachable magazines, flash hiders, or
pistol grips. Instead, the test is; does it fire a bullet that
punches a hole, and can the hole result in damage to specified and
named targets? If so, the law-abiding citizen shouldn't be allowed to
have this, so they must ban this class of rifle before they can be
misused. This is the very thing California has just passed!

"Now, we are only talking about those powerful .50 cals, right? It's
such a small class, no one will mind or even notice." That's what the
VPC's lies have lead you to believe. No, remember they are banning
rifles because specific targets named in our infrastructure are
susceptible to damage. Now tell me, what centerfire rifle cartridge
won't punch holes in those targets? What centerfire rifle cartridge
is not powerful? Not many or not any? So, in order to comply with
the spirit and intent of the law, the Attorney General or State
Secretary must add those cartridges to the banned list. The big lie
is exposed. They aren't just talking about .50's. They're after your
hunting rifles, centerfire target rifles-just about any rifle you own.

Unlike California, we cannot allow any of our local, state, or federal
officials to be deceived with any of this "big lie" gun control
propaganda. The U.S. has every gun law that could possibly be needed.
Virtually every real world scenario of firearm abuse is already
covered in some law that is currently on the books.

Many of you have inquired as to the outcome of the letter I wrote to
Police Chief Bratten of the LAPD. Unfortunately, the chief's position
did not change. He continued to use his officers in the same
deceptive practices formerly utilized with the city council. These
few officers testifying in Sacramento ultimately contributed to the
unconstitutional AB50 law being passed. It saddened me to have to
tell members of the LAPD SWAT team that they would have to send
someone for their rifle, because I refused to assist anyone or any
organization that is in violation of the United States Constitution.
In turn, the department arranged to pick up their un-serviced rifle.

Barrett cannot legally sell any of its products to lawbreakers.
Therefore, since California's passing of AB50, the state is not in
compliance with the US Constitution's 2nd and 14th Amendments, and we
will not sell nor service any of our products to any government agency
of the State of California.

I appreciate all the phone calls and e-mails from LAPD officers and
civilians during that time, encouraging and supporting our actions.
We shall see if other firearms companies will follow this path. I
know many are corporately owned and feel like they are unable to risk
the life of their company for the liberties of our nation, but if we
lose our Republic, our freedom, what good is any of it? I am in the
proud and fortunate position that many of our forefathers were in when
they risked all for our liberties.

"Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would
they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at
the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not
what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me
death!" -Patrick Henry