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Columbine Survivor Pens Bold Open Letter to Obama Rejecting Gun Control: ‘Whose Side Are You On?’

Feb. 20, 2013 10:10am Billy Hallowell

Columbine survivor Evan Todd released an open letter to President Barack Obama on Wednesday in which he offers a point-by-point analysis of proposed firearms control initiatives, dismissing them as ineffective and dangerous to Americans’ rights.

He recently outlined why he fervently disagrees with the gun control policies that have been proposed in the wake of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. TheBlaze interviewed Todd earlier this week and subsequently detailed how his experience being shot back in 1999 has shaped his views on the issue.

The letter, which speaks directly to the president, covers a number of key facets in the gun control debate. On universal background checks, Todd expresses his fears that “universal registration can easily be used for universal confiscation.” Additionally, he says his belief that assault weapons bans are ineffective and argues that the first law did little to stop violence when it was in effect from 1994 until 2004; he cites Columbine as a prime example.

“It was during this time that I personally witnessed two fellow students murder twelve of my classmates and one teacher,” he writes. “The assault weapons ban did not deter these two murderers, nor did the other thirty-something laws that they broke.”

Columbine Survivor Even Todd Rejects Obamas Gun Control Initiatives in Open Letter

President Barack Obama uses a cell phone to call supporters during a visit to a local campaign office, Monday, Oct. 1, 2012 in Henderson, Nev. Credit: AP

Of particular note in the letter is the survivor’s insistence that Obama’s proposed regulations impede the rights of Americans and endanger them by capping magazine sizes and restricting the types of guns that are available to law-abiding citizens.

“Why would you prefer criminals to have the ability to out-gun law-abiding citizens?,” he asks the president in the text. “Whose side are you on?”

Read Todd’s open letter to Obama, below.

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Mr. President,

As a student who was shot and wounded during the Columbine massacre, I have a few thoughts on the current gun debate. In regards to your gun control initiatives:

Universal Background Checks

First, a universal background check will have many devastating effects. It will arguably have the opposite impact of what you propose. If adopted, criminals will know that they can not pass a background check legally, so they will resort to other avenues. With the conditions being set by this initiative, it will create a large black market for weapons and will support more criminal activity and funnel additional money into the hands of thugs, criminals, and people who will do harm to American citizens.

Second, universal background checks will create a huge bureaucracy that will cost an enormous amount of tax payers dollars and will straddle us with more debt. We cannot afford it now, let alone create another function of government that will have a huge monthly bill attached to it.

Third, is a universal background check system possible without universal gun registration? If so, please define it for us. Universal registration can easily be used for universal confiscation. I am not at all implying that you, sir, would try such a measure, but we do need to think about our actions through the lens of time.

It is not impossible to think that a tyrant, to the likes of Mao, Castro, Che, Hitler, Stalin, Mussolini, and others, could possibly rise to power in America. It could be five, ten, twenty, or one hundred years from now — but future generations have the natural right to protect themselves from tyrannical government just as much as we currently do. It is safe to assume that this liberty that our forefathers secured has been a thorn in the side of would-be tyrants ever since the Second Amendment was adopted.

Ban on Military-Style Assault Weapons

The evidence is very clear pertaining to the inadequacies of the assault weapons ban. It had little to no effect when it was in place from 1994 until 2004. It was during this time that I personally witnessed two fellow students murder twelve of my classmates and one teacher. The assault weapons ban did not deter these two murderers, nor did the other thirty-something laws that they broke.

Gun ownership is at an all time high. And although tragedies like Columbine and Newtown are exploited by ideologues and special-interest lobbying groups, crime is at an all time low. The people have spoken. Gun store shelves have been emptied. Gun shows are breaking attendance records. Gun manufacturers are sold out and back ordered. Shortages on ammo and firearms are countrywide. The American people have spoken and are telling you that our Second Amendment shall not be infringed.

10-Round Limit for Magazines

Virginia Tech was the site of the deadliest school shooting in U.S. history. Seung-Hui Cho used two of the smallest caliber hand guns manufactured and a handful of ten round magazines. There are no substantial facts that prove that limited magazines would make any difference at all.
Second, this is just another law that endangers law-abiding citizens. I’ve heard you ask, “why does someone need 30 bullets to kill a deer?”

Let me ask you this: Why would you prefer criminals to have the ability to out-gun law-abiding citizens? Under this policy, criminals will still have their 30-round magazines, but the average American will not. Whose side are you on?

Lastly, when did they government get into the business of regulating “needs?” This is yet another example of government overreaching and straying from its intended purpose.

Selling to Criminals

Mr. President, these are your words: “And finally, Congress needs to help, rather than hinder, law enforcement as it does its job. We should get tougher on people who buy guns with the express purpose of turning around and selling them to criminals. And we should severely punish anybody who helps them do this.”

Why don’t we start with Eric Holder and thoroughly investigate the Fast and Furious program?

Furthermore, the vast majority of these mass murderers bought their weapons legally and jumped through all the hoops — because they were determined to murder. Adding more hoops and red tape will not stop these types of people. It doesn’t now — so what makes you think it will in the future? Criminals who cannot buy guns legally just resort to the black market.

Criminals and murderers will always find a way.

Critical Examination

Mr. President, in theory, your initiatives and proposals sound warm and fuzzy — but in reality they are far from what we need. Your initiatives seem to punish law-abiding American citizens and enable the murderers, thugs, and other lowlifes who wish to do harm to others.

Let me be clear: These ideas are the worst possible initiatives if you seriously care about saving lives and also upholding your oath of office. There is no dictate, law, or regulation that will stop bad things from happening — and you know that. Yet you continue to push the rhetoric. Why?

You said, “If we can save just one person it is worth it.” Well here are a few ideas that will save more that one individual:

First, forget all of your current initiatives and 23 purposed executive orders. They will do nothing more than impede law-abiding citizens and breach the intent of the Constitution. Each initiative steals freedom, grants more power to an already-overreaching government, and empowers and enables criminals to run amok.

Second, press Congress to repeal the “Gun Free Zone Act.” Don’t allow America’s teachers and students to be endangered one-day more. These parents and teachers have the natural right to defend themselves and not be looked at as criminals. There is no reason teachers must disarm themselves to perform their jobs. There is also no reason a parent or volunteer should be disarmed when they cross the school line.

This is your chance to correct history and restore liberty. This simple act of restoring freedom will deter would-be murderers and for those who try, they will be met with resistance.

Mr. President, do the right thing, restore freedom, and save lives. Show the American people that you stand with them and not with thugs and criminals.

Respectfully,

Severely Concerned Citizen, Evan M. Todd

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Be sure to also read TheBlaze’s exclusive interview with Todd about why he opposes gun control.

Editor’s Note: The author of this article regularly works on speaking tours and educational projects with Evan Todd.

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Editor’s Note: The author of this post, Billy Hallowell, was on Wednesday’s BlazeCast to discuss Evan’s letter with Blaze Editor-in-Chief Scott Baker:

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Related:

In CONTROL, Glenn Beck presents a passionate, fact-based case for guns that reveals why gun control isn’t really about controlling guns at all; it’s about controlling us. Find out more HERE.

Back to The Blaze »

Comments (383)

heidihoneighbor
Posted on February 20, 2013 at 12:39pm
IIts pretty clear who’s side he is on.
He just sent our taxpayer owned military equipment to the Muslim brotherthug, and he is all for the UNs agenda21 which cant move forward until the USA has collapsed.

The dictator is what liberals have fantasies about.

When their world comes xrashing down they will swear they had nothing to do with it.

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- Steve-S
  Posted on February 20, 2013 at 1:11pm
  This sight sadly doesn’t allow for thumbs up or thumbs down, I would have given you a thumb up.
  
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GODNKUNTRY
Posted on February 20, 2013 at 12:36pm
I applaud this guys letter to the gun-getter but it will fall on deaf ears, a total waste of effort.

There can be no compromise on gun rights. Why? Why compromise when the only compromise will be in the gunophobes favor. They have laid out what they want. Are we supposed to start from that point? Why not start from our point and then say no compromise. When a man wants your leg but you settle for a foot or a toe, what is the reasoning behind that?

We must form an absolute brick wall when it comes to gun control. There can be no compromise on a natural right of protection of self and property. Further, government must understand in no uncertain terms that it is no more equal than the its employer….the people.

Any government office or individual who will willingly corrupt our Constitution to deny those lawful rights to the people must be considered an enemy of the people.

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- ChiefGeorge
  Posted on February 20, 2013 at 6:40pm
  Nothing that points out Dear Leaders impotence is a waste of time….drill….drill….it into the Lets minds! Who knows? Maybe the 1 convert we get is someone who can really be helpful down the road.
  
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FEISTY
Posted on February 20, 2013 at 12:28pm
Obama doesn’t believe people should be allowed to own guns. Period. That’s not a hypothesis. Those are the words that came out of his mouth when he was a crummy Senator. Throw everything else out the window. He doesn’t want you to have a gun.

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wilbstal
Posted on February 20, 2013 at 12:26pm
Hes to dumb to listen like all the other Comies that came before him. ye will just burn out hopefuly with American help

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NWFLConservative
Posted on February 20, 2013 at 12:25pm
As pointed and well thought out and communicated this open letter is, it will all be wasted effort, Obama and his gun grabbing Gestapo are bound and determined to disarm this country through any means possible. Just remember the two critical tasks which must be undertaken in a totalitarian regime are 1) disarmament of the populace and 2) the silencing of all dissent.

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- wilbstal
  Posted on February 20, 2013 at 12:28pm
  Hey, hello shoot back
  
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- aschark
  Posted on February 20, 2013 at 2:25pm
  Our Benghazi hero Hillary, favored a bill in the UN regarding gun control 2 years ago. That would have given the UN the right to impliment and enforce gun control in the US. It didn’t get much traction then, but it shows that the intent was there before Newtown. “Don’t let a crisis go to waste.”
  
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yoshik
Posted on February 20, 2013 at 12:25pm
Isaiah 5:20 Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter. Unfortunately NyetBama doesn’t care. I would go so far as to say he would pull another Great Purge if he could. He is as evil as they come. He sucks and will do everything he can to take us down. I wouldn’t doubt if the puppet master has already funded a foreign account with a billion dollars for NyetBama after his term if he has killed this country. He has; the poison is in the system.

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- ChiefGeorge
  Posted on February 20, 2013 at 6:44pm
  He doing a darn good job of purging us via our memory banks of what a great country this once was. When the generation thats over 40 right now is gone, its really over but I think it will be over well before that, because we’ll be so weak that anyone putting up a fight will just be looked at like some hillbilly racist their making us out to be right now.
  
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Steve-S
Posted on February 20, 2013 at 12:24pm
Great letter but it won’t matter because Obama is a psychotic elitist. He knows better and no one can tell him any different. He’s not our president he’s our father and we’re all 6 years old so suck it up because we just voted the useless moron in for another term.

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athiest-infedel
Posted on February 20, 2013 at 12:24pm
scrapadapolis, did you know the ATF shut down that gun store because the cops didn’t fill out the paperwork first.

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- theaton
  Posted on February 25, 2013 at 5:42pm
  Please provide a reference to back up your assertion. The ATF is Uncsontitutional they didn’t shut that gun dealer down.
  
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Cymry
Posted on February 20, 2013 at 12:15pm
obama does not care about a columbine survivor. obama will continue his current path to destroy america until he is removed from office (if that point has not been passed). bill ayers has probably already drawn up locations for the re-education camps and created the curriculum to be taught there. the progressives/aka communists will not be deterred by legal action or even an armed uprising.

obama’s destruction of america is a direct result of the government’s inability to remove him as an ineligible candidate for the presidency.

the vain and naive thought that obama could be contained by means other than removing him from office because of his ineligibility has been proven to be folly. this approach was anticipated by the communists and effectively countered.

the ridicule directed towards those who were derogatorily named birthers rings hollow and with a desperate tone.

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keywest62
Posted on February 20, 2013 at 12:11pm
……..Evan todd deseves a vote!!!!!

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RealAmerican2
Posted on February 20, 2013 at 12:10pm
Gun laws won’t change the criminal behavior in people. Criminals will remain criminal and will access guns as they always have and commit crimes, while law-abiding people will follow the rule of the law(s) and find themselves unable to protect themselves.

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matinva
Posted on February 20, 2013 at 12:06pm
Barry and the Demmies simply don’t get it. If you outlaw guns, only outlaws will have guns. Criminals don’t pay any attention to the laws now. What makes these clowns think they’re going to start when another useless law gets passed?

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Marcus_Junius_Brutus
Posted on February 20, 2013 at 12:05pm
This letter should also be addressed/mailed to Cuomo and Doomberg.

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zoro51
Posted on February 20, 2013 at 12:01pm
obama my friend IS A MUSLUM SOCIALIST BORN not american HOW can HE get much less understand the 2nd amendment when he trashes the constitution DAILY his POWERR GRABS are like that of HITER MOUSOLINI STALIN others who desire to OPPRESS n TAKE AWAY freedoms so THEY can controll the masses.. DONT FALL FOR IT obama IS NOT AMERICAN BORN IMPEACH N REMOVE NOW

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Gargent_Furball
Posted on February 20, 2013 at 12:00pm
The more the President can load your mind with Fear, the more he thinks we need him to save us.

We are sick of this President and his Foolish idiotic thinking.

We need someone who knows America and who knows the Constitution of the United States.
go back to Kenya.

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republic2011
Posted on February 20, 2013 at 11:59am
Excellent! Hit the nail on the head.

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frogg
Posted on February 20, 2013 at 11:58am
the only problem with this letter is that Mr. Obama is trying to become HITLER!!!! Wake up america!!!!

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Triple7
Posted on February 20, 2013 at 11:43am
Dictators do not concern themselves with letters from peasants.

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Uchronious
Posted on February 20, 2013 at 11:39am
Good letter. I’m sharing this message with every one I know.

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DebateMe
Posted on February 20, 2013 at 11:39am
Great letter. obama will never read it. And even if he did, he’d be rolling his ideologue-eyes throughout. On a broader level, the letter is filled with common sense, something that utterly escapes the bumper-sticker grasp of progressives where a 30 second capacity of mind is too demanding. Lastly, the letter is written to our current presdient, who’s policies, behaviors, and attitude toward America has the small majority of us who did not vote for him concerned he may be the world’s current tyrant – the very kind of person the 2nd amendment is trying to protect us from.

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thewhiteright
Posted on February 20, 2013 at 11:32am
Are these signs of a Tyrant? Powers to:
Intercept and store all of our online internet and telephone communications.
“No free speech zones” You can be charged with a felony and serve a year in prison,
Stock pile billions of rounds of hollow point ammunition. (hollow point ammunition is illegal in war)
Assassinate U.S. citizens without trial at home and abroad.
Declare state of emergency free from review from Congress for six months.
Seize and control communication media.
Seize and control of all modes of transportation, aircraft, trains, highways, seaports.
Seize and control electric, gas, fuels.
Mobilize civilians into work brigades under government supervision.
Relocate and establish new locations for populations.
The last item to accomplish is: The disarmament of the citizen.

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- ChiefGeorge
  Posted on February 20, 2013 at 6:53pm
  Well! It was great while it lasted. We we’re never really taught that America and its ideals are a rare thing in this world…a fluke if you will! When America grows dimmer, so does the rest of the world. This is the goal. Control! Will this emboldened our enemies to attack us or will they simply wait until we just turn it over without a shot? Its the end of an empire if you believe America to be that and we are doing it on purpose. We can’t stand up to the international bankers and the debts our enemies hold against us, we’ve had a good run and we’ll be remembered not so fondly by those who come after us. Even the kids today will be in the same boat! Everyone a racist, everyone an eater and or breeder. Chaos will rule the day and that when the UN and others get called in. They must protect their investments and of course their debt slaves….US.
  
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GOFORT
Posted on February 20, 2013 at 11:30am
I think Ed Henry, at the next press conference, should ask Carney whether or not the President has acknowledged and/or read the letter. If Carney defers, Henry should read it to him!

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DTOM47
Posted on February 20, 2013 at 11:27am
Absolutly spot on.
That letter would never make it through Obama’s marxist handler’s hands.

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Guitar Master
Posted on February 20, 2013 at 11:16am
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
From THE REPORTER
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Dear Evan,

Our heart goes out to you for what you and your classmates went through and the horror you must live with in your memories but your message will fall on deaf ears !

Regards,
THE REPORTER

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SallyV
Posted on February 20, 2013 at 11:10am
What a brave young man! He certainly can speak from a personal point of view, but I fear that his views will be brushed aside because this president only wants to destroy America as we know it. He ates what America stands for and he is well on his way to our destruction.

God help us if the democrats regain the House of Representatives in 2014.

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