Wednesday, May 8, 2013 | 6:08 p.m.
In response to Debbie Starr’s recent letter, “Senators value money over people”:
Her suggestion was that National Rifle Association’s political donations caused senators to vote against their constituents’ wishes. She cites the often-used “90 percent” poll that favors background checks. I feel that Starr overlooks that polls and statistics can be manipulated by anyone. Was the poll taken using people knowledgeable about gun sales? Where? New York or California would yield far different results than Utah or Texas. How was the question asked?
I think it was constituent contact with the Senate that made the difference. Mayor Michael Bloomberg is one man. NRA membership approaches 5 million. Additionally, it’s estimated that there are another 90 million gun owners who don’t belong to the NRA.
All that in mind, I might be willing to sign on if Starr, state Sen. Justin Jones and anti-gun activists nationwide could answer one simple question: Why doesn’t law enforcement prosecute the millions of background checks that fail and violate existing laws? The background check form states it is perjury to make a false statement. Why do they insist on new laws against the good people?