James Baughn
[email protected]

In an article entitled �Feds target Indiana as source of firearms used in crimes� the Associated Press reports,

�Police say the ease with which weapons can be bought in Indiana, coupled with demand from neighboring Illinois with its more restrictive gun laws, creates a steady flow of weapons between the two states.�

�Traces done on guns taken from Chicago streets show Indiana is one of the city's chief suppliers of handguns, said Scot Thomasson, resident agent in charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms in Merrillville, Ind. �

�Just 1.2 percent of all licensed gun dealers supply 57 percent of all firearms recovered from criminals. Of those dealers, two of the country's top 25 are in northwest Indiana, Thomasson said.�

Thus according to Agent Thomasson it is Indiana�s fault that violent crime in Illinois is almost twice as much per 100,000 people as in Indiana . After all, we are legally buying guns too easily here and then Illinois is getting them to use for crimes.

I would like to propose another reason. Our criminals know that Indiana citizens may be armed, and Illinois citizens can�t be. Thus they are more likely to be stopped in their endeavors by a Hoosier than by a citizen of Illinois. Since they are not stupid, they go to Illinois to ply their trade. 

We are not exporting our guns into Illinois, we are exporting our criminals. I, for one, do not want to give the criminals any reason to come back. 

Mr. Thomasson, look at the true statistics, let the law abiding citizens of Indiana continue with their own protection, and cease and desist attempting to trample on the U.S. and Indiana Constitutions by disarming American Citizens! 

Note:  I am still looking for groups that would like to 'form' a TUG. I will be sending info to those I have found right after Tuesday.  See my earlier request here: http://www.keepandbeararms.com/newsarchives/XcNewsPlus.asp?cmd=view&articleid=747.

Thanks,

Jim
Candidate Indiana House of Representatives District 46