Response from Gov Bredesen

[pops572]

So like a lot of you, I sent an email before the Gov's veto to encourage him to sign 962. And never got a response. So I was quite surprised to get an email today, defending his veto. The email follows:

DearDavid:

Thank you for contacting me aboutgun-related bills which have been considered by the General Assembly this year.

Let me be very clear: I am a strong supporter of the right to keep and bear arms.I am, and have always been, committed to preserving the rights of the Second Amendment. They are basic American rights, protected by the United States Constitutionand the Tennessee Constitution as well. Even so, these rights, for more than two centuries, have come with reasonable and necessary rules and guidelines. For this reason, I carefully consider each bill that reaches my desk and evaluate it on its own merits.

As you know, I decided to veto House Bill 962, which would permit the possession of firearms in Tennessee restaurants and bars. In my view, this particular bill crossed the line of reason.

I have been a gun owner for more than 50 years. When I was a young man, I took my first gun safety class-sponsored by the NRA-at my high school. There was one message conveyed during that class that has been imprinted on me since, and it was this: guns and alcohol don't mix. That is as true today as it was then.

It is because of this principle that Tennessee state law has long prohibited the possession of firearms in places that serve alcohol.House Bill 962 would remove this safeguard in a manner that I, as well as many law enforcement officers, believe would be reckless and lacking safeguards to ensure public safety.A key role of government is to ensure public safety. To do that, government must strike a balance between the rights afforded to us by the Constitution and common-sense rules that must be applied to the exercise of these rights.

I believe we can exercise our second amendment rights and common sense at the same time - and guns and bars simply don't mix.Because of this, I vetoed this bill and respectfully asked the legislature to rethink this issue.

As other bills reach my desk-including legislation related to guns in parks, loaded firearms in automobiles, and others-I intend to review them carefully with both the Constitutional rights of gun owners and the safety of the general public in mind. Please be assured that your views are, and will remain, important to me on these issues and others related to state government.

Warmest regards,

Phil Bredesen

PB:jb

[Tobashadow]

Yep was a nice form letter i got one too.

[Guest GLOCKGUY]

I got the same one too.

[titan14]

Ditto

[krunchnik]

Same here,I think its a blanket letter sent to anyone that has mailed him on 2nd amendment issues.

[Guest db99wj]

Yep, got it. same.

[Punisher84]

Yup. Same here.

[Dropkick Murphy]

Got the same thing.

[Guest SUNTZU]

I got the same letter, except he called me Diane. So I sent Philicia a reply.

[Punisher84]

I got the same letter, except he called me Diane. So I sent Philicia a reply.

"Grandpa, how did you get your nickname?"

"It all started many years ago during the great legislative gun wars..."

[titan14]

I got the same letter, except he called me Diane. So I sent Philicia a reply.

too funny....

[-boatman-]

I got one of the same also.

[TN9mm]

Just got the same addressed to: Friend. Lame was gonna post it and it was already here.

[rwt101]

And I thought it was a personal letter just to me? Now I am really upset!!!!!!! I can't believe he would do something like that.

Bob T

[Guest canynracer]

Just got the same one...here is my reply:

A:> it is NOT guns in bars...it is for me to protect myself and family while eating at Olive Garden.

B:> Canned response is cheesy, I took the time to address you, show the same respect.

C:> You were elected to represent THE PEOPLE. Your arrogance is astounding.

-Joel

[Motasyco]

I got the "Dear Friend" version.

[Guest SUNTZU]

"Grandpa, how did you get your nickname?"

"It all started many years ago during the great legislative gun wars..."

Well my governor vetoed the bill, when I was thirty three, and he didn't leave many rights, to others and me, just the Castle Doctrine and the occasonal HCP. Now I don't blame him cause he vetoed and ran, but the hardest thing for me to understand, is after he signed, he went and called me Diane.

[E4 No More]

I got the same letter, except he called me Diane. So I sent Philicia a reply.

Do you look like a Diane?

[Punisher84]

Well my governor vetoed the bill, when I was thirty three, and he didn't leave many rights, to others and me, just the Castle Doctrine and the occasonal HCP. Now I don't blame him cause he vetoed and ran, but the hardest thing for me to understand, is after he signed, he went and called me Diane.

Boy named sue... You are officially one of the coolest people I know now. That post should be a damn sticky. As a matter of fact it is going below...

[Guest SUNTZU]

Do you look like a Diane?

[Oh Shoot]

I think whether you get a "dear friend" or "dear (your actual first name)" depends on how your emailer is set up. If you have real name in a field their program can parse, you get "dear (your name)", as I did.

If not, you get "dear friend".

No idea re Suntzu's "Diane", unless they know his own sweet self personally over there.

Actually, Suntzu, you using your gal's puter or something? Her name Diane?

- OS

[Guest SUNTZU]

Not the one I posted from. Seriously, no, I just think they screwed up. They've done that before, haven't they?

[Guest tdtennessee]

got the same thing, here was my reply. short and sweet.

puppet, looking for your next step in obama's big government. you should have done what the majority of the people that elected you wanted. you have lost my vote for anything you run for for life.

[Guest steve24]

Got my reply today too...

[Guest pws_smokeyjones]

I got a reply but it was a very personal letter explaining how big of a mistake he had made and he was very apologetic. Then I woke up and realized it is the same form letter you all got. And it appears that we all got them at the same time so they obviously sent it from a distribution list. I didn't bother replying to him.