Letter Regarding Recent Confiscation of SKS Sporter Rifle

May 21, 1998

CALIFORNIA

The following is correspondence from Mr. William Doss to California Attorney General Dan Lungren regarding the recent confiscation of Mr. Doss' private property -- an SKS Sporter rifle deemed legal for ownership by the Attorney General's office in 1995.

This letter is forwarded with permission of William Doss.

NRA-ILA
-----------------------------

May 15, 1998

TO:	Dan Lungren, Attorney General c/o California Republican Party P.O. Box 277130 Sacramento CA 95827-9960
FROM:	William W. Doss
SUBJ:	"Most Generous Gift"

Dear Attorney General Lungren:

This letter is in response to your recent undated and un-postmarked letter containing a survey form and soliciting a "most generous gift." I have completed the survey form and enclosed it with this letter. Asking me for money to support your election campaign has given new meaning to the old phrase "political arrogance."

If you are having a hard time recalling my name, please let me refresh your memory. On 04-04-95, I faxed a letter to your office to determine if I could bring my SKS Sporter rifle into the State when I moved from Florida to California. On 04-05-95, you sent me a letter stating that the SKS Sporters, "are not currently listed as assault weapons in California," and therefore there were no restrictions on bringing them into the State. Under pressure from the anti-gun lobby, you sent me a second letter on 11-24-97 in which you stated, "any SKS with a detachable magazine is an illegal weapon and must be relinquished to a local police or sheriff's department." I am a Viet Nam Veteran with 30 years of military service. I have never had so much as a moving traffic violation in my life time. But with the stroke of a pen and overnight, you turned me into a potential felon. The California Legislature is now in the process of trying to clean up the mess you made by the folly of your decision in this SKS matter.

The SKS Sporter with a Monte Carlo stock is a true sporting rifle. As a retired military man, I believe I am more qualified than a politician or journalist to determine if a rifle meets the requirements to be classified as an assault rifle. The SKS Sporter does not have any of the necessary tactical features to classify it as an assault rifle. If by your definition, a detachable magazine turns a sporting rifle into an assault weapon, then why isn't the Ruger Mini 14, and several other sporting rifles, also classified as assault weapons? If you are unwilling to give an answer, I can provide it in one word - politics.

I understand that I have the dubious distinction of being the first person to surrender my SKS Sporter rifle to the local police department under your current gun confiscation order. My recent first hand experience in this SKS matter proves that California, under your watch as Attorney General, has an active, de-facto gun registration and gun confiscation program. In your undated letter you trashed the Liberals and the Democrats. You said we should "demand accountability from our judicial system." What is your judicial accountability for confiscating my sporting rifle without due process? How can responsible gun owners be any worse off with Liberal Democrat Politicians than with a Republican who reverses his policies whenever he is challenged by the anti-gun lobby? Many Republicans I have spoken with on this SKS matter are so aggravated by your gun confiscation policy that as a protest they are not going to vote in the next election. I do not agree with this form of protest and I will vote for responsible candidates in the June election. I will also refuse to give any anti-gun politician my financial support. How can you have the audacity to ask me to send you money for your political campaign when you have confiscated my sporting rifle without providing me any compensation?

In your survey you asked for our "thoughts, concerns, and comments." In response to your inquiry, please tell me your interpretation of the Second Amendment. Why didn't you "grandfather" the law abiding citizens who acquired SKS Sporter rifles with your blessing? When are you going to assure me that an aggressive prosecutor cannot bring charges against me for having legally owned a SKS Sporter? I hope you have the political courage and the sense of responsibility to respond to my letter.

Sincerely,

William Doss

cc: NRA, CRPA, KCRA-TV

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