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A felon thanks the NRA

I've been awaiting confirmation to find out if the letter-to-the-editor sent to the Hartford Courant by one Gary W. Bornman - a felon serving time in Florence, Colorado - was legitimate. After waiting a few days and researching here and there, it appears that the letter was in fact written by Mr. Bornman. This man actually has a history of doing this kind of thing. In 2001, the Hartford Courant noted that one of Bornman's hobbies was writing provocative letters-to-the-editor. It then noted a 1999 letter that the felon sent to the Los Angeles Times, entitled, "Counsel Me Before I Leave Prison."

In this letter, Bornman wrote: "Prison officials aren't the least bit concerned that I have constant thoughts of harming others or that I fantasize about such things as assassinating the president or killing a bunch of [prison officials] as they leave work."

A week ago, the Hartford Courant posted the following letter-to-the-editor, written by Bornman, and titled, "Felon Thanks the NRA":

"As a lifelong career criminal, although I no longer enjoy the right to keep and bear arms, I'd like to take a moment to express my appreciation to the National Rifle Association for nonetheless protecting my ability to easily obtain them through its opposition to universal background checks.

Upon release in a few years from my current federal sentence on bank robbery and weapons charges, I fully anticipate being able to stop at a gun show on my way home to Connecticut -- where new laws have made it nearly impossible for a felon to readily purchase guns or ammunition -- in order to buy some with which to resume my criminal activities.

And so, a heartfelt thank you to the NRA and all those members of Congress voting with them. I, along with tens of thousands of other criminals, couldn't do what we do without you.

Gary W. Bornman
The writer is an inmate at the federal "Supermax" prison in Florence, Colo."

Whether Mr. Bornman was being entirely serious or a bit sarcastic, and whether he was being genuine in his sentiments or just trying to stir trouble, I couldn't be certain. In any case, though, the letter does make a strong point - one the NRA and its proponents will try to ignore and deny more vehemently than ESPN ignores and denies that Tim Tebow throws a football more poorly than a 2-year old blind kid named Lucky.

http://www.courant.com/news/opinion/letters/hcrs-15241hc--20130605,0,4878261.story

http://articles.courant.com/2001-06-13/news/0106130065_1_fbi-agents-bank-robber-suicide-attempt

http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2013/06/10/2130331/felon-in-maximum-security-prison-thanks-the-nra-for-making-it-easy-for-him-to-get-a-gun/

http://www.nationalmemo.com/you-have-to-read-this-letter-from-a-lifelong-criminal-thanking-the-nra-for-making-it-easy-for-him-to-get-guns/

http://www.slate.com/blogs/crime/2013/06/13/gary_w_bornman_felon_pens_a_heartfelt_thank_you_to_the_nra_for_opposing.html

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