Ethan Ehrensbeck of Old Forge comes from a long line of responsible gun owners and hunters.

At the age of 10, the fifth generation Adirondacker probably knows more about the ins and outs of guns than owners many times his age.

His teachers, he said, are some of the best around—his father Fred and grandfather Jim Ehrensbeck.

Because of his awareness of proper gun handling, Ethan has paid close attention to the gun control debates between politicians and the American public that have evolved from the December 2012 shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut.

It was the Sandy Hook tragedy, and the shooting in an Oregon mall that occurred earlier in the month, that prompted young Ethan to write a letter to President Obama on his feelings about gun control initiatives, and his personal experience with guns.

Ethan, a fourth grader at the Town of Webb School, authored the letter independently. He only shared it with his mother Judy after asking her for the money to buy a stamp before dropping it in the mailbox on December 31.

And it wasn’t until Ethan received a packet from the White House on Saturday, February 23 that his father became privy. Among the items enclosed in the mailing were a personal letter from President Obama, an eight by ten-inch signed photograph of the president, and a color brochure of the layout of the White House.

Ethan was pretty excited to receive the personal response, but said his motive was simply to share his opinion on gun control with the president.

“There are a lot of responsible hunters out there, and I think the new laws will ruin it for them,” Ethan said.

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December 31, 2012

Dear Mr. President:

In December 2012 there were two tragic events that no one will ever forget.

There are many debates being made on gun laws. In my opinion, any firearm that’s semiautomatic and has more than a ten-round clip available should be banned.

My father and grandfather have many guns. Only three have a semi-automatic firing mode. One is an older gun , a Nylon 66 22 caliber made by Remington. It has a 16-round capacity, but we rarely put that many in when we’re plinking.

Another is a Ruger 223 Mini-14. It originally came with a 6- round clip.

The last is a Ruger SR-22 caliber. It comes with a 10-round clip.

My Dad and I don’t need a big clip to go hunting with.

Both men who did the shootings obtained the guns illegally. Somebody else bought them. In my mind, whoever buys the gun owns it.

The both also had a mental illness. The medicines they take help, but they work for a short period of time.

The influences of today aren’t helping a bit. Action movies like Rambo, The Terminator and Indiana Jones show them that it’s okay to do these things.

Video games show them that you are infinite, but in reality you’re not.

Please write back,

Ethan Ehrensbeck

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February 20, 2013

Dear Ethan:

Thank you for writing. I appreciate hearing from you, and I admire your courage in speaking out against violence.

All neighhborhoods and classrooms should be filled with chances to dream, discover, and grow free from fear and intimidation.

This is vital to the future of our Nation, and I am working with my Administration to address the problem of violence in our communities and schools.

You, too, can make a difference in keeping yourself and your peers safe. I urge you to talk to friends, parents, teachers, school administrators, and police officers who can stop violence before it happens.

Your dedication to helping others, along with your commitment to your studies, will lead our Nation to a brighter tomorrow.

Sincerely,

Barack Obama