Dear Representative,
First of
all, I would like to thank you for the work that you do. I know that you are very busy, and I
appreciate you taking the time to listen to my thoughts.
As your
constituent, I’d like to take this opportunity to introduce myself to you. I am a 25 year old woman living in beautiful
Colorado. I am a ballet dancer,
a social worker, and I am hoping to attend graduate school to become a
therapist. I am also a person who owns
firearms.
There are
two main reasons that I choose to own firearms.
First, I own firearms because one in five women in the United States
will be raped in her lifetime, according to statistics from the Centers for
Disease Control. I am three inches
shorter and sixty pounds lighter than the average American male. I know that if I were to find myself facing
an assailant, my life would be in my own hands.
When attacks happen, there is not time to wait for the police to arrive,
and I am prepared to protect myself when it is necessary. I am thankful to have the right to own and
carry a firearm so that I can be protected wherever I go.
The second
reason that I own firearms is that recreational target shooting is a wonderful
pastime that I am able to share with my family and friends. Practicing target shooting allows us to spend
time in the beautiful Colorado wilderness while challenging ourselves to
improve our skills through patience, practice, and self-discipline. It teaches valuable lessons such as
responsibility, awareness, and communication.
I enjoy being a part of a longstanding American tradition that has
provided enjoyment and challenge for generations.
The fallacy
of most “gun control” legislation is that it assumes that people who own
firearms are potential criminals. There
are millions of responsible adults in the United States who, like me, own
firearms. The overwhelming majority of
these people have not and will not commit crimes involving those firearms. Yet, there are those who would suggest that
taking away the rights and property of these thousands of law-abiding citizens
will somehow make crime disappear. I
hope you can see the error in this logic.
Punishing those who already follow the law will do nothing to prevent
criminals from breaking the law. I am
not a criminal, nor are vast majority of firearms owners that you encounter
daily at the mall or grocery store.
Please remember this when considering future legislation on this
topic. Laws that would take away the
rights and property of law-abiding citizens are wrong. Please focus instead on solutions that
address the true underlying causes of violence and crime.
Violence is
an enormous problem in our society, and one that must be dealt with. It is essential that we find effective
solutions to prevent any more unnecessary loss of life. Sadly, violence is deeply rooted in our
culture. There is no one cause, but many
nuanced factors that lead to a person choosing to commit a violent crime. These are the influences that need to be
rooted out and addressed. I can promise
you that a person does not become violent because they hold a weapon in their
hand. Violent crimes are only a symptom
of larger problems in our nation.
Problems such as the stigma surrounding mental health treatment, people
feeling desperate about their lives, or not knowing how to process the
overwhelming challenges they face. While
I am not knowledgeable enough to outline all of those problems, I am sure you
can understand that progress can only be made through addressing the root
issues that lead people to choose to commit crimes.
I urge you
to consider, while working through this new legislative session, solutions that
will address the root causes of crime and violence. Please understand that many people will react
out of fear, claiming that the mere presence of firearms in our society causes
violence. Recognize the error in this
argument. Firearms have long held a
place in American homes and lives, and again, the overwhelming majority of firearms
will never be used in a crime. Firearms
are the easy target when people are demanding answers, but legislation against
them will not solve the problem of violence.
All it will do is erode the rights of thousands of your constituents.
As a citizen
of the district that you have the privilege to represent, I urge you not to
support any legislation that would ban specific types of firearms or magazines,
or requires any registration or tracking of firearms or ammunition. This type of legislation ignores the real
causes of crime. Worse, it does so at
the grave cost of the rights of thousands of citizens across the state, and
millions across the country. Please
support legislation that will actually lead to progress against crime, while
protecting the rights that so many have fought for us to enjoy.
As many a
wise person has noted, we fear what we do not understand. I would like to suggest that you experience
recreational target shooting with a certified instructor, if you have not yet
done so. It may not become your favorite
pastime, but I can promise that you will have an enjoyable and safe time, and
hopefully you will gain a greater understanding of why the right to own and use
firearms is so important to so many of your constituents.
Sincerely,
Me
