Representative Gerard,
The only sad commentary is that people like you would prevent people like me and my wife from having whatever means available for our personal protection.
I don't necessarily feel the need to protect myself in a park or anywhere else. I carry a firearm for the same reason people have a smoke detector in their home...you hope you never need it, but you sure don't want to be without it. With the police having no Constitutional duty to protect individuals and the fact that there are not enough police officers to act as personal bodyguards for everyone, my carrying a weapon is a socially responsible action. Should the occasion ever arise, and I hope it does not, I am in an immediate position to save the life of a child or prevent someone from becoming the victim of a crime. By preventing me from carrying in certain public venues, what would your reaction be should a child be attacked and nobody is around who could prevent this tragedy??
The criminal element will carry a gun wherever they please. They do that now, and there are how many thousands of laws on the books regarding guns??
But how DARE you imply that I want to kill anyone. What kind of person are you to think that? You don't know the first thing about me or my wife. Politeness prevents me from writing the first things that came to mind when I read that. That goes beyond the realm of political discourse and into the area of personal attack. You should be ashamed.
I take my Right to Keep and Bear Arms apparently much more seriously than you take your OATH OF OFFICE to uphold the Constitutions to which you are bound. Yes, it is a sad commentary the society has deteriorated to the point where responsible, law abiding people wish to carry arms for their protection. I am not looking for a fight. In fact, I would prefer NEVER to draw a weapon in a situation other than at the target range.
So please explain to me, if you can, how my carrying a firearm in a park, or anywhere else, will cause the public any more danger than a criminal who does NOT obey any law you decide to put into place? Armed Robbery, Rape and Attempted Murder are crimes, are they not? Please, then, explain how these laws protected the unfortunate incident at the Chandler Wal-Mart where the woman was abducted, raped and left for dead? You can't. I can't explain this ANY clearer:
CRIMINALS DON'T OBEY THE LAW
It's as simple as that. Your attempted prohibition would do NOTHING to stop criminals from doing what they already do. What kind of public servant are you that would not do all in her power to prevent your constituents from becoming crime victims? Are you pro-rape and murder? Not likely. But your stance on allowing people only the option to "dial 9-1-1 and die" supports those very things. I am appalled that you got elected and you should be ashamed for holding the lives of your constituents in such low regard.
I remember that Governor Hull vetoed the bill last year. Given the Colorado tragedy surrounding the timing of the bill's appearance on her desk, it is no wonder she did so. However, I don't count on her to sign this bill either, though I would entreat her to do so for the very reasons I mention above. Anyone who is against the right of law-abiding citizens to protect themselves from our world's miscreants is, in my opinion, on the side of the criminals, rapists and law breakers.
Finally, I am copying the Legislative members I included in my original note to you, along with the Arizona Right to Keep and Bear Arms and the Arizona Shooting email lists so that the law-abiding gun owners I know can be equally appalled at your low opinion of them and the value of their lives.
Sincerely,
Tim Weaver
District 19 Resident
Glendale, AZ 85308
At 03:20 PM 02/09/2000 -0700, you wrote:
>Don't worry you may still have the chance to kill someone in a city
>park. HB 2095 passed Committee of the whole unamended. I'm confident it
>will pass the House. Remember the Governor vetoed this bill last year.
>
>It's a sad commentary on society that people feel the need to protect
>themselves in parks. We should be doing something to change this other
>than what we are going in HB 2095.
>
>Susan Gerard