To: President Donald Trump, Sen. Jon Tester (MT-1), Sen. Steve Daines (MT-2), The United States House of Representatives, and The United States Senate
Demand Reasonable Gun Laws
I am thoroughly sick of hearing, every few weeks, about someone opening fire on a crowd of innocent people, killing some, injuring others, ruining lives. And I am thoroughly sick and tired of this country's elected officials dithering about how sorry they are, after each such incident, and then refusing to enact intelligent and reasonable laws that everyone knows would reduce the probability of such incidents happening. I am well aware that they refuse to enact such laws because they fear the wrath of the weapons lobby funded by arms dealers and arms manufacturers.
Every time this predictable sequence has happened, people like me have shrugged our shoulders and thought, "Well, there's nothing I can do about it." I have stopped shrugging this away, and I think many of you have, too. After the most recent incident of mass shooting and killing, by the young owner of an arsenal, I have stopped gently pleading with my representatives in our government to do something about this. I vote in every election, and I will never again vote for ANYONE who is too cowardly to take a stand, publicly, and fight for sensible weapons control policies. The "guns-don't-kill-people; crazy-and-violent-people-kill-people" argument is hogwash. Crazy and violent people with guns – lots of guns, guns with no possible use except killing many people in record time – kill people.
I know this and you know it. It's time to do something about it.
Every time this predictable sequence has happened, people like me have shrugged our shoulders and thought, "Well, there's nothing I can do about it." I have stopped shrugging this away, and I think many of you have, too. After the most recent incident of mass shooting and killing, by the young owner of an arsenal, I have stopped gently pleading with my representatives in our government to do something about this. I vote in every election, and I will never again vote for ANYONE who is too cowardly to take a stand, publicly, and fight for sensible weapons control policies. The "guns-don't-kill-people; crazy-and-violent-people-kill-people" argument is hogwash. Crazy and violent people with guns – lots of guns, guns with no possible use except killing many people in record time – kill people.
I know this and you know it. It's time to do something about it.
Why is this important?
I am a 70+ year-old Montanan and a gun owner. My parents were both born in the state, and both owned guns. Neither of them obsessed about it; guns – rifles and handguns – were tools, to be respected and kept in good condition, not to be played with, not to be worshiped. My brother and I were taught to shoot and to handle guns safely and respectfully, as useful objects to be used appropriately.
I know there are many, many Westerners – and others – who share my experience and my respect for guns. I am neither paranoid nor delusional; I know that no one wants to "take my guns away" and I know it would be impossible in any case. I know that if enough of us sane people express our opinion about guns and let our lawmakers hear us, they'll have to listen.
I know there are many, many Westerners – and others – who share my experience and my respect for guns. I am neither paranoid nor delusional; I know that no one wants to "take my guns away" and I know it would be impossible in any case. I know that if enough of us sane people express our opinion about guns and let our lawmakers hear us, they'll have to listen.