I have met the man. A stand up guy-for a politician
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Responses from MA Representatives and Senators
- Thread starter sixer
- Start date
I have met the man. A stand up guy-for a politician
Using my galaxy s2 via tapatalk, because I am too lazy to find a computer
House: 2nd Hampden Brian Ashe
Spoke with Dan who works closely with him....while he has no firm position it is safe to say he is "leaning opposed"....Dan informed me they discussed it on their drive in and Mr Ashe feels as though the bill punishes law abiding citizens...safe to update accordingly....
And i think this forum is great...just found out about it not to long ago and I will be going green to support the community....
Spoke with Dan who works closely with him....while he has no firm position it is safe to say he is "leaning opposed"....Dan informed me they discussed it on their drive in and Mr Ashe feels as though the bill punishes law abiding citizens...safe to update accordingly....
And i think this forum is great...just found out about it not to long ago and I will be going green to support the community....
This is the response I just got back from my rep (Representative Sheila Harrington)
James
“Dear Mr. X,
Rest assured, I am very sensitive to the issues you raised in your letter,along with the other members of the Republican caucus at large. We all stronglysupport the 2nd Amendment and want to protect the rights of law abiding citizens.We are gathering information in order to present a workable proposal to preventguns from getting into the hands of deranged mass murderers, while stillprotecting the rights of lawful gun owners. We will fight to protect 2ndamendment rights and to avoid knee jerk like reactions to the terrible tragedyin Newtown. I agree with your assessment of both the Linsky and Patrickproposals. Although I do think something needs to be done to prevent guns fromgetting in the hands of deranged mass murderers, I personally think that typeof prevention may have to start in the schools.
I personally feel teachers are in a uniqueposition to identify children who are isolated, frustrated and angry at a veryyoung age. Possibly we need to develop programs in our schools to help identifythese children, and recognize when these attributes are of a heightened nature,at an early age. This type of program may get to the root of the problem, andoffer diversion, before these children act out in aviolent manner. Placing more restrictions on lawful gun owners doesnothing to accomplish this goal. In fact, if someone has become deranged to theextent that they seek to commit mass murder, they will likely choose anothermeans of weaponry to accomplish their goal.
I am committed to working on a real solutionand I really appreciate your input on this issue.
Thank you,
Sheila”
James
“Dear Mr. X,
Rest assured, I am very sensitive to the issues you raised in your letter,along with the other members of the Republican caucus at large. We all stronglysupport the 2nd Amendment and want to protect the rights of law abiding citizens.We are gathering information in order to present a workable proposal to preventguns from getting into the hands of deranged mass murderers, while stillprotecting the rights of lawful gun owners. We will fight to protect 2ndamendment rights and to avoid knee jerk like reactions to the terrible tragedyin Newtown. I agree with your assessment of both the Linsky and Patrickproposals. Although I do think something needs to be done to prevent guns fromgetting in the hands of deranged mass murderers, I personally think that typeof prevention may have to start in the schools.
I personally feel teachers are in a uniqueposition to identify children who are isolated, frustrated and angry at a veryyoung age. Possibly we need to develop programs in our schools to help identifythese children, and recognize when these attributes are of a heightened nature,at an early age. This type of program may get to the root of the problem, andoffer diversion, before these children act out in aviolent manner. Placing more restrictions on lawful gun owners doesnothing to accomplish this goal. In fact, if someone has become deranged to theextent that they seek to commit mass murder, they will likely choose anothermeans of weaponry to accomplish their goal.
I am committed to working on a real solutionand I really appreciate your input on this issue.
Thank you,
Sheila”
Thanks, guys. Keep the pressure on.
As it stands now:
House: 34 opposed or leaning opposed to these bills (21.5%)
Senate: 12 opposed or leaning opposed to these bills (30%)
Still have 115 Rep and 25 Sen listed as "unknown". Check the list and please call them to find out where they stand (and tell them where they should be standing).
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AmzjcLPj7bjmdFBTczlueE1XMTZJX1FmNkpJVmlWMlE#gid=3
Note the tabs on the bottom for Senate, House, and Stats.
As it stands now:
House: 34 opposed or leaning opposed to these bills (21.5%)
Senate: 12 opposed or leaning opposed to these bills (30%)
Still have 115 Rep and 25 Sen listed as "unknown". Check the list and please call them to find out where they stand (and tell them where they should be standing).
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AmzjcLPj7bjmdFBTczlueE1XMTZJX1FmNkpJVmlWMlE#gid=3
Note the tabs on the bottom for Senate, House, and Stats.
Sonia Chang- Diaz and Cynthia Creem will definitely be favoring these bills. They're both State Senators and always file anti- gun bills. According to GOAL, they have already filed some for this legislative session. Here is a link from GOAL's website, GOAL's Listing of 2011 Legislation. Scroll down to the bottom of that page and you will see Chang-Diaz and Creem's bill's.
P.S. The url says 2011 legislation, but it's really the 2013 session
P.S. The url says 2011 legislation, but it's really the 2013 session
Call anyway. It needs to cost them time and resources to continue pushing this nonsense on us.
Good, I just hear people too often say "it won't matter." It does matter if it takes away from their cause. We all have a limited amount of time, they need to stop wasting it trying to micromanage our lives.
Response from Representative Jeff Roy
This is what I received as a response from Jeff Roy a new Rep from Franklin. I know Jeff personally and hope that he will make the right decision for his constituants.
Thank you for your note. I have no doubt that I will be reviewing many proposals over the next several months. I will definitely keep your input in mind and carefully consider each and every proposal that is presented during this legislative session. Like most people, I am still trying to make some sense out of the recent tragedy in Connecticut. My heart goes out to the families who lost loved ones, and to the children and adults who witnessed the horror. It boggles the mind, but reinforces the need to commit ourselves to finding ways to stop these types of events.
I am committed to learning as much as possible about how this happened and finding a way to prevent future events like it. I understand that we can’t do this without respect and empathy for one another’s opinions and ideas, and I will keep an open mind. I hope that you will stay in touch and follow our progress. And I would appreciate your input and feedback along the way.
Again, thank you for being in touch and I look forward to working with you.
Jeff Roy
This is what I received as a response from Jeff Roy a new Rep from Franklin. I know Jeff personally and hope that he will make the right decision for his constituants.
Thank you for your note. I have no doubt that I will be reviewing many proposals over the next several months. I will definitely keep your input in mind and carefully consider each and every proposal that is presented during this legislative session. Like most people, I am still trying to make some sense out of the recent tragedy in Connecticut. My heart goes out to the families who lost loved ones, and to the children and adults who witnessed the horror. It boggles the mind, but reinforces the need to commit ourselves to finding ways to stop these types of events.
I am committed to learning as much as possible about how this happened and finding a way to prevent future events like it. I understand that we can’t do this without respect and empathy for one another’s opinions and ideas, and I will keep an open mind. I hope that you will stay in touch and follow our progress. And I would appreciate your input and feedback along the way.
Again, thank you for being in touch and I look forward to working with you.
Jeff Roy
I got this crap
Thank you for contacting my office regarding gun control legislation. I appreciate your views and having the benefit of your opinion.
Every corner of America has been deeply affected by the tragic loss of so many lives in Newtown, Connecticut. We mourn for the enormity of grief and the inconsolable loss visited upon Newtown's families . The senseless attacks at Sandy Hook Elementary School, at a Sikh Temple in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, at a movie theater in Aurora, Colorado, and against Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ) and 18 others in Tucson raise compelling questions about the accessibility of violent weapons in our society. Members from both sides of the aisle have acknowledged that it is time to have a conversation about the accessibility of high capacity weapons in our country. I believe this conversation is long overdue and I am committed to moving forward on meaningful reform in the weeks and months ahead. That is why I recently spoke out on the Floor of the House of Representatives about the Newtown tragedy and the need for tighter gun control laws. Click on the image below to watch video of this speech.
To be clear, I believe that law abiding citizens have a constitutional right to own firearms, whether for sport or personal protection. The right of an individual to bear arms is clearly stated in the Second Amendment of our Constitution and has been repeatedly upheld by the Supreme Court. While I believe that the Constitution confers a right to own firearms, I also believe that our laws should be able to reasonably control gun manufacturing, sale, and usage to ensure that firearms are used safely and responsibly. To that end, I support reinstating the commonsense ban on high capacity magazines like those used in the Sandy Hook, Virginia Tech and Tucson shootings. I support reinstating the assault weapons ban that expired in 2004, and I am a cosponsor of the Large Capacity Ammunition Feeding Device Act (H.R. 138), introduced by Representative Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY), among other measures.
H.R. 138 would permanently prohibit for civilian use the transfer, possession, or import of high capacity ammunition feeding devices—defined as a magazine, belt, drum, feed strip, or similar device that has a capacity of to accept more than 10 rounds of ammunition—manufactured after the date of enactment of the bill. This targeted ban is intended, not to limit our right to bear arms, but to protect law enforcement and civilians by keeping these high capacity guns, which have virtually no sporting purpose, off the streets. I cosponsored this legislation in the 112[SUP]th[/SUP] Congress and my support continues in the 113[SUP]th[/SUP].
We know that our response to Newtown must not and cannot go the way of the many other senseless acts of violence we almost routinely witness. The tragedy in Newtown must be a call to action. President Obama said he would submit broad new gun control proposals no later than January, and I will be part of the growing coalition calling for real changes that will protect America’s families.
Thank you again for taking the time to be in touch. Please do not hesitate to contact my office in the future with questions or concerns.
Thank you for contacting my office regarding gun control legislation. I appreciate your views and having the benefit of your opinion.
Every corner of America has been deeply affected by the tragic loss of so many lives in Newtown, Connecticut. We mourn for the enormity of grief and the inconsolable loss visited upon Newtown's families . The senseless attacks at Sandy Hook Elementary School, at a Sikh Temple in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, at a movie theater in Aurora, Colorado, and against Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ) and 18 others in Tucson raise compelling questions about the accessibility of violent weapons in our society. Members from both sides of the aisle have acknowledged that it is time to have a conversation about the accessibility of high capacity weapons in our country. I believe this conversation is long overdue and I am committed to moving forward on meaningful reform in the weeks and months ahead. That is why I recently spoke out on the Floor of the House of Representatives about the Newtown tragedy and the need for tighter gun control laws. Click on the image below to watch video of this speech.
H.R. 138 would permanently prohibit for civilian use the transfer, possession, or import of high capacity ammunition feeding devices—defined as a magazine, belt, drum, feed strip, or similar device that has a capacity of to accept more than 10 rounds of ammunition—manufactured after the date of enactment of the bill. This targeted ban is intended, not to limit our right to bear arms, but to protect law enforcement and civilians by keeping these high capacity guns, which have virtually no sporting purpose, off the streets. I cosponsored this legislation in the 112[SUP]th[/SUP] Congress and my support continues in the 113[SUP]th[/SUP].
We know that our response to Newtown must not and cannot go the way of the many other senseless acts of violence we almost routinely witness. The tragedy in Newtown must be a call to action. President Obama said he would submit broad new gun control proposals no later than January, and I will be part of the growing coalition calling for real changes that will protect America’s families.
Thank you again for taking the time to be in touch. Please do not hesitate to contact my office in the future with questions or concerns.
Sincerely, 
|
Clearly we have ALOT of work to do...it's freaking hard trying to email all these god damn Representatives there are so many of them. I like to address them individually, not just send out a bulk email. Not too mention actual written letters and phone calls. i will keep plugging away on the "unknows".
Has anyone had ANY replies from the Speaker, Senate Prez, or any of the Majority leaders?? We all know where the Minority Leaders stand but "R"s are a very small % of legislators.
Just got this from my rep.
John, Thank you for your email regarding proposed firearms laws. I am a strong supporter of the Second Amendment and agree that the knee jerk reaction to impose stricter gun laws on law abiding citizens will do nothing to prevent mentally ill individuals from committing gun crimes, nor will it address the issue of drugs and violence in our communities.
Our focus must be on helping those individuals with mental illnesses, prohibiting their access to firearms, and enforcing the laws that are already on the books. I will do all I can to make my voice heard on Beacon Hill and will work with members of the Sportsman's Caucus (of which I founded last year and serve as co-chairman) to protect the Second Amendment and provide a balanced approach to public safety.
David T. Vieira
State Representative
Third Barnstable District
State House, Rm. 167
Boston, MA 02133
Boston Office: 617-722-2810
District Office: 508-548-VOTE (8683
John, Thank you for your email regarding proposed firearms laws. I am a strong supporter of the Second Amendment and agree that the knee jerk reaction to impose stricter gun laws on law abiding citizens will do nothing to prevent mentally ill individuals from committing gun crimes, nor will it address the issue of drugs and violence in our communities.
Our focus must be on helping those individuals with mental illnesses, prohibiting their access to firearms, and enforcing the laws that are already on the books. I will do all I can to make my voice heard on Beacon Hill and will work with members of the Sportsman's Caucus (of which I founded last year and serve as co-chairman) to protect the Second Amendment and provide a balanced approach to public safety.
David T. Vieira
State Representative
Third Barnstable District
State House, Rm. 167
Boston, MA 02133
Boston Office: 617-722-2810
District Office: 508-548-VOTE (8683
I'm fortunate enough to live in State Representative Kate Hogan's (D) district (GOAL - A) who's office I received a call from today in response to my mailed letter.
After assuring me that she will not be supporting Patrick's and Linsky's bills, I stressed that it's not enough simply to vote no. What I wanted to see, specifically, was for her office to educate fellow Democratic colleagues in the State House on current Massachusetts laws and how tyrannical and unconstitutional they and these proposed bills are. I believe the message got across.
After assuring me that she will not be supporting Patrick's and Linsky's bills, I stressed that it's not enough simply to vote no. What I wanted to see, specifically, was for her office to educate fellow Democratic colleagues in the State House on current Massachusetts laws and how tyrannical and unconstitutional they and these proposed bills are. I believe the message got across.
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Ive talked to Rep.Parisellas office about an issue Im having with getting my LTC and they were very friendly and told me they would help my situation if I dont hear anything by Feb1st
From my state rep, Sheila Harrington:
Dear Mr. XXXX,
Rest assured, I am very sensitive to the issues you raised in your letter, along with the other members of the Republican caucus at large. We all strongly support the 2nd Amendment and want to protect the rights of law abiding citizens. We are gathering information in order to present a workable proposal to prevent guns from getting into the hands of deranged mass murderers, while still protecting the rights of lawful gun owners. We will fight to protect 2nd amendment rights and to avoid knee jerk like reactions to the terrible tragedy in Newtown. I agree with your assessment of both the Linsky and Patrick proposals. Although I do think something needs to be done to prevent guns from getting in the hands of deranged mass murderers, I personally think that type of prevention may have to start in the schools.
I personally feel teachers are in a unique position to identify children who are isolated, frustrated and angry at a very young age. Possibly we need to develop programs in our schools to help identify these children, and recognize when these attributes are of a heightened nature, at an early age. This type of program may get to the root of the problem, and offer diversion, before these children act out in a violent manner. Placing more restrictions on lawful gun owners does nothing to accomplish this goal. In fact, if someone has become deranged to the extent that they seek to commit mass murder, they will likely choose another means of weaponry to accomplish their goal.
I am committed to working on a real solution and I really appreciate your input on this issue.
Thank you,
She is on board. I have heard nothing from the 3 Dems, and only got the canned response from Tsongas
Dear Mr. XXXX,
Rest assured, I am very sensitive to the issues you raised in your letter, along with the other members of the Republican caucus at large. We all strongly support the 2nd Amendment and want to protect the rights of law abiding citizens. We are gathering information in order to present a workable proposal to prevent guns from getting into the hands of deranged mass murderers, while still protecting the rights of lawful gun owners. We will fight to protect 2nd amendment rights and to avoid knee jerk like reactions to the terrible tragedy in Newtown. I agree with your assessment of both the Linsky and Patrick proposals. Although I do think something needs to be done to prevent guns from getting in the hands of deranged mass murderers, I personally think that type of prevention may have to start in the schools.
I personally feel teachers are in a unique position to identify children who are isolated, frustrated and angry at a very young age. Possibly we need to develop programs in our schools to help identify these children, and recognize when these attributes are of a heightened nature, at an early age. This type of program may get to the root of the problem, and offer diversion, before these children act out in a violent manner. Placing more restrictions on lawful gun owners does nothing to accomplish this goal. In fact, if someone has become deranged to the extent that they seek to commit mass murder, they will likely choose another means of weaponry to accomplish their goal.
I am committed to working on a real solution and I really appreciate your input on this issue.
Thank you,
She is on board. I have heard nothing from the 3 Dems, and only got the canned response from Tsongas
When I spoke to Rep Roy on Tuesday (he actually called me back) he sounded a little more pro 2nd Amendment then the letter you received. Although he didn't commit to what his position was, he did say he was pro 2nd Amendment, he feels more laws will not stop the criminals from be criminals and doesn't support knee jerk reaction laws.
I know one thing... I will be watching very closely how he votes.
![[wink]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/002.gif "Wink [wink]")
Of course... no call back from Karen Spilka.
![[shocked]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/007.gif "Shocked [shocked]")
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again, i spoke with Paul Heroux this morning. i asked him specifically what he thought of the new legislation and he responded with, 'im not just going to vote for something that has no hard facts that will prove it will make changes in our community. id like to look into a solution with facts backing it up, that will have a positive outcome.' this is not a direct quote, however, in short it sounds like he isnt just going to vote yes, lets take all the guns away because there are no solid facts that show it has ever worked in the past.
LittleCalm
NES Member
Guys, any advice as to how much or how little to say in a written letter? I penned something up for my rep, but it's like 3 pages long. I worry that general statements w/o factual support will be easy to dismiss but at the same time don't want to be writing a treatise. Problem is that there are three proposals (Creem, Patrick, Linsky) so there is a lot to cover.
Angelo D'Emilia :
Thank you for contacting me with your concerns regarding the recent gun control legislation being proposed here on Beacon Hill.
There are no words to express the heinous crime that was committed in Connecticut a month ago and the terrible loss of so many innocent lives. Yes we do need to have regulations in place to protect our communities from irresponsible people who should not have access to firearms; however, I find that the proposed legislation infringes on our second amendment rights to bear arms and I am not in support of it in its current form. I am a strong supporter of the 2nd Amendment and will be fighting to protect the rights of law abiding citizens. Although I believe a more proactive approach needs to be taken to prevent firearms from getting into the hands of individuals who want to cause destruction and harm to innocent lives, placing more restrictions on lawful gun owners will not accomplish this goal.
Thank you once again for contacting me on this important matter. I understand how these changes would infringe on your rights and again will work to protect them. If you have any questions or concerns on this matter or any other, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
Angelo
_________________________________________________________
Angelo D'Emilia | State Representative
8th Plymouth District: Bridgewater | Raynham
State House, Room 548 District Office
Boston, MA 02133 31 Perkins Street
Telephone: (617) 722-2488 Bridgewater, MA 02324
Fax: (617) 626-0172 Telephone: (508) 697-2700
angelo.d'[email protected]
www.angelodemilia.com
Thank you for contacting me with your concerns regarding the recent gun control legislation being proposed here on Beacon Hill.
There are no words to express the heinous crime that was committed in Connecticut a month ago and the terrible loss of so many innocent lives. Yes we do need to have regulations in place to protect our communities from irresponsible people who should not have access to firearms; however, I find that the proposed legislation infringes on our second amendment rights to bear arms and I am not in support of it in its current form. I am a strong supporter of the 2nd Amendment and will be fighting to protect the rights of law abiding citizens. Although I believe a more proactive approach needs to be taken to prevent firearms from getting into the hands of individuals who want to cause destruction and harm to innocent lives, placing more restrictions on lawful gun owners will not accomplish this goal.
Thank you once again for contacting me on this important matter. I understand how these changes would infringe on your rights and again will work to protect them. If you have any questions or concerns on this matter or any other, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
Angelo
_________________________________________________________
Angelo D'Emilia | State Representative
8th Plymouth District: Bridgewater | Raynham
State House, Room 548 District Office
Boston, MA 02133 31 Perkins Street
Telephone: (617) 722-2488 Bridgewater, MA 02324
Fax: (617) 626-0172 Telephone: (508) 697-2700
angelo.d'[email protected]
www.angelodemilia.com
We REALLY need to get on these "Unknowns"....seriously. I will be sending them letters, emails and calling next week. Just a reminder we NEED to hit up Majority Leader Ronald Mariano, Speaker Robert DeLeo and Senate President Therese Murray. They have allot of power and influence. I have not gotten one response from either of them and cannot tell where they stand on these bills.
From my rep (Brad Hill, Ipswich):
Thank you for email. I agree with everything you stated in your correspondence. I think instead of passing knee-jerk legislation that will be hurtful to law abiding citizens that we need to look closer at the issue of Mental Health. In all of the recent tragedies Mental Health has been a concern and factor. With that said, it is my understanding that the Speaker of the House will be putting together a commission to take a hard look at this entire issue that will include professionals from the Mental Health Community. It is my further understanding that the Speaker has no intentions of bringing this up any bills within the next few weeks. He really wants to study the issue before having the full House deliberate any proposals, including Rep. Linsky's and the Governor’s.
Again, thank you for sharing your views with me. You can be assured that I will not be supporting the Governor’s proposal and will vote appropriately when this issue is brought before me for consideration.
Sincerely,
Rep. Hill
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Thank you for email. I agree with everything you stated in your correspondence. I think instead of passing knee-jerk legislation that will be hurtful to law abiding citizens that we need to look closer at the issue of Mental Health. In all of the recent tragedies Mental Health has been a concern and factor. With that said, it is my understanding that the Speaker of the House will be putting together a commission to take a hard look at this entire issue that will include professionals from the Mental Health Community. It is my further understanding that the Speaker has no intentions of bringing this up any bills within the next few weeks. He really wants to study the issue before having the full House deliberate any proposals, including Rep. Linsky's and the Governor’s.
Again, thank you for sharing your views with me. You can be assured that I will not be supporting the Governor’s proposal and will vote appropriately when this issue is brought before me for consideration.
Sincerely,
Rep. Hill
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent same email to my senator (Joan Lovely, Beverly):
No voting record...she's a freshman. I'll be calling her.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
No voting record...she's a freshman. I'll be calling her.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Agreed. Take an hour or two, go down the list and hammer them with phone calls and top it off with emails. Who's gonna start the thread and pick the day? We need to make sure they are not in session or whatever, and try to get them (personally) on the horn.
This thread should really be a STICKY. We need one place like this that has the spreadsheet and responses from ALL legislators instead of people posting them all over the place. Can someone make that happen?
Just heard back from my state senator. Looks like a form letter response, but interesting that it did not directly mention AWB or magazine restrictions.
Dear Neighbor,
Thank you for writing regarding the various proposed gun control laws. As you know, this is a subject that has been in the forefront of the minds of people throughout the country as a result of tragic events that have taken place, most recently the tragedy in Sandy Hook, CT.
It is important that the issue of gun control be discussed in depth, and it is my hope that the conversation will be robust and evidence based. Gun control laws are not intended to take away the rights of responsible, law-abiding gun owners, but rather regulate the process in the hopes of reducing the number of unnecessary deaths. Gun control measures are intended to protect the public from those that take advantage of their rights and are not well-suited to own a gun. A better screening process must ensure that those who are allowed to possess a firearm are, in fact, responsible and law-abiding.
Gun control is a matter to be analyzed from multiple angles including public safety, mental health, citizens’ rights and existing laws. Mental health programs, including training teachers to recognize symptoms of mental illness in students, are also very important aspects of the discussion. The mental health issue is critical to a comprehensive effort to reduce gun violence. Throughout the process, I will be sure to take all opinions and all evidence into account when making decisions about public safety.
Thank you again for taking the time to write to me. Please feel free to contact me with comments or concerns about this or any other issues in the future. If you do not already receive my occasional email newsletter and would like to, you can subscribe at www.patjehlen.org.
Best Wishes,
Pat Jehlen
State Senator
Dear Neighbor,
Thank you for writing regarding the various proposed gun control laws. As you know, this is a subject that has been in the forefront of the minds of people throughout the country as a result of tragic events that have taken place, most recently the tragedy in Sandy Hook, CT.
It is important that the issue of gun control be discussed in depth, and it is my hope that the conversation will be robust and evidence based. Gun control laws are not intended to take away the rights of responsible, law-abiding gun owners, but rather regulate the process in the hopes of reducing the number of unnecessary deaths. Gun control measures are intended to protect the public from those that take advantage of their rights and are not well-suited to own a gun. A better screening process must ensure that those who are allowed to possess a firearm are, in fact, responsible and law-abiding.
Gun control is a matter to be analyzed from multiple angles including public safety, mental health, citizens’ rights and existing laws. Mental health programs, including training teachers to recognize symptoms of mental illness in students, are also very important aspects of the discussion. The mental health issue is critical to a comprehensive effort to reduce gun violence. Throughout the process, I will be sure to take all opinions and all evidence into account when making decisions about public safety.
Thank you again for taking the time to write to me. Please feel free to contact me with comments or concerns about this or any other issues in the future. If you do not already receive my occasional email newsletter and would like to, you can subscribe at www.patjehlen.org.
Best Wishes,
Pat Jehlen
State Senator
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