CO Governor Hickenlooper is now wavering on some of the proposed new gun laws, in part due to the threat of Magpul Industries to leave the state if they pass and because of insensitive comments made by Democrats about women and rape that have made national news.
This is the perfect time for Colorado residents to contact his office and register an “AGAINST” position on the various gun bills.
Go to Contact the Governor. Then on the “Jurisdiction” dropdown menu, select “Legislation”. On the “Bill” dropdown menu, select the various gun laws up for consideration. You can then select “AGAINST” in the “For/Against” menu and leave a comment. (You also have to indicate your name, address, etc.)
I’ve already submitted my “AGAINST” comments. Comments don’t have to be long, because they’re mostly just tallying for/against. But I said the following:
On HB13-1224 (magazine restrictions): “If law enforcement officials might need more than 15 rounds to protect themselves and other innocent people, so might homeowners faced with multiple intruders.”
On HB13-1226 (concealed carry on college campus): “Experience from Colorado State University shows that concealed weapons holders can be responsible. Please don’t disarm women who the state of CO has already agreed are fit to carry a handgun for self-protection.”
Update from Diana: Here’s the text of the two emails that I just submitted to Governor Hickenlooper. Feel free to make use of them in crafting your own emails.
Please VETO HB13-1224
Please veto this bill. Just as law enforcement might need larger-capacity magazines, so might concealed-carry permit holders and people defending their homes against criminals.
This law is nothing but security theater, and it would not do anything to prevent mass shootings. Most people in Colorado know that. They support the right to self-defense, and they won’t support politicians who forcibly disarm law-abiding citizens.
Please VETO HB13-1226
Please support the right to self-defense on campus by vetoing this bill. Here’s what I wrote about it on my blog earlier this week:
When I was a graduate student at CU Boulder, I had to walk a few blocks off-campus, through a residential neighborhood, to get to my car. I took classes in the evening on occasion, and during those times, my walk was dark and lonely. Like other students, I’d receive periodic reports of sexual assaults just off-campus, and that worried me.
The police chief’s advice of carrying a “safety whistle” was pure absurdity to me. If I was attacked, that wouldn’t do me a lick of good. Also, I knew that I couldn’t hope to outrun my attacker: I’m a slow sprinter, and even in elementary school, I only ever beat the fat girl in running the 50-yard dash. Really, I wanted my “safety Ruger” — because that could have actually kept me safe! Instead, I often took Kate, my German Shepherd with me to those late classes. She probably wouldn’t have helped much if I’d been attacked, but she might have deterred a criminal.
Moreover, in the wake of school shootings, I hated to think of being disarmed and defenseless, particularly as a teacher in a classroom full of terrified students. I’d have an obligation to protect my students as best as I could, yet I’d be unable to do much of anything. I hated that with a passion.
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Again, please support the right of people on campus to defend themselves. This laws will not prevent shooting on campus. It will only prevent the victims from defending themselves.