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Got this email I think meant for my wife today. I am sure my response will fall on deaf ears.
My response:
Representative Bonamici,
You are correct Enough is Enough! Members of Congress need to look at the root cause of the issue. Mental Illness. Mentally Healthy people do not mass murder. Our great State of Oregon ranks 49th as 3rd to the bottom as the WORST state* for Mental health. As the worlds most powerful nation the US does not even rank in the top 12 nations for quality mental health.
Criminals and the mentally ill who will harm people will continue to do so. This is proven in other countries with extream gun control laws. England has extream gun laws, yet has a knife epidemic. In the US in 2017 3x as many people were killed by a knife than a gun, yet the media and politicians continue to focus on guns. Banning assault rifles and high capacity magazines from legal law-abiding citizens will not save lives. Mentally Ill people will continue to hurt others. ENOUGH IS ENOUG, FIX THE REAL ISSUE of Mental illness.
Never is the politician or news blitz standing by the everyday citizens who are forced to protect themselves and their families with firearms every year. Just 2 weeks ago a Pacific North West woman in Seattle defended herself* from a home invasion/burglary by 3 armed men. Like criminals, they illegally shot at her as they tried to break into her home, she defended herself with her own legally owned gun. Her shooting the criminal was justified on the spot by the police and she is alive today since she defended herself with her own firearm. Why would you want to limit this woman in the amount of ammunition she can have in her legally owned gun used to protect herself?
Not everyone lives in affluent areas with quick responding police. It's easy for those with privilege, perhaps work in government secured buildings and live in safe sometimes wealthy areas to think "gun control" is a solution. But criminals will still use weapons and most importantly mentally ill will still harm others and themselves. I urge you to stand out and seek real change, something that will actually make the difference. FIX our States and Countries poor Mental Health system.
*Ranking the States
*Homeowner shoots armed burglar in South Seattle
One mass shooting is too many. Yet here we are againcommunities in our country are left to mourn those who have been lost to another preventable tragedy. I'm heartbroken by the mass shootings in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio. And I am outraged that the Senate has not acted on commonsense measures to address this uniquely American epidemic
In the first 100 days of this Congress, the House of Representatives passed two bills that will save lives. The Bipartisan Background Checks Act would require the background check system to cover all commercial firearms sales. Keeping guns out of the hands of people that should not have them would help stem this unacceptable loss of life. Extending the review period for background checks will also prevent dangerous criminals from obtaining weapons. For that reason, the House passed the Enhanced Background Checks Act. We also increased investments in federal public health research on gun violence to better understand this crisis.
The Senate must take immediate action to protect our children, families, and neighbors. As a member of the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force, I also joined my colleagues in urging Senate Leadership to end what I believe is a blockade of both the Bipartisan Background Checks Act and the Enhanced Background Checks Act. I am also fighting to make sure Congress takes further action by banning high-capacity magazines and assault rifles, and prohibiting individuals convicted of stalking from owning firearms.
Members of Congress cannot allow this crisis to continue without a response. Offering thoughts and prayers is not enough, and never has been. I stand ready to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to move forward for the safety of our communities and in memory of those who are going enough is enough.
Sincerely,
Suzanne Bonamici
Member of Congress
My response:
Representative Bonamici,
You are correct Enough is Enough! Members of Congress need to look at the root cause of the issue. Mental Illness. Mentally Healthy people do not mass murder. Our great State of Oregon ranks 49th as 3rd to the bottom as the WORST state* for Mental health. As the worlds most powerful nation the US does not even rank in the top 12 nations for quality mental health.
Criminals and the mentally ill who will harm people will continue to do so. This is proven in other countries with extream gun control laws. England has extream gun laws, yet has a knife epidemic. In the US in 2017 3x as many people were killed by a knife than a gun, yet the media and politicians continue to focus on guns. Banning assault rifles and high capacity magazines from legal law-abiding citizens will not save lives. Mentally Ill people will continue to hurt others. ENOUGH IS ENOUG, FIX THE REAL ISSUE of Mental illness.
Never is the politician or news blitz standing by the everyday citizens who are forced to protect themselves and their families with firearms every year. Just 2 weeks ago a Pacific North West woman in Seattle defended herself* from a home invasion/burglary by 3 armed men. Like criminals, they illegally shot at her as they tried to break into her home, she defended herself with her own legally owned gun. Her shooting the criminal was justified on the spot by the police and she is alive today since she defended herself with her own firearm. Why would you want to limit this woman in the amount of ammunition she can have in her legally owned gun used to protect herself?
Not everyone lives in affluent areas with quick responding police. It's easy for those with privilege, perhaps work in government secured buildings and live in safe sometimes wealthy areas to think "gun control" is a solution. But criminals will still use weapons and most importantly mentally ill will still harm others and themselves. I urge you to stand out and seek real change, something that will actually make the difference. FIX our States and Countries poor Mental Health system.
*Ranking the States
*Homeowner shoots armed burglar in South Seattle
