Dear Governor Hickenlooper,
As a Colorado voter, I was disappointed when in 2013 you signed three gun control bills into law. That legislation placed hindrances on my Second Amendment rights, and my ability to protect my family. It is with pleasant surprise that I now agree with you on a firearms related issue.
As a mom, keeping my children safe is my duty and responsibility. For that reason, I volunteer my time with an important grassroots organization, 1 Million Moms Against Gun Control (1MMAGC). The goal of 1MMAGC is to empower women and mothers to protect their families. My volunteer efforts don’t earn me a paycheck, but they do give me the satisfaction of knowing that I am working to keep children, including my own, safe.
Safety of our children in their schools is paramount to every mother. Every school day, I drop my son off at a “gun-free zone” preschool. With a kiss on the cheek, and a prayer in my heart that he will be safe, I leave him in what law enforcement professionals call a target of opportunity.
We have all seen what happens when teachers and students are left to cower in a corner, praying that the police get to them before an active shooter does. Teachers who shield students from a shooter often pay the ultimate price. Heroes such as Victoria Soto, Lauren Rousseau, Dawn Lafferty Hochsprung, and Anne Marie Murphy gave their lives that horrific day at Sandy Hook Elementary.
Imagine for a moment please Mr. Governor, if they had been armed. Just as the resource officer who intercepted the shooter at Arapahoe High School did, those fallen teachers could have stopped the threat and lived to spend another day with their loved ones. It is time to evaluate and deploy methods that will stop those shooters before one more child is victimized. Arming teachers and school administrators is a proven and effective first step.
Governor, you were recently quoted as saying: “The ability of people to defend themselves in a world that increasingly looks chaotic [is important]. There is not a parent in this state that doesn’t want to make sure we’re doing everything possible to make their kid safe.” We at 1 Million Moms Against Gun Control couldn’t agree more, and we accept your invitation to discuss arming teachers in The Centennial State. I respectfully request a meeting or telephone call, at your convenience, to discuss this critically important issue.
Yours truly,
Linda Elliott
Spokesmom
1 Million Moms Against Gun Control