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VA: Letter to reps re carry on school property

669 views 2 replies 3 participants last post by  C9H13NO3 
#1 ·
Sorry for the lack of paragraphs, the write in tool won't let me use them.

Sir, I write to you today about HB 1822, a bill to allow Concealed Handgun Permit holders to carry their concealed handguns onto K-12 school property. It is legal and commonplace for me to carry my weapon around children at McDonalds, the mall, WalMart, ToysRUs, the library, and just about any other public place; I do carry my weapon at all times when it is legal to do so. A review of crime reports makes it obvious that we cannot predict when our lives may be threatened. However, when I go to pick my son up from school, in order to comply with the law, I must go through a tedious process in order to remain within the law: I must draw my weapon from the holster, unload it, and place it in a locked container. It is a felony for me to step outside my vehicle and place the weapon in my trunk, thus I must have a lockable container inside the vehicle. Once I return to my vehicle, I must retrieve the weapon, load it, and then return it to the holster. One of the most common causes of an unintentional discharge is unnecessary handling of the weapon. Add to this the concern that someone may observe such gun handling and become frightened, which is understandable, and you can see that it would be much simpler, and safer, for the weapon to remain concealed and in the holster. Some states publish statistics regarding the conviction rate of CHP holders versus the general population, and the results are striking. CHP holders are much less likely to commit crimes. Then there is the concern of school shootings. Experts in criminology have recognized that schools, as gun free zones, are safe havens for shooters. The law as written deters honest citizens from possessing guns on school property, but no law will deter a homicidal gunman. These same experts are now realizing that the best way to defeat such a person, and minimize casualties, is with an immediate response. Such gunmen usually end their assault when confronted with return fire. I guarantee you that a legally armed citizen presents a much more immediate response than a police officer who may be several minutes away, such as in my County of Isle of Wight. How many children could be saved in the time it takes for a police officer to respond? My son's school has a resource officer, but only for two or three days per week. A patrol Deputy may well have to respond from the courthouse during an incident, which is about fifteen minutes from the school even at emergency speeds.If you support this bill, thank you. If not, can you please respond and explain to me why I can be trusted around children in public with a weapon, but not at a public school? Thank you,
 
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#2 ·
Good job. :35:
 
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