URGENT: Legislative Call to Action

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SUBJECT: DO NOT yield to threats! Support Tennesseans' 2nd amendment rights.

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MESSAGE BODY:

Like all Tennesseans, my heart has broken this week over the shooting at Covenant School in Nashville. In the wake of this horrible event, we must use rational thought and learn from experiences of the past in order to better protect not only our schools and children but all Tennesseans. Here are my thoughts and I hope you consider these with seriousness:

1. DO NOT GIVE POWER TO DEATH THREATS. I am aware that death threats have come against some of you, our elected officials. This is unacceptable. No one should ever be threatened as a means of persuasion. As you consider upcoming legislation related to gun rights in Tennessee, remember that bending to threats doesn’t make the threats stop- it does the opposite. For the same reason you do not pay ransom to a kidnapper, I urge you to hold fast and resist giving in to the demands of those who, ironically, threaten violence, in order to get their way. Yielding to threats sets a dangerous precedent for the future and sends a message that our elected officials can be influenced by threats. The end result will only be more and more threats in the future – on all issues. If the tactic works once, it will be employed again.

2. NO RED FLAG LAWS. If those who oppose guns and gun rights in Tennessee are comfortable making death threats against elected officials, what is to stop them from making false reports against gun-owning neighbors? Creating an avenue for false claims to be made against innocent, law abiding citizens, who then have their right to defend themselves stripped without being charged with a crime and receiving due process is an extremely dangerous road to go down. We all want a safer Tennessee, but red flag laws do not get us there.

3. ELIMINATE SCHOOLS AS GUN-FREE ZONES. Parents, who can otherwise lawfully carry a firearm in Tennessee should not have to be vulnerable to visit their kids at school. Of all things parents want, it is to protect their children. When going to a school, where their most loved beings are, parents have to leave behind their means of protection. Parents are a great asset in securing the safety of schools.

4. MAKE SCHOOLS HARD TARGETS. There is a reason that schools and churches are targeted – they allow the sociopath killers to have the highest “body count” possible – which is documented in countless killer manifestos. I’m sure you’ve heard it said before; but schools need to be HARD targets. Your office building – Cordell-Hull - is heavily guarded with armed security – WHY? To keep you safe. We guard elected officials, banks, courts, etc. with armed personnel, yet leave our most defenseless and precious members of society - our children -vulnerable in their schools. Our schools should not just “feel” safe – but should BE safe...secured by armed RSO’s and my hope is that one day teachers will be allowed to be armed in order to protect their students and themselves.

5. ARM TEACHERS. The response to school and church shootings over the last 30 years has been the same failed response over and over: “Call 911 and wait.” The reason for calling 911 is to hail someone with a  gun (police) to come and stop someone with a gun. In the time it takes for someone to come and help, countless more are wounded and killed. If someone shows up with a gun, we want it to stop RIGHT NOW – not 10-20 minutes later. 

There is much I would like to continue to share but in the end, sociopaths do sociopath things and the only response is an armed one. PLEASE do not cave to death threats sent from those who say they want the killing to stop. The people of Tennessee need you to stand firm. You are not alone in this fight – I stand with you.

Thank you -

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