Issue Position: Gun Violence and Gun Safety

Issue Position

Too many people die from gun violence, suicide and gun-related accidents. This must be addressed by our leaders in Richmond and Washington. I am a retired military officer. During my career, I trained with and operated firearms routinely. When I was deployed to Iraq, I carried a weapon every day. I believe in the importance of the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution, protecting everyone's right to bear arms. I also believe in responsible gun ownership. My wife and I own fire arms. Gun safety is not a political issue; it is a commonsense issue. I was in Afghanistan when the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut occurred. My wife is a retired high school principal; I remember calling her to check on her in the wake of Sandy Hook. As I was talking to her, it occurred to me that I was safer in a combat zone in Afghanistan than she was in the United States as the principal of a high school. There's something very wrong with that. The time to act is now, before any more children are victims of gun violence.

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