With elections for state legislatures as well as for federal offices coming up later this year, it is important for you to establish contact with your state legislators, whether they are Democrat or Republican, pro-gun or anti-gun.
All gun owners need to write, e-mail or call their elected officials. Tell them you are concerned that while gun control may not have been on the state front burner in recent months, some elected officials may attempt to exploit a Democrat majority to further their own gun control agenda, and place freshman Democrats at risk. Gun control is a failed policy that does not reduce crime. In many cases, it encourages it by disarming law-abiding citizens.
A simple one-page letter, just three or four paragraphs, carries a lot of weight. The important thing is to mail that letter or send that e-mail. Ask them to keep you informed of pending gun control legislation. Then follow up with an occasional telephone call to the official’s office. Most will have a staff member who handles gun issues. Get to know that person by name, and be sure they recognize your name. That personalizes the issue on both sides of the call.
Legislators’ addresses and telephone numbers may be found in the government “blue pages†in the front of most telephone directories. This information also is available at your local library.
The National Conference of State Legislatures has links to all state legislatures from their home page at http://www.ncsl.org. Just click on “Legislatures†on the tool bar at the top of the page and select your state.
