Support I-1639
With so much divisiveness on so many issues across the U.S, I believe Initiative I-1639 provides common ground for many of us.
I-1639 is not an anti-gun measure, but an attempt to encourage responsible gun ownership.
I think we can all agree that the many mass shootings and school shootings in our country are tragic.
Anything we can do to reduce the number of injuries and deaths caused by impulsive or mentally unstable persons is certainly a worthwhile effort.
I personally know two young men who might be alive today if there were more stringent requirements to purchase a gun and to securely store firearms.
The first of these men was murdered during the Capitol Hill massacre in Seattle on March 25, 2006, along with five other victims.
The perpetrator had been previously charged with a felony for a shooting incident in Montana.
The other young man was living in a state with few regulations on gun purchases and his suicide might have been prevented if there were a waiting period to buy his gun or if his gun was securely stored, creating more time to rethink his fatal decision.
I encourage voters to read the text of Initiative 1639 or at least the summary in your voter pamphlet.
It is my hope that Washington can join other states to reduce senseless gun violence and death.
Guns are powerful and lethal weapons and we have a responsibility to do all we can so they do not fall into the wrong hands.
Lyell E. Fox,
Sequim