Gov. Kaine,
As a productive citizen of the United States of America and of the Commonwealth of Virginia I am deeply concerned with regards to both the attitude and lack of knowledge that you appear to be displaying regarding the citizens of the Commonwealth in general and those who own firearms in specific.
While I understand that you may have been misquoted, and am willing to give the benefit of the doubt, I am still troubled by a recent article by the Washington DC Examiner (
http://tinyurl.com/2cvczn ) where there are several examples that seem to demonstrate a deep distrust of the general populace of the commonwealth following to the actions of one madman. There are also other comments that display a distressing ignorance with regards to the topics of firearm ownership, firearm use, and firearms responsibility.
Mr. Kaine, generalization in policy making is dangerous. While you are seeking ways to isolate the evil people and hinder their malicious plans it is important that you don’t “throw the baby out with the bathwater” by punishing everyone else.
It is also important that you don’t suddenly, with a stroke of the “policy pen”, accidentally turn the decent and law-abiding citizens of the Commonwealth into criminals simply due to ignorance about the topic in question.
Mr. Kaine, I’m no political bigwig, no mover and shaker, I am simply a citizen who is witnessing the makings of a terrible train-wreck of a situation and am hoping that maybe I can do something to help prevent it.
To this end I am willing to re-arrange my own schedule, take time from work, in short to do whatever is necessary in order to meet with you if you would be willing to discuss some of these topics.
Mr. Kaine. I beg you to take me up on this offer, or if you do not wish to work with me then I make an equally heartfelt plea that you contact a local shooting organization and find someone to have a conversation with. You are responsible for directing policy for the Commonwealth and as such it is your duty to understand -all aspects- of the topics in question before making any decisions.
Sincerely