"Rep. Mary Howard,

I am writing to you in response to the proposed legislation concerning gun control, namely bills S.31 and H.98. As a resident of Vermont, I am appalled by the attempts these bills make at applying undue restrictions on Vermonters concerning their ability to exercise their constitutional right to defend life and property against potential aggressors. It feels quite inappropriate to introduce these restrictions and expand the legal protections of suspected criminals during a time in which many areas of the state are seeing an increase in violent crime. Although gun violence is a tragic theme that repeats itself much too frequently in our country, taking aim at residents rights to defend themselves, their children, and loved ones is surely of no avail to alleviate the threat of violence against victims. In fact, it seems surely to do the opposite by enabling the perpetrators (who will undoubtedly carry their own firearms, regardless of the law) to have greater confidence in violating the physical safety of others.

Please carefully consider the goal of greater firearms restrictions, that is, to prevent more violence against innocent people from occuring, not to simply attack the weapon itself."