To:         moccw@yahoogroups.com From:     Richard Hime <xxx@juno.com> Date:      Wed, 02 Jul 2003  Subject: [moccw] Fax to OTB My last minute fax to OTB: July 2, 2003 Governor Bob Holden Dear Sir: Last night's tragedy in our Capital City surely brings to your attention, the plight of the citizens of Missouri who are legally unable to effectively defend themselves from violent and deranged criminals.  My guess is that you have not faced death at the hands of another human being who was intent upon ending your life or incapacitating you.  I have.  Therefore, I protect myself and my family with the utmost determination.  But I deserve the right, as does every LAW ABIDING citizen of Missouri, to do it legally.  Rightly so, you and your family have "special protection" provided by armed and well-trained personnel.  Don't we, and I am speaking for trained, law-abiding gun owners, deserve to have some semblance of the same security that you and your family enjoy?  Are the lives of our wives, husbands, and children worth less than yours because of your position in State Government?  And please don't say that you deserve protection more than us because you are at higher risk.  Last night's events at Modine effectively dispute that argument.  We are ALL at risk.  Can you not see that global terrorism is simply magnified and amplified street crime? Perhaps last night's death toll would have been reduced or even eliminated had only one armed citizen been able to stop this attack. Or, perhaps the killer might not have even considered his rampage had he been aware other employees were able to defend themselves.  The police cannot be everywhere, and, because we are Americans, they should not have to be everywhere. I beseech you - do not veto HB 349.  Let it pass; not for the good of your political career, and not because of  the ineffectiveness of gun control legislation in the U.S., and not because police can't protect us all the time; but because your constituency deserves and wants a right that it is granted by the U.S. Constitution.  Please help us achieve a reduced violent crime rate through legal concealed carry by law-abiding citizens.  The people have spoken.  THIS IS NOT PROPOSITION B.  This is a life and death issue, not a political football.  Please do the right thing.  And this time, doing the right thing means doing nothing.  Don't sign it if you want to show your personal protest, but don't veto it – the law-abiding citizens of Missouri (thank God, the majority) don't deserve that insult to their integrity, intelligence, and good judgment.  Thank you. Sincerely, Richard A. (Dick) Hime Raymore, MO