My name is Joseph and I am an aide for Senator Greg Brophy. Senator Brophy has received a huge amount of e-mails regarding upcoming gun legislation over the past few weeks. It’s encouraging to know that so many people are willing to fight for our Second Amendment rights. Now more than ever we need you to contact your legislators. Four bills, House Bills 1224, 1226, 1228, and 1229, will be heard in committee in the next two days. These are the bills we’ve been concerned about; all four are vicious attacks on the rights of gun owners.
Unfortunately, many of the e-mails we’ve received will not be effective in convincing legislators to vote against these bills. There are a few basic guidelines you should follow when trying to communicate effectively with legislators.
Many of these pro-gun rights e-mails are very long. Legislators don’t read long e-mails. They don’t have time. In fact, Senator Brophy is one of the only legislators who answers his own e-mail. Most of the time, e-mail is answered by an aide or other staff person who will probably ignore any message longer than a paragraph or two. You’re much more likely to be heard if you limit your e-mails to a few sentences. Many of these e-mails also contain lectures on the history and importance of gun rights, extensive statistics, and detailed analysis of proposed gun restrictions. Such messages are also ineffective. Have you ever tried to convince your spouse, child, or friend to change their position on something by lecturing them? It’s unfortunate, but e-mails that try to lecture a legislator on gun rights will be sent right to the trash folder.
At this point, what really matters is how senators and representatives plan to vote on proposed gun control measures and whether the governor will sign them. To communicate effectively, simply urge your legislator to vote yes or no on a particular bill, ask how they intend to vote, and request a reply. You have a much better chance of convincing a legislator who is wavering on the issue if you keep your e-mails brief and simply ask for a “no” vote on upcoming gun control bills. Also, don’t be afraid to contact the Governor Hickenlooper. You can reach his office at 303-866-2471 or send him an e-mail from the following page:
http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite.../1251592968310
Thank you for your activism. I know the situation might look bleak, but if we can effectively make our voices heard, we can take these gun bills down.
Sincerely,
Joseph Caldara
Aide to State Senator Greg Brophy
