Letter to the editor: In response to Sen. John Braun’s April 12 commentary

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Ironic that in Centralia Sen. John Braun’s editorial in The Reflector on April 12, he berates Democrats for ostensibly focusing attention only on the nationwide and local gun violence epidemic and ignoring the societal challenges of drug use and homelessness, while printed directly above the fold in that issue is a full five-column commentary headlined, “Ready for anything: BGEF (Battle Ground Education Foundation) donates almost $20,000 for overdose preparedness.”

Senator, our exceptionally aware and conscientious (dare I say “woke”) community and our hardworking and dedicated Democratic legislators and law enforcement, state and local, are working on the challenges of drug use, like installing naloxone response boxes in our schools to save lives and banning semi- and fully-automatic, high-capacity firearms that slaughter our children and one another before law enforcement can even intervene, even if they arrive on scene within seconds. First responding cops are not outfitted with assault gear protection and can easily be badly wounded and murdered by a shooter well before SWAT and other interdiction teams arrive. Senator, catch up, will you?

Our beautiful state of Washington is working hard to deter gun violence and reduce illness and death related to drug use and homelessness. Why are you and your fellow cynical Republicans defending rabid murderers butchering us with their deadly automatic “toys,” rather than assisting with methods of saving the lives, families and neighborhoods of those who’ve been abused by purveyors of killer drugs and guns. (Dare I say the NRA and weapons manufacturers and traffickers.)

Automatic weapons are designed for warfare — mass killing — not ownership by law abiding citizens. Open carry without benefit of age restrictions, 10-day registration periods and proper training is insanity, funded by a corporate elite and the GQP legislatures they own.



Your over simplification and dumbing down of all this important work by communities, Democrats and law enforcement is a cynical disservice to the good people of all ages, color, creed and gender in our fine state. Grow up. Reject emoluments from death-mongering gun and drug vendors.

Open your cold, cold, partisan heart.

Sandra Muir,

Battle Ground