The horrible tragedy in Littleton, Colorado has forced gun control into the headlines. Anti-gun legislation is being considered on every level of government, from local to state to federal. We must let our elected officials know that we will not tolerate support of restrictive legislation that will only harm the law-abiding gun owner and not do a thing to prevent the occurrence of similar tragedies.

The best way to do this is to write letters. handwritten letters are the best. They show that you have put thought, time and effort into the correspondence. Form letters, as well as e-mails, should be avoided. E-mail is not as effective as a letter, so do not rely solely on it, but follow up with a hand-written letter. Phone calls are roughly as effective as e-mail.

Be polite and to the point, stating that new legislation will hurt the gun owner and not solve the problem. If there are other issues about which you wish to express your opinion, write a separate letter. Letters discussing more than one issue are not as effective as single issue letters. the sooner you write the letters, the better.

If you need any help in finding your legislators, please call (425) 454-4911