I have been a responsible hunter and target shooter all of my life. I am concerned about crime and violence and feel it is very important for everyone to be working toward responsible solutions to these problems.

With that in mind, I will be grateful if you take a few moments to respond to the following questions:

• What is your definition and understanding of the 60 to 80 million  responsible, law abiding gun owners in America today?

• How do you define the difference between a responsible, law abiding gun owner and a violent criminal?

• What would you like to say to your responsible, law abiding, gun owning constituents?

• What do you feel are responsible ways to address the problem of crime and violence in our society?

• How do these solutions specifically target those who are criminal and violent?

• Do these solutions adversely affect those who are responsible with firearms?

• Will you vote against solutions that adversely affect responsible, law abiding gun owners?

• Do you feel it is important to exercise a high level of responsibility in the way these issues are discussed in order to avoid creating an environment of prejudice and discrimination toward responsible, law abiding gun owners?

• Do you feel that blaming and punishing responsible, law abiding gun owners is akin to condemning the sport of baseball because some people have used a baseball bat to commit acts of crime and violence?

• Do you feel that the absence of a gun will effectively prevent an at risk person from acting out in other destructive and violent ways?

• How do you feel about programs such as Project Exile (http://www.projectexile.com/) that specifically target those who commit acts of crime and violence?

• Do you feel that promoting tolerance, respect, compassion and constructive conflict resolution is a worthwhile long term investment toward making a difference in the lives of those at risk of committing acts of crime and violence?

• What are other ways that we can work toward changing a person’s predisposition toward committing acts of crime and violence?

• How do you feel about Job Corps programs and other programs that work toward offering an alternative to drug dealing and other criminal activity?

• Do you feel that responsible, law abiding gun owners are concerned about the problem of crime and violence in our society?

• Do you feel that responsible, law abiding gun owners are interested in finding responsible solutions that specifically target those who commit acts of crime and violence without discriminating against those who are responsible with firearms?

• If you have never been exposed to firearms, would you consider visiting a shooting range to meet responsible, law abiding gun owners? To learn about our sport? To learn that we are not a threat to society? To learn about our concerns?

• Are you willing to work with people on all sides of these issues to work toward finding responsible solutions to crime and violence? Solutions that specifically target those who are criminal and violent? Solutions that do not discriminate against responsible, law abiding gun owners?

I would like to thank you for taking the time to read this letter. Your feedback to these questions will be greatly appreciated and will help me to make an informed decision the next time I vote.

Thank you very much for your time and consideration,

Your name here