In light of the recent terrorist attack in San Bernadino, the mayor of that town reopened the goverment agency under attack, assuring the citizens and employees that she was securing their safety with ADDITIONAL ARMED SECURITY.  

Attackers look for SOFT targets that have little or no security.  Anywhere that the ability of Law-abiding citizens to defend themselves is limited is a PRIME TARGET for those that want to do harm.

By eliminating this constitutional right from Virginia's citizens, you are making them targets.  As Governor, you are sworn to uphold the Constitution of Virginia ... how can you intentionally override it unilaterally?

As was sadly illustrated in San Bernadino (and in other brutal killings) even in the light of incredible response by the police and others, they are second responders to the people being killed as they wait defenselessly.

* All but two of the public massacres since 1950 had been committed by criminals and terrorists in “gun-free zones,” which is exactly what this regulation creates
* Off-duty police officers are also prevented from carrying
* Bans in rest stops send a very uninviting message to, and endanger the lives of, interstate travelers
* The cost of providing additional security to protect everyone who has been disarmed by this regulation will be prohibitive
* The ban won’t hold up in court, due to lack of authority by the Governor
* If parking lots are included in the ban, then citizens will be disarmed to and from their residences and everywhere in between

The answer to protecting citizens from evil people that want to kill them is not to require them to be defenseless and wait to be killed.  

Stop this irrational regulation.

Sincerely,

F. Karl Hammaker