OPINION:
I had the honor of serving my country in the United States Army as an infantryman and a member of U.S. Army Special Forces (better known as Green Berets).
That experience left an incredible impression on me. It reinforced my belief that for a people to be free, they must possess the ability to protect themselves, their family and their country.
I carried that conviction with me into the Virginia House of Delegates, where for 10 years I fought against any infringements upon our right to keep and bear arms.
Today, as a citizen, I am watching as the same politicians who regularly refuse to enforce the law or increase penalties on those who routinely break it work to infringe on the rights of law-abiding citizens.
This session, lawmakers are advancing one of the most dangerous gun control packages in Virginia history. The authors of these bills will say that these measures will make the commonwealth safe, but we know better.
A recent statewide poll shows that 90% of Virginia voters say the criminal, not the gun, is responsible for violent crime. The same survey found that nearly two-thirds of Virginians believe the most effective way to reduce crime is by enforcing existing laws and imposing tougher sentences on criminals, not placing further restrictions on the law-abiding.
Virginia has a proud history of gun ownership, and only a small fraction believe that new restrictions are the answer. We are not divided on this issue, and we’re giving a clear mandate.
Virginians want safe communities and neighborhoods free from chaos, but we must pursue safety in a way that defends our freedom and reflects the will of the people.
Making Virginia safe and defending our freedoms are not mutually exclusive ideas. Here in the commonwealth, one supports the other.
NICK FREITAS
Culpeper, Virginia
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