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8BODYOFCHRISTNEWSJANUARY2013BeaChangeAgentEveryonewantstotalkaboutguncontrolandchanginggunlawsandIbelievethatisadiscussionthatneedstohappen.ButatwhatpointdowebegintotalkaboutCHANGINGBEHAVIORWeChristiansleadersparentseducatorsandthelikehavebecomeallbutnumbtothenegativeTVprogrammingoutrageoussocialmediapostsandtoxiccultureswithinourcommunitiesthatareunsuitableforbuildingproductivecitizens.Howmanymoredevastatingactslikethismustweseebeforewehavethecouragetostoplookingawaygaincontrolofourhomesraiseourvoicesparentourchildrenrestoreourcommunitiesbringintegritybacktoourchurchesandtheirleadershipandaddressthisentitledbrokenandhurtinggenerationthatseemstothinkthereisnoneedforaccountabil-ityresponsibilityworkethicseduca-tionappropriatebehaviororGod.Weknowtheviolentthedrugdealersthegangbangerspimpsprostitutesthievesmurderersmolestersandeverythinginbetween.Theyreourneighborscutbuddyfriendsandyes-ourfamilymembers.IsntittimeweuseSENSEtomakeCHANGEBenitaEdwardsBEInspiredMarketingDevelopmentEveryday34Americanaaremurderedwithgunsx13thatx19s1200opeoplekilledwithgunseveryyear.Regrettablytherearenow20morefamiliesinNewtownConn.whowillshareinthissamehellishnightmare.Theirlovedoneswerejustsix-andseven-year-oldchildrenandtheywereslaughteredinanelementaryschoolclassroombeforeanyofthemhadthechancetogrowupandleadlongfulfillinglives.TheNationalRifleAssociationrecommen-dationtotheevilcommittedinNewtownisarmedeveryschoolwithanarmedguard.Thelastthingourchildrenandcountryneedismoregunstokillmorepeopleandgarnermoreprofitsforagunindustrythatplacesprofitsaheadofchildrenandpublicsafety.Itislongpasttimetoacknowledgegunviolenceasahugeseriousthreattochildrenteensandoverallpublichealthandsafety.Nowisthetimetobreakthegunx19slobbyvetooncommon-sensegunpolicy.Wehavetomovebeyondcandlelightvigilsandmomentsofsilence.Weneedactionandweneeditnow.AsanelectedrepresentativeforColoradoitismyleadershipobligationtohelpfindsolu-tiontogunviolencethatseeksabalancebetweenkeepinggunsoutofthehandsofdangerouspeopleandupholdstherightsoflawabidingcitizens.Oneofmytoplegislativeprioritieswillrequireeverygunbuyertopassacriminalbackgroundcheck.Suchameasureistheonlysystematicwaytopreventconvictedfelonsdomesticabusersandtheseverelymentallyillfrompurchasinggunsthatcanbeturnedintodeadlyweapons.Unfortunatelyunderourcurrentsystemonlylicensedgundealerareobligatedbyfederallawtoconductback-groundchecks.Privatesellersastheyx19recalledarefreetoselleverythingfromhandgunstohuntingrifleswithnopaperworkandnoquestionsasked.Itisaloopholethatcaterstocriminalsandallowsmorethan40percentofU.S.gunsalestobecompletedwithoutanysemblanceofasafeguardagainstabuse.Gov.JohnHickenlooperhasbravelysaidx1cthetimeisrightx1devenbeforethemassacreinConnecticutlastweek.Coloradoisalreadypart-waythereasvotersclosedthegunshowloopholein2000whichmandatesthebuyermustfirstpassaback-groundcheckbeforeaguntransferoriginat-ingatagunshow.Ofallstatesoursshouldbeleadingthechargeonthisissueafterthetragediesthathaveclaimedfartoomanyofoursonsanddaughtersmothersandfathersfriendsandneighbors.Itwasnx19tallthatlongagothatamidnightshowingofthenewBatmanfilmattheCentury16inAuroraquicklyturnedintoadeadlyrampagethatleft12moviegoersdeadandanother59injured.Itwasnx19tallthatlongagothattwostudentsintrenchcoatswieldingpipebombsandshot-gunswalkedintotheirLittletonhighschoolandgunneddown12fellowclassmatesandateacher.Anditwasnx19tallthatlongagothatmybabyboywasmur-deredinahailofbulletsalongwithhisbeautifulfianceVivianWolfenoteventwoweeksafterfinishingcollege.Aftereveryshootingwealwayshopethecarnagewillstop.Buthopingandwaitingwonx19tgetusanywhere.Weneedtoputpassivityasideandcomeupwithasubstantiveplantoensureoursafetyandthatofourlovedones.Anythinglesswouldbeaninsulttothevictimsofgunviolenceandallofuswholivewiththepainoftheirabsence.StateRep.RhondaFieldsLETTERSEnoughisEnoughProtectChildrenNotGunsHighlightsoftheMLKHolidayEventsCallVernL.Howardat720-971-1329orvisitbocnews.comORdrmartinlkingjrchc.orgforadditionalandupdatedinformationMondayJanuary14PressConferenceLaunchingofTorchandMLKColorado1100a.m.x14AuroraTownCenter14200E.AlamedaAve.AuroraPressconferenceandKick-OffFestivitiesfeaturingCentralHighSchoolROTCColorGuardMayorSteveHogankicksoffaweekofcelebrationhonoringDr.KingCentralHighSchoolChoir.OndisplayhistoricalMLKJr.PanelsfromtheBlairCaldwellAfricanAmericanResearchLibrarytheRockyMountainWaShonajiQuiltguild.Culturalartsperformersbeginningatnoon.TuesdayJanuary1523rdAnnualMLKJr.2011HumanitarianAwardsandLifetimeAchievementAwardsColoradoSymphonyOrchestra-KingCelebrationConcert6-9p.m.x14BoettcherConcertHallDenverPerformingArtsComplex14thandCurtisStreetsFridayJan18The20thannualMLKPeaceAwardsBreakfast800a.m.x14TivoliTurnHallAurariaCampusGuestSpeakerTBD7forstudents14foradultsx1cBarberShopTalksx1dAdialogx13x1cDreamVersusRealityx1dmenandwomenwillmeetseparately6top.m.x14Dr.MartinLutherKingJr.Library9898E.ColfaxAuroraSaturdayJanuary19MLKMarshallTrainingforMarade1000a.m.x14DenverWasteWaterBuilding2000West3rdAvenueDenverCO80223-10271stfloorLunchwillbeserved.x1cTheDreamx1d5KRunWalk10a.m.x14DenverCityParkEntryFee25.00SundayJanuary20thHighlandsRanchCommunity2011UnityWalkandReception200p.m.x14FoxCreekElementarySchool6585CollegiateDriveHighlandsRanchCO.MondayJanuary21st14thAnnualDr.MLKJr.BreakfastCelebration9to11a.m.Breakfastx14ArapahoeCommunityCollegeInmainDinningHall5900SouthSantaFeDriveLittletonCO80120.Tickets15.00forAdults5.00forchildren12andunder28thannualMLKMaradeGatherat9AMprogramstartsat1000a.m.x14TheDr.MartinLutherKingJr.IHaveaDreamMonumentDenverCityParkcon-cludingatCivicCenter.VolunteersneededtoremovelitterfromtheMaraderouteandsurroundingneighborhoodsimmediatelyfollowingtheMaradeat1PMContinuedonPage23StateRep.RhondaFields