Last year, the politicians in Denver, enacted the universal background check law to protect us, they said. This law is so poorly written that if a police officer on duty breaks his handgun, he is legally required to go to a firearms dealer and have a background check done before his department can issue him a replacement firearm for his shift. This law is so draconian that if I take my lawfully owned firearm to a gunsmith for a repair, he is legally required to take me down to a firearms dealer to run a background check on me before he can lawfully return my own firearm to me. This is absurd. When I die, my widow cannot legally touch or dispose of my lawfully owned rifles until she has a background check done – for each rifle that I own. When I was a boy, my parents bought me my first .22 caliber rifle. Under this law, you cannot legally buy a firearm for another person, even your own son or daughter. When I die, I cannot legally will my firearms to my children or grandchildren.

This is a poorly written, stupid law that solves nothing. Only law-abiding people obey laws; criminals do not. Rep. Mike McLachlan voted in favor of this law, Gov. John Hickenlooper signed it, and Deputy Sean Smith said that if he is elected sheriff, he will enforce it. We need to replace McLachlan and Hickenlooper. J. Paul Brown would not have voted for this, and Bob Beauprez would not have signed it. We need to keep Sheriff Duke Schirard who has the needed common sense not to enforce this idiotic law.

Mark Hansen

Bayfield