Rhonda Fields, Patriot

by Pa Rock
Citizen Journalist

State Representative Rhonda Fields of Aurora, Colorado, is a progressive legislator who is currently sponsoring some commonsense gun regulation initiatives in the Colorado legislature.  Rep. Fields is a college graduate and has held professional jobs her entire adult life.   She is a grandmother, and she also  happens to be black.

Rep. Fields has a strong personal investment in trying to impose a certain level of sanity on the gun situation in her state.   Aside from the fact that she represents Aurora, the Denver suburb where the horrendous theatre massacre occurred last summer, she also lost her son, himself a college graduate, to an act of gun violence several years ago.

The bills that Rep. Fields is sponsoring include one that would limit the size of ammunition clips to fifteen rounds and another that would call for background checks on all gun purchasers – even those acquiring their weapons through private sales.  Both represent sensible ideas that are being discussed nationwide.

Rep. Fields undoubtedly knew that any legislation involving firearms would engender a certain amount of hostility, but the emails that she received from one Colorado gun owner were so alarming that she had to turn the matter over to the police.  A 42-year-old man from Colorado Springs was arrested for allegedly sending threatening emails, and charged with attempting to influence a public servant (a felony) and harassment involving ethnic intimidation (a misdemeanor).  

The racist and misogynistic screeds allegedly generated by this man were liberally salted with the n-word (referring to Rep. Fields and the President), the c-word, and a couple of f-words that seemed to be thrown in just for good measure.   He also promised violence that would make World War I and World War II look like child’s play – an action in which “many” would die – if Rep. Fields or her “N----- President” tried to confiscate the guns of citizens.

And thus were revealed two of the uglier underpinnings of the pro-gun movement:  paranoia that the government, and particularly this black President, is coming to take the guns of God-fearing citizens, and racism.  Both sell lots and lots of guns.   A country awash in guns, of course, propagates a culture of violence which, in turn, sells more guns.  It’s a vicious cycle that benefits gun manufacturers more than any other group.

Rep. Fields described the tone of the threats made against her as “unbelievable.”    But she added, “I will not be deterred by threats.”  

Rhonda Fields is one brave lady – a true patriot.   May she be personally safe as she works to make Colorado a better place for everyone.