Why Background Checks Are Not Enough. PTSD in Veterans
Yesterday out at the polls, working on behalf of Penny Shaw for Harris County Commissioner Precinct 4 & in support of Beto O'Rourke for US Senate, I had occasion to meet many opposition candidates & their campaign support people, including one of the 9 people running for Congressman Ted Poe's soon-to-be-vacated seat in the House.
There on the behalf of the Democratic Party for the Democratic Primary, I am humbled & honored to help those that are braver than me to run for elected office, but OMG I've been out numbered by good-natured Republican candidates , including that guy since the start of Early Voting on Tuesday.
This candidate rolled down Chimney Rock with his posse IN A MILITARY HUMVEE.
When his people informed me that the candidate himself is a Retired US Navy Seal, I knew I HAD TO get his thoughts on background checks for gun licenses/purchases & SPECIFICALLY on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in military Veterans.
Why would I ask this specific, legitimate question? Days before Hurricane Harvey made landfall, my friend Amy Burnett-Combs was murdered by her 2nd husband, David Combs who was a highly decorated US Navy Seal, who then committed suicide by shooting himself in the head.
This is her Funeral Notice (not Obituary - Funeral Notice) Nothing could be found online about Dave other than the fact that he died.
All of us were STUNNED to see our parking lot on the 4PM News, walk outside & find our homes SWARMING with Law Enforcement, learning afterwards that this was done by someone we all knew, to someone who was a friend & it was done by a highly decorated US Navy Seal. (the likely reason there are no details available about him online.)
A person like this would have EASILY passed a background check.
While Amy & Dave's issues dealt with Domestic Violence against WOMEN - & isn't that awful enough - he probably was not a danger to any of the rest of us in the community, but you never know.
The Candidate did listen to my concerns, but only focused on the individual, saying that the Navy has programs for retirees & didn't really address the question of Background Checks as a whole.
His worker wanted to change the subject entirely missing the point, asking me "What about Israelis?" I should have asked him "What about us? What about Americans?" but I could see that he wasn't having it, so I shook hands with the candidate & thanked him for listening to me.
I was silently sobbing for Amy at this point & needed a ten minute time out to go sit in my car.
Today will be Day 3 of Early Voting. While I don't have the statistics, one of the Democratic Party pages that I follow did have the numbers on Voter Turnout so far. Very encouraging to see that the #BlueWave is on track to turn the tide in Texas.
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