For Leif.
In High School, my friend Leif was a poet. Leif was tall, he had the build of a viking. Leif was a pianist. Leif could drive his Volkswagen Scirocco named Elsa with his knees while Air Xylophoning to the Cure’s Letter to Elise. When Leif played Street Fighter 2, he played as Guile. Leif would taunt my Ryu to “Enter the Zone”. And filled with hubris, my Ryu would Hurricane Kick toward him, only to fall prey to Guile’s Flash Kick which Leif dubbed, “The Lawn Mower”.
In college for spring break, we used to drive through the night to Wolf Creek Ski Resort for 14 hours, listening to mix tapes we made and Garrison Wheeler’s Prairie Home Companion. We would arrive before the lifts open, get our skis and ski all day on zero rest.
Leif earned his degree in Geographic Information Science. Leif worked at NASA. Leif gave me a NASA hat, because Leif knew I really like all things related to space. Leif gave a briefing to John Glenn prior to his final Shuttle Flight.
Leif fell in love and became engaged to be married.
25 years ago, almost to the day, Leif’s fiancee’s ex-boyfriend shot and killed my friend Leif and then himself. Leif was 26. There was no casket at the service. Just a picture.
For me, like most of you, gun violence is not academic. It is a real thing we have faced. It has been 25 years since Leif died and that wound still feels fresh. Unfortunately, it is not my only experience with gun violence. This isn't just my story; it's a national crisis that touches nearly all of us. A recent study in The Lancet Regional Health – Americas found that nearly two-thirds of adults in the U.S. (around 64%) have personally experienced gun violence in some form, including knowing someone who has been shot.
As a System Engineer, I look at these numbers, these stories, and I see a system that is tragically broken. A broken system carries an unbearable cost, not just in lives, but financially, draining over My commitment is to fix this broken system, applying logic and common sense to save lives.
Common-Sense "Layups": Fixing the Obvious Flaws
If I earned AZ-1's vote for Congress, I would work to implement widely supported proposals that are, quite frankly, "layups" which a republican-led Congress refuses to take. These are measures that consistently poll with over 70%—often over 80%—of public support, including from many gun owners:
Universal Background Checks: A foundational safety measure, supported by nearly 90% of Americans, which ensures all firearm sales go through a licensed dealer.
Red Flag Laws (Extreme Risk Protection Orders): These laws allow for the temporary removal of firearms from individuals deemed an imminent danger to themselves or others. While Arizona lacks such a law, 23 other states have successfully implemented them, often with federal support, showing they are a vital tool for crisis intervention.
Safe Storage Laws: These are crucial to prevent accidental shootings and keep firearms out of the hands of children and unauthorized individuals, enjoying strong public support.
My Proposal: Building a Culture of Safety Through Universal Education
But fixing a broken system also means re-engineering its foundation – empowering every citizen with knowledge. That’s why I would also offer my own proposal to incentivize any citizen who completes a universal safety course, regardless of whether they own a firearm or intend to.
This isn't about control; it's about life-saving knowledge and building a culture of safety. Such courses could include crucial skills like safe handling and storage, as well as how to recognize the warning signs of a mental health crisis, intimate partner violence, or suicide risk—and, crucially, the proper steps to report those concerns. Think of it as public health for the 21st century: a small investment empowering every citizen with the tools to prevent tragedy.
Addressing Specific System Vulnerabilities: Intimate Partner Violence
For too long, the infamous "boyfriend loophole" allowed individuals with a history of abusing dating partners they didn't live with to legally acquire guns. This deadly oversight contributes to an average of 70 women being shot and killed by an intimate partner every single month. The presence of a gun makes a domestic violence situation five times more likely to turn fatal.
While the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act of 2022 took a step towards closing this gap, the work is not done. This is a system vulnerability that costs lives, and it demands our unwavering attention. My universal safety course proposal, with its specific focus on recognizing and reporting IPV, directly addresses this critical need by arming communities with knowledge.
Conclusion
We can't bring back Leif, or any of the people we've lost. We can't undo the tragedies that have left scars on our communities and on ourselves. But we can honor their memory with action. We can choose to turn our grief into a blueprint for a better, safer future. A future where a brilliant life isn't cut short by a predictable act of violence. It is the sworn duty of Congress to insure the domestic Tranquility, promote the General Welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty for ourselves and our posterity. And it is about time for Congress to do its job.
Blog Post Sources
On the Economic Cost of Gun Violence: Everytown for Gun Safety, "The Economic Cost of Gun Violence" Report (July 2022).
On the 64% of Adults Exposed to Gun Violence, Rutgers University News, reporting on the study in The Lancet Regional Health – Americas.
On Public Support for Universal Background Checks and Red Flag Laws, Fox News, reporting on their April 2023 poll.
On Public Support for Safe Storage Laws, Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions, National Survey of Gun Policy.
On 70 Women Killed Monthly in Intimate Partner Violence, Everytown for Gun Safety, "Guns and Violence Against Women" Report.