Lawmakers get violent emails over gun control

DENVER (AP) — The weekend after a heated debate over gun control, Colorado state Rep. Rhonda Fields was flooded with emails, including some she later told police “disturbed and shocked” her.

Fields usually gets a few dozen emails in a typical weekend, she said. But a handful of the 3,000 she received, along with a letter, were so charged with profanity and references to violence that Denver police arrested the suspected author, and state troopers increased security for the lawmaker.

The heightened emotions highlight a charged debate, pitting those who consider gun ownership a fundamental right against others calling for stricter laws to prevent violence after last year’s mass shootings at suburban Denver theater and a Connecticut school.

Fields, a Democrat who represents the district where 12 people were killed while watching a movie, is a leading proponent for new gun restrictions, and her role has thrust her into the spotlight.

“I will not be deterred by threats,” Fields said in a statement.

More at http://lubbockonline.com/filed-online/2013-03-02/lawmakers-get-violent-emails-over-gun-control .