Most gun owners are responsible members of society. But some of the more extreme gun rights activists are very strident and nasty. I don’t use the term “gun nut” to refer to any gun owner or NRA member, but I do in cases of belligerent activists.
Often these extremists take aim at gun violence survivors who dare to advocate for stronger gun laws. Yes, ask any of us what kind of crap we’ve taken from these gun nuts. You’d think they would spend their time trying to win over the general public to their position, rather than harass grieving people who’ve been through the worst days of their lives. So why do they intimidate, insult, and send us nasty and hateful e/mail? Because they can’t stand that we are reminding people of the real impacts of gun violence.
On this, the 26th anniversary of the Columbine massacre, I’d like to share the words of one gun nut. Last year, at the time of the 25th anniversary, she posted her own assessment of me–someone she’s never met.
She referred to me as a “wounded, grieving man who needs to stop exploiting the death of his son, heal, and quit standing on his son’s grave as an excuse to rob people of civil rights. This man needs mental healthcare.”
This personal attack didn’t just come from some random gun extremist. Alicia Garcia is a nationally certified firearms instructor–someone who makes a living teaching gun safety. With this type of person influencing others, it’s no wonder we have other gun owners angry at gun violence survivors.
Below I am posting exactly what she posted, and below that I’m posting the response I sent to her. She’s never shown the courage to respond. Garcia is a self-described “2nd Amendment absolutist.” @thebroomstickbabe Email alicia@boomstickbabe.com
Here’s her entire posting:
“Tom Mauser is a wounded, grieving man who needs to stop exploiting the death of his son, heal, and quit standing on his son’s grave as an excuse to rob people of civil rights. This man needs mental healthcare. You suffered a tragedy. It was awful. Guess what? Scapegoating the entire state of Colorado will never atone for your loss, nor is it our duty or responsibility. The irony and audacity of these people who are blinded by trauma. ‘My loved one died in a gun free zone, so let’s make more gun free zones’. Keep in mind, when this happened the federal government had a national ‘assault weapons ban’ from 1994. The TEC-DC9 used was considered illegal at the time. They also made bombs.
Denver Police Detective Alex Woods said, “Bomb squad members handled 67 unexploded devices at the scene and at Harris’ house.” Police earlier said the two killers had at least 30 bombs. Where is the outrage for bomb control? The real question here? Where were the parents? Why did no one put these guys on a 72 hour hold? They had openly expressed they intended to be violent and yet no one did a thing. So the parents aren’t liable but the entire state of Colorado is? JUST BECAUSE YOU LOST YOUR FAMILY IN A TRAGEDY DOES NOT GIVE YOU THE RIGHT TO GAMBLE WITH THE SAFETY OF MINE. My family will be armed. We will always fight for civil rights. Get yourself a shaman, eat some psilocybin and heal yourself of your demons Mr. Mauser. You have lost sight of the mission. You have become blinded and corrupted by the media spotlight and political soap boxing. The mission is to ensure we do everything we can as a society to keep the peace.
Armed societies are peaceful societies. I wish you healing, however keep your emotional blackmail out of my State.”
And here is my response to her:
I was clearing out my 2024 papers when I was reminded of something that happened last year at the time of the 25th anniversary of Columbine. Someone told me about 9News’ Kyle Clark skewering your post that personally attacked me.
I remember thinking then, “WTF? This woman doesn’t even know me.” I’ve put up with this kind of shit from gun nuts for 25 years, so I didn’t bother responding to you then. But I decided to do so now, since it’s so freaking cold outside and I’m stuck inside.
Like I said, I’ve grown used to it. I’ve received hundreds of nasty and even hateful letters and emails from gun nuts over the years, and have been intimidated, threatened, had a pro gun protest at my house two weeks before Christmas, and one man was tossed in jail for threatening me. And when they write, these people rarely ever expressed a single word of condolence—only condemnation, just like you. I have respect for responsible gun owners, but Ms. Garcia, you’re no responsible gun owner. At times responsible gun owners have actually ‘apologized’ to me for the behavior of crass gun nuts.
Your posting complained about what people failed to do to stop Columbine. So have I. You point out how the killers had bombs. I’m quite aware of that. But nobody was killed that way. You rant about what DIDN’T happen; I respond to what DID happen.
You made the point that the TEC-DC9 was considered illegal at the time. Come on, as you know, new ones could not be sold then but all the existing ones were grandfathered in, so what’s your point then?!?
You complained about the killers’ parents. So did I. And I wrote letters to them, and met with them. And I have complained about how law enforcement failed to follow up on the killers’ threats. But, like others of your ilk, I think you cite these other issues to try to deflect from the fact that in the end this was a mass shooting with guns.
I find it hilarious that someone associated with the RMGO would accuse me of “political soap boxing.” That’s what the RMGO is all about. Is your anger perhaps grounded in the fact that the RMGO has become so isolated and extreme that it has turned off many Coloradans and harmed the Republican Party with its tactics and its’ many endorsed extreme pro gun candidates who were soundly defeated?
You said I ‘need mental healthcare.’ Based on what diagnosis?!? You called me “a wounded, grieving man who needs to stop exploiting the death of his son, heal, and quit standing on his son’s grave as an excuse to rob people of civil rights”? How despicable. And you had the nerve to do so right around the 25th anniversary of Columbine. My activism is aimed at trying to save lives from gun violence, just as YOU do so based on YOUR pro gun beliefs about how to save lives. One difference though: I am not paid for my activism. You have a self interest–your advocacy is related to how you make a living.
I have robbed people of their civil rights? Which ones? The right to buy a gun or get a CCW permit without even a background check? The right of an abusive husband to possess a firearm?
So I ‘scapegoated the entire the entire state of Colorado to atone for my loss?’ What?!? How did I do that? Oh, but in 2000 70% of the voters approved Amendment 22 that I promoted to close the gun show loophole.
As for what you call exploitation. You know there are people who have lost a loved one to gun violence who have taken a different path than mine: they call for repealing gun laws or for more concealed carry, such as Suzanna Hupp. So, are they scapegoating others for their loss? Are they blinded by trauma? Are they ‘exploiting emotions’ and soapboxing? Do you condemn them? I suspect not. It’s selective condemnation.
You don’t really KNOW me, do you? You never met me or my family. You don’t know shit about me. You don’t how we have healed over the past 25 years—adopting a baby girl from China, raising money that built a school and library in two Guatemalan towns, dealing with the pain of being in the media spotlight. Yes, I chose to become an activist. But I’m also a father of three wonderful children. I’m the board chair of my Littleton church. I believe in humor as a way of dealing with grief, so I offer comedy presentations at senior residence facilities, thru a business called Affix.
Perhaps I should pass blind judgement on you just as you have done on me. Let’s see, I’m guessing you idolize guns. You are so blinded by your worship that you cannot see that despite all the laws you condemn, firearm sales continue to rise. You cannot understand why there are people who do not wish to follow your idolatry. You cannot see that it is a lie that “Armed societies are peaceful societies,” since our heavily armed nation has a gun death rate far far higher than ANY other industrialized nation. I’m guessing George Zimmerman is a hero of yours. I’m guessing you just see my son as collateral damage.
Do you have children? Have you ever lost a close loved one to gun violence? If not, perhaps you are not familiar with the feelings. Yes, there is grief, there is trauma, and emotion. How could there not be? But perhaps you are too blind to see that someone who suffers the loss of a child can grieve and heal and think and rationalize at the same, that they are not mutually exclusive.
In the end, I’m not so bothered by these attacks. After all, I see it as a sign that my opponents see my success in reaching people, and it makes them angry and wanting to attack me personally, since they can’t win over people with facts and rationality.
Finally, Ms. Garcia, I don’t have any “demons,” as you allege. Perhaps you ought to ponder yours.
Tom Mauser
Father of Daniel Mauser
Daniel Mauser Memorial Website 