Wyoming politician tells constituent to leave state
Wyoming state Representative Hans Hunt told one resident, “by all means, leave.”
Get out of here.
That was one Wyoming state representative’s message to a resident who contacted him recently stating her opposition to a bill that would have allowed people with concealed carry permits to carry guns in public schools, colleges and sporting events.
Rev. Audette Fulbright had emailed all state legislators, including Republican Rep. Hans Hunt, earlier this month to say she and her husband had just moved to Wyoming and were “seriously reconsidering” their decision amid the proposed expansion of gun laws.
“Ample evidence has shown that schools and guns do not mix, and in particular, guns in the hands of amateurs/non-professionals is extremely dangerous, especially in any highly-charged situation,” Fulbright wrote. “To expose our children to greater risk in their schools by encouraging more guns on campuses is something that we cannot allow.”
Fulbright also said she was concerned about “the profoundly serious dangers of fracking” and said the question of whether to leave was “wrenching to all of us.”
“I know of other new-to-Wyoming families in similar contemplation. Your choices matter. It would be sad to see an exodus of educated, childrearing age adults from Wyoming as a result of poor lawmaking,” she wrote.
Hunt’s response? “By all means, leave.”
“I’ll be blunt,” he wrote back. “If you don’t like the political atmosphere of Wyoming, then by all means, leave. We, who have been here a very long time (I am proudly 4th generation) are quite proud of our independent heritage.”
Fulbright is not one of Hunt’s constituents, but he was one of just two lawmakers who responded to her letter. The other, state Rep. Mary Throne (D), said the bill had moved to committee and to contact committee members. It has since been shot down by legislators.
Fulbright told the Casper Star-Tribune her family moved from Virginia in July to have access to better schools and a beautiful environment.
“Apparently I have to live here a certain amount of time before I have an opinion,” she told the newspaper.
Hunt, who was the youngest member of the Wyoming legislature when he was elected in 2010 didn’t back down from his response.
“Was it blunt? Yes. Would I apologize? No,” Hunt told the Star-Tribune. He said later: “If I had to do it again, would I sit and think about how to phrase my words more carefully?
Probably.”
Read the full correspondence below:
Fulbright’s email:
Wyoming state Representative Hans Hunt told one resident, “by all means, leave.”
Get out of here.
That was one Wyoming state representative’s message to a resident who contacted him recently stating her opposition to a bill that would have allowed people with concealed carry permits to carry guns in public schools, colleges and sporting events.
Rev. Audette Fulbright had emailed all state legislators, including Republican Rep. Hans Hunt, earlier this month to say she and her husband had just moved to Wyoming and were “seriously reconsidering” their decision amid the proposed expansion of gun laws.
“Ample evidence has shown that schools and guns do not mix, and in particular, guns in the hands of amateurs/non-professionals is extremely dangerous, especially in any highly-charged situation,” Fulbright wrote. “To expose our children to greater risk in their schools by encouraging more guns on campuses is something that we cannot allow.”
Fulbright also said she was concerned about “the profoundly serious dangers of fracking” and said the question of whether to leave was “wrenching to all of us.”
“I know of other new-to-Wyoming families in similar contemplation. Your choices matter. It would be sad to see an exodus of educated, childrearing age adults from Wyoming as a result of poor lawmaking,” she wrote.
Hunt’s response? “By all means, leave.”
“I’ll be blunt,” he wrote back. “If you don’t like the political atmosphere of Wyoming, then by all means, leave. We, who have been here a very long time (I am proudly 4th generation) are quite proud of our independent heritage.”
Fulbright is not one of Hunt’s constituents, but he was one of just two lawmakers who responded to her letter. The other, state Rep. Mary Throne (D), said the bill had moved to committee and to contact committee members. It has since been shot down by legislators.
Fulbright told the Casper Star-Tribune her family moved from Virginia in July to have access to better schools and a beautiful environment.
“Apparently I have to live here a certain amount of time before I have an opinion,” she told the newspaper.
Hunt, who was the youngest member of the Wyoming legislature when he was elected in 2010 didn’t back down from his response.
“Was it blunt? Yes. Would I apologize? No,” Hunt told the Star-Tribune. He said later: “If I had to do it again, would I sit and think about how to phrase my words more carefully?
Probably.”
Read the full correspondence below:
Fulbright’s email:
Hunt’s response: