As someone who doesn't own a gun but believes in the Second Amendment (all of it including the parts I don't like), I disagree with the premise of Rick Levin's guest column that "Gun Laws Aided in UW Shooting Death" (April 11). Rebecca Griego caused her own death. First, why did a 26-year-old get involved with someone 15 years [her] senior with no visible means of support and who frequently moved? That's a red flag to me.
Second, she could have informed the Department of Homeland (in)Security that her roommate and partner was in the country illegally and got him deported. Instead, she and others who were aware or suspected his true situation - by hiring him or accepting him as a roommate without proof that he was in the country legally - enabled him by doing nothing. It isn't that hard to do a background check on someone; The Seattle Times recently had an article on how to do this easily on the Internet.
Third, in spite of the so-called gun laws, why was he able to buy guns even though [residential] aliens are not supposed to be able to do so? Gee, didn't the sellers ask for proof of legal citizenship or residency status? I thought that was a requirement of our "gun laws."
Fourth, she could have pressed charges when he threatened her in the past. Instead, she enabled her own death by not doing so many times.
Fifth, when she realized that the restraining order wasn't being served, she could have protected herself by not working in a location Jonathan Rowan knew where he could find her. If you don't want to get mugged, don't walk down dark sidewalks at night in dangerous parts of town.
Finally, she could have empowered herself by buying a self-defense weapon and taken lessons on how to use it and mentally preparing herself to use it. Instead, she did nothing. In that situation, the gun laws would have aided her.
And by the way, I speak from personal experience on this matter from having unsuccessfully trying to take out a protection order against an ex-con in a former residence who was jailed for 90 days for a parole violation, when I complained to the police about his loud music and [he] later threatened to throw me down a flight of stairs for doing so.
And unlike Rebecca Griego, I moved to a different job location and didn't tell anyone where I was going. So by Rebecca Griego's doing nothing, a part of all of us died with her.
Keith Gormezano
Phinney Ridge
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