As a woman, and a legal professional who assists women in domestic violence cases, I urge voters to vote no on Initiative 1639.

I-1639 is an affront to the dignity of women in our state, especially single mothers under the age of 21. The message is clear – your right to defend yourself and your children from harm at the hands of a violent predator, even an estranged husband or boyfriend – doesn’t matter until you’re 21 years old.

Law enforcement has no duty to protect women – even those protected by a restraining order – from violence. Castle Rock v. Gonzalez confirmed that those supposedly chartered to “serve and protect” us have absolutely no legal obligation to do so.

It is the fundamental duty of government to provide for the security of its citizens, especially the most vulnerable among us, and the wording of our state constitution is clear: “The right of the individual citizen to bear arms in defense of himself, or the state, shall not be impaired.”

No serious person can look that single mother in the eye and tell her that she doesn’t deserve free and fair access to the one thing that might protect her and her children in the crucial seconds that stand between her and tragedy – a firearm.

Initiative 1639 threatens to create a class of young female victims by depriving them of their rights. Please vote no!

Michelle Darnell

Kirkland