by Kim Petters, Founder of the Women’s Defense Coalition & Candidate for State Senate in the 16th District
Until recently, the only advocacy group speaking for women regarding gun rights in Delaware was in favor of strict gun control. When I learned of new legislation unconstitutionally restricting our gun rights, I gathered together a group of trailblazing women, now known as the Women’s Defense Coalition. As a mom and veteran, I knew I needed to be able to protect myself and my family and I knew how.
Along with Erin Chronister and Deborah Remer, two certified shooting instructors, and the hundreds of other women they recruited, the Coalition took antigun lawmakers by storm. Many of them, mostly men, had never considered that women wanted, so strongly, their voices heard on the side of the Second Amendment.
The Coalition organized rallies and walked the districts of legislators who threatened to chip away at their constituents’ access to self-protection. The women door-knocked in teams, walked the busiest streets, spoke to countless business owners, and handed out literature to passing cars at intersections. They went through many areas, even crime-ridden neighborhoods they were warned to avoid. Their goal was to educate citizens about what their very own district senators and representatives were up to. The response from citizens in each district was clear and unmistakable – gun control was not the answer to restoring public safety.
The Coalition held meetings with the Department of Justice to ask questions and educate prosecutors. The group met with Representatives and Senators in an effort to offer a different perspective on gun ownership, a woman’s perspective. They held round tables with bill sponsors explaining how guns prevent women from becoming a statistic. They gathered hundreds of Delawareans in opposition to proposed gun laws.
The Coalition conducts training for women and teens, holds expos, and has a calendar packed with upcoming social and advocacy events.
John Sigler, former head of the NRA, acknowledged the impact the group has made in our state during his speech at the most recent Delaware Sportsmen’s banquet. The Women’s Defense Coalition and its members are here to provide citizens the through education, knowledge, training, and information they need to understand how important the Second Amendment is for self-protection.
If you are interested in joining our effort, donating to our passionate cause of self-protection, volunteering for educational opportunities, or learning more…..check out our website at https://www.wdcofdelaware.org/
Kim Petters is the founder of the Women’s Defense Coalition and a candidate for state senate in the 16th District.
