My letter to the editor of the Arizona Daily Sun not only received publication, but I received a call from the police chief of the town of 75,000 where I reside -- Flagstaff, Arizona -- to meet for lunch. (We're scheduled to meet this coming Wednesday.) The Chief said he'd like to show me some facts and figures, to answer any questions I might have and to get to know each other.

To his credit, as we discussed various aspects of guns and gun rights, he said he believes a police officer's job is to defend the constitutional rights of the people they serve -- and he supports people who exercise their right to keep and bear arms. Those aren't exact quotes as I didn't record the call, but that is a very near quote and is the essence of his communication.

Another noteworthy aspect of this situation is the fact that I didn't have the Chief's email address, so I sent my letter to both the Sheriff and the Constable, and one or both of them made sure he received my letter -- long before the Arizona Daily Sun published it.

While my concerns about the Chief's overstatement of the facts as presented in my letter are still a concern, having a chance to meet in person and discuss my concerns is both refreshing and reassuring. I also believe that his intentions were good in saying what he said, and I'm even wondering if the paper misrepresented him or if his words were taken out of context. I will find out, and if so, I will ask the paper to print a correction.