June 13, 2007

Senator Terry Moulton
Wisconsin State Capital
Room 20 North
P.O. Box 8953
Madison, Wisconsin 53708

Dear Senator Moulton:

I am writing you in response to SB-80, Malinda’s Traveling Sales Crew Protection Act.   I would like to urge you to have a public hearing on this much so needed bill. You might be asking why a resident of Virginia might have any interest in a bill that is intended only to impact your state and not mine. I truly wish I had no interest at all, but my only son was one of the seven killed in your state from the van accident with these young sellers on March 25, 1999. Quite frankly, even though it has been eight years since this fateful accident, my heart still aches for the child who was to be my future but has quickly become my past.  The emotional pain his loss has caused is not measurable and I might never be able to adequately describe how his death has affected my life as well as his two sister’s lives. 

My sincere hope is that this bill will pass in your state and that other states will follow suit and this form of solicitation might someday become part of our great country’s past.   We must as a society cut out our cancerous parts or the cancer will be allowed to spread till it consumes the very essence for which we stand.  If we error, we must error on the side of caution. 

The very idea that this type of business has been allowed to flourish is truly mind boggling.  What other business would be allowed to continue that has caused so many needless accidents with deaths, rapes of crew members, homeowners as well as underage children in their homes and murders?   Shouldn’t there be a public outcry for laws that would severely limit the ways these crews are allowed to operate?  Is not the saving of one life worth the implementation of this law?  Or has life become indispensable?   Whose child has to die before laws are enacted?  I thought we were created equal?

It is well known in this business there is plenty of money to be made.  What is not apparent however is that the money generally does not trickle down but trickles up. I am beginning to wonder exactly where else the money goes as I can not fathom why something has not been done to stop this immoral and possibly illegal business to continue.  If the publishers themselves refuse to make changes, then we as a civilized society must step in and make the change ourselves.

By allowing a public hearing on this so important issue, will no doubt give a voice to the victim.   Please allow all those who wish to share their experiences with you, which will allow you the opportunity to better understand the complexity of an issue that not only plagues your state but affects every state. Let those who have died, have a voice from the grave. Let their loved ones know that their sons, daughters, sisters and brothers and dad’s deaths were so senseless that as a society we saw that changes must be made. Allow some peace to the families, as some of us will never stop till we get justice for our children. 

I hold the highest regard and respect for Phil Ellenbecker for his continued fight.  He has been relentless in his fight to prevent future accidents, rapes and murders from happening.  His love for his daughter runs so deep that he is committed to finding ways that will hopefully prevent other parents from going through the nightmare that so many of us have already.  We can try to stop this from happening over and over again if we only open our eyes and ears and realize change must be made.

This bill would no doubt better protect the citizens of Wisconsin as well as the magazine seller himself. It should be given every opportunity to be passed. Even if there might be one good organization among so many that are not, the risk to allow it to continue as it is puts everyone in danger.

Sincerely,

Pamela A. Christman
Mother of Peter Christman   9/15/80-3/26/99