My name is Courtney Love, and 6 years ago on April 7th my husband, Kurt Cobain shot
himself to death. Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary emotion. If you've ever
lived with someone with depression you know how they suffer. But you should also know
that there is help; depression is treatable. So its one of the greatest tragedies on earth that
of the 32,000 gun deaths every year in America, 1700 are those who kill themself...Over
1200 kids...3 children a day die from self inflicted gun wounds. Three children will shoot
themself before the sun goes down.. In a moment of desperation and chaos life is ended b/c
the gun is handy and near and most likely unregistered. There are those who say oh please
have a gun for protection but I know better. Suicide is 5 times more likely in a house with a
gun than in a house without one. Ask any mother who finds a childs body in a bedroom or
hears a shot in the basement and rushes down to see her daughter on the floor if guns are
really good protection. Ask my little girl Frances who will never have her father. Hold her
hand as she walks to school or teach her how to play guitar. Ask her if its good protection. I
tried to explain to my child that her father is dead and that 100s of other childrens fathers
are dead b/c we have no way of protecting depressed people from their darkest moments b/c
we have nialistic, barbaric gun laws in this country, and thats why i'm here. If we register
guns, if we license gun owners, if we check for criminal records or mental illness, then, then
we will make it harder for people to buy guns then we can save countless lives. I know if
Kurt can see his daughter today he'd be so glad that he was alive he'd be so glad to be
here. Walking in the Lincoln Memorial or buying her an ice cream. I miss my friend, my
daughter misses her father. Thousands and thousands of children felt that his choice was an
option for them....an option made so easy. He was a really great poet and a beautiful
songwriter but he also became a symbol for a tragic death, a tragic means of death by gun
shot wound that he never ever wouldn't wanted to be. Heres how he died: an acquaintance
of my husbands with a long criminal record and a record of mental illness walked into a pawn
shop and it took him about 5 minutes to purchase a shot gun. He handed it to Kurt on April
6th and on April 7th he was found dead. Thats how easy it is. Thank You.