President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden deserve great credit for their efforts to curb gun violence in our country. So do Governor Andrew Cuomo on the state level and Mayor Michael Bloomberg on the city level.
It takes a lot of courage to challenge the powerful forces that fight reasonable change that will protect us all from the horrors of Newtown and all the other sites of carnage that we have witnessed.
Why would anyone not in the military or on a police force need an assault weapon? Why would anyone need a magazine that holds dozens of bullets? Why would anyone not support universal background checks to prevent criminals and disturbed people from purchasing guns? It boggles the mind that these issues have not been addressed in our country and that it takes intense tragedy to bring these issues forward.
There are other measures that must be taken as well to stop gun violence, including the stopping of illegal gun trafficking and finding better ways to identify and treat the mentally ill who have violent tendencies. All of these aspects must be addressed in order to stop gun violence.
I have profound admiration for the parents and families of victims of gun violence who are coming forth and demanding meaningful and responsible gun control reform. After undergoing and continuing to live through such unspeakable grief and sorrow, these brave people are standing up and speaking out.
It is time that we all do so. We need to contact our elected leaders and let them know that we cannot sit back any longer, that we must enact changes that will protect all of us, especially our children, from bloodshed, violence and trauma.
Henry Euler
Bayside
