Nothing political about child safety
Although the phrase “gun control” is highly charged, I fail to see how keeping weapons of war out of the hands of the homicidal is a partisan matter.
CTeen president Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky is quoted as saying that his group tries to avoid “political issues like the gun control campaign” (“Parkland students begin to heal at Jewish conference in New York,” March 16). Although the phrase “gun control” is highly charged and has come to be seen by some as a desire to eviscerate the Second Amendment, I fail to understand how acting to facilitate effective, universal background checks and keeping weapons of war out of the hands of the homicidal is a partisan matter.
Student assemblages following the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School massacre are inaccurately characterized by the media as protests of gun violence. No potential killer is going to look at the students and say to himself, “Oh, these students are upset, so I will suppress my desire to kill them.” The student gatherings are protests of foolhardy policies and laws which have made it easy for slaughter to be perpetrated in American schools, a phenomenon which is unique to our highly armed country.
The protests should be seen as what they are: a noble and courageous call to action to our elected officials to finally address public safety even if it means that they must propose sensible, reasonable policies which conflict with the aims of the gun manufacturers’ lobby, the National Rifle Association.
May the wisdom of our young people penetrate the minds and hearts of those who are responsible for ensuring our rights to pursue life, liberty and happiness.
Oren Spiegler
Washington, Pa.
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