Letter: Victims of gun violence deserve more than debate

0

Editor,

I am tired of hearing people say what a shame gun deaths are, as if we are powerless to stop this scourge on our communities. I am tired of the inevitable discussion of safety versus constitutional rights, as if the two cannot coexist.

As a parent of two small children and a member of the Indiana chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, I know the victims of gun violence deserve more than sympathy or academic debate. They deserve action.

There are sensible solutions we can undertake to curb gun violence and uphold our Second Amendment rights. In the 18 states that require criminal background checks for all gun sales, gun violence is significantly reduced for many groups. Forty-six percent fewer women are shot to death by their intimate partners. Forty-eight percent fewer on-duty law enforcement officers are killed with handguns that are not their own. Gun trafficking is 48 percent lower.

Despite these statistics, many states, including Indiana, refuse to enact sensible gun laws. Did you know that in Indiana, individuals can legally purchase a gun without any kind of background check?

Opponents will say that universal background checks won’t fix the problem – that the cost of action is too steep. Yet for years now, we have all been paying the price of inaction related to gun violence. Isn’t it time for us to do something?

Moms Demand Action is a grassroots, non-partisan movement of not just moms; but dads, grandparents, aunts and uncles who are fighting for public safety measures that respect the Second Amendment and protect people from gun violence.

We are doing great work right here in Hamilton County. Join us at www.momsdemandaction.org, follow us on Facebook or on Twitter at @MomsDemand.

Please help us make our voices heard. The time to start fixing this problem is right now.

Beth Sprunger

Carmel


Current Morning Briefing Logo

Stay CURRENT with our daily newsletter (M-F) and breaking news alerts delivered to your inbox for free!

Select list(s) to subscribe to



By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: . You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact
Share.

Current Morning Briefing Logo

Stay CURRENT with our daily newsletter (M-F) and breaking news alerts delivered to your inbox for free!

Select list(s) to subscribe to



By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: . You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact