Our country has a gun violence problem and we can either refuse to acknowledge it or create solutions that keep our families safe while protecting our freedoms. According to Merriam-Webster, “neglect implies giving insufficient attention to something that merits one’s attention.”
My experience as an engineer has taught me to make data-based decisions, so let’s consider the data. In the U.S., 100 people die from gun violence every day and our gun homicide rate is 25 times that of other high-income countries according to a 2016 study published in the American Journal of Medicine. We see the evidence in daily news headlines and cannot continue to be negligent.
As reported by the Bureau of Justice Statistics, required background checks have blocked over 3.5 million illegal gun sales in the past 20 years and similar legislation aimed at reducing gun violence has been proposed. However, in response, some municipalities have passed Second Amendment sanctuary resolutions. Such resolutions are dangerous, spread misinformation about the constitutionality of laws and undermine the legislative process.
Both advocates and opponents of these resolutions want to protect their neighbors and also the rights of law-abiding gun owners. We should work together and not imply that it’s acceptable to pick and choose what laws to obey. Instead of passing dangerous resolutions, let’s focus on seeking solutions that protect liberty and keep our families safe in Pennsylvania. I urge our county commissioners and local elected officials to vote against these resolutions.
Rebecca Thomas,
Lewisburg
