By Lois A. Schaffer
Iranian-born Anna Kaplan is the quintessential personification of the American Dream. At 13 years of age, she escaped the Iranian turmoil and arrived in the United States. Over many years, she has worked hard to do what is right and just for humanity.
I first met Anna more than 20 years ago when she began her journey to make things better for our society. She ran for a seat on the Great Neck Library Board and won. Then, it was onto a seat as a member of the North Hempstead Town Council, a position she has held since 2011.
Currently, she is the Democratic Senatorial candidate in District 7, running against the incumbent Elaine Phillips.
Anna faces many important issues: taxes, protection of Long Island’s aquifers, the Long Island Rail Road’s declining service, women’s reproductive health, New York’s cooperation with Israel and passage of the Child Victims Act.
While the above issues are all of consequence, each of us prioritizes an issue that individually affects us. For me, that issue is the support of sensible gun legislation. Anna has been outspoken on the reduction of gun violence, such as the Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO)—a ban on assault weapons, high capacity magazines, strict universal background checks and support of Nassau County’s proposed Safe Storage Ordinance.
Regrettably, Senator Phillips has not been in the forefront of sensible gun legislation that has escalated and deeply affected so many in our society.
Given Anna Kaplan’s history, a fierce fighter and a woman who will lead the fight to protect human rights and safety, I believe she is the candidate to whom we must support to make our world better.
