The kind of gun violence we’ve read about at a concert in Las Vegas, a school in Sandy Hook, a FedEx facility in Indianapolis and countless other communities across our country, came to a Long Island grocery store.
Ray Wishropp, a father and grandfather, beloved by his family and community, died at his workplace in an act of all-too-familiar American gun violence. We should not have to fear for our lives doing something as simple as going to work or shopping at a grocery store. Our children should not have to be locked into classrooms for protection, leaving teachers and parents faking smiles through their own fear as they try to provide a “normal” day for their kids.
We cannot accept this as normal.
New York is not immune to this national epidemic and to save lives and end these senseless killings, we need more than thoughts and prayers, we need the U.S. Senate to act on background checks on all gun sales and we need continued commitment from our leaders to fight gun violence.
Because of loopholes in our current laws, nearly a quarter of Americans who obtain firearms do so without obtaining a background check—including criminals, domestic abusers and other prohibited buyers. And every day in America, more than 100 people are killed from gun violence, and hundreds more are injured.
As volunteer leaders with Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, we’ve seen the devastation left behind as families and communities are shattered in the wake of gun violence. We are grateful that Senators Schumer and Gillibrand support a strong background check bill and urge them to make it a priority in the Senate. We hope that our neighbors will join us in raising our voices on this issue. To join our nationwide, nonpartisan movement to end gun violence, text READY to 644-33. We don’t have to live like this.
–Josephine Peterson and Melissa Gallo
Group Leads, Long Island Moms Demand Action
