To the Editor:
Every man, woman and child has the right to grow up without fear of being gunned down in their place of worship, school, neighborhood or marketplace. Governor Mike DeWine may claim that Ohio is a great place to live and work because of access to water, great schools and jobs but EASY ACCESS to guns on the streets of Ohio is killing Ohioans. The bipartisan Safer Communities Act signed into law this month is a step in the right direction; however, it does not include additional important steps that will move us closer to comprehensive gun crime reduction.
Most Republicans, at both the state and federal level, refuse to even consider these additional common sense gun regulations. Without reasonable gun safety reforms (i.e. background checks, a min. age requirement of 21 to purchase a semiautomatic rifle and a ban on high capacity ammunition magazines) there will tragically be more mass murders on our streets. This is not a Second Amendment issue – this is a public health issue. It is clear that more guns in the hands of teachers or other responsible citizens is not the answer. There were six highly trained law enforcement and government officials with guns standing within 10 feet of President Reagan when he and Jim Brady were shot.
We need politicians who are willing to take a stand against gun manufacturers so our children and grandchildren can grow up to enjoy summer days eating ice cream and playing ball in their parks and neighborhoods. Ohioans want a world where 18-year-olds cannot legally purchase a weapon of war, like the AR-15, designed to inflict mass casualties. Together, the people of Ohio can vote this fall to elect politicians who will stand up to dark money and gun lobbyists.
Erin Salva
Mount Vernon
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