I strongly urge support of state House Bill 1387 and Senate Bill 5444, both of which support enhanced background checks for purchasing assault weapons, as well as raising the legal age required for purchase of those weapons.
Doing so will not stop gun deaths or massacres.
But these bills are a desperately needed beginning for addressing gun violence in the U.S.
I am not opposed to guns, but they need to be more tightly regulated.
Gun violence is a complex issue that requires our best efforts, hard work and intelligence to control.
It is way past time that we stopped allowing the issue to fade away after each instance of innocent lives being lost, whether in massacres or single incidents.
We must stand up, speak out, and work with our legislators and community leaders to bring this issue under control and work for long-range solutions.
This should not be a partisan issue, even though it appears that the National Rifle Association and the Republican party are one and the same.
Arming teachers is not the answer.
Please, for the sake of our children, grandchildren and all our loved ones, now is the time to stand up and let your voice be counted in working to bring about effective solutions to the issue of gun violence in our country.
Linda Aldrich,
Sequim