Only a year to go until sensible gun safety laws might be adopted. For those of us who can survive that long.
Certainly a year too late for Leah Mindel Ferencz, 33, Moshe Deutsch, 24, Miguel Douglas Rodriguez, 49, and police Detective Joseph Seals, 40, the four victims in the Dec. 10 Jersey City shooting rampage that culminated at the JC Kosher Market.
They should have been protected by New Jersey’s strict gun laws, we might think, but one of their murderers – David Anderson, 47 – purchased two of the five firearms he used in Ohio in 2018, police told the Associated Press. On the first day of 2020, a dozen people were shot to death in Cleveland, Orlando, suburban Baltimore, South Bend, Ind., Des Moines, the Bronx and my city, Philadelphia, according to The New York Times.
Of three such deaths in Philly, one victim was killed fairly close to my neighborhood in the city’s vast Northeast section.
In terms of attacks on the Jewish community, I can think of a half-dozen episodes in which Jews were killed, injured or endangered because of gun violence. Of course, most anti-Semitic attacks in New York City have not involved firearms, though of course something needs to be done about these crimes.
What New Jersey, California and other states have done for gun control is commendable, but how much good can their efforts do when criminals persist in acquiring guns from states with lax gun laws?
The blame for gun deaths in Jersey City, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Chicago, Poway, Calif., and elsewhere must ultimately be laid at the feet of 53 individuals who were elected to the U.S. Senate, along with the occupant at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW. These Republicans with the power to prevent future deaths consistently refuse to support legislation that would probably save many lives.
The House of Representatives, now controlled by Democrats, has already sent gun-control legislation to the Senate, but the 53 Republicans there are letting it sit on the shelf.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy has the right idea for pressuring Congress and states with lax gun laws. He is requiring state police to publish data on guns recovered from crimes, reports The Philadelphia Inquirer. So far, this information shows almost 80 percent of guns used in crimes originate from out of state.
On top of this, the news media can readily contribute by reporting on how each gun ends up at every crime scene. Maybe the newspapers and television stations can publish weekly round-ups of the origins of all guns used in crimes.
We have a right to know, and the ongoing publication of where these guns were purchased can only help spur action.
We cannot count on the existing Senate membership to adopt strong new laws. Maybe or maybe not other states will do the right thing. But constant attention to this pattern might influence citizens on how to vote. Most assuredly, it will take political action to help ensure that 320 million Americans live fuller lives.