Councilmember Julie Won helps young children light candles in honor of the students and teachers who were fatally shot at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, last week (Photo courtesy of CM Won’s office)
June 1, 2022 By Czarinna Andres
As many as 100 people turned out at Lou Lodati Park Tuesday evening for a candlelight vigil to pay respect to the victims of Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, and to call on federal legislators to pass gun laws that would make it safer for children and adults alike.
The rally and vigil–organized by Councilmember Julie Won and the Sunnyside Woodside Action Group—drew parents, teachers and students who spoke about the unnecessary deaths that have taken place at schools across the country in recent decades.
Some parents discussed their fears of dropping off their children at school each day, anxious that their children are at risk of gun violence. They called on the federal government to take action in the face of school tragedies and called on federal legislators to pass H.R. 8.
The bill, which aims to strengthen background check requirements, has passed the House of Representatives and is on its way to the floor of the U.S. senate.
The legislation specifically prohibits firearm transfers between private parties unless a licensed gun dealer, manufacturer or importer first takes possession of the firearm in order to conduct a background check.
Parents were advised to write to U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer to advocate for the bill, while children were encouraged to decorate postcards and call on voters they know to mail it to their federal representatives.
The organizers set up a table outside Lou Lodati Park to honor the victims of the Robb Elementary School shooting in Texas (Photo courtesy of CM Won’s office)
A table was set up outside the park along Skillman Avenue with a candle dedicated to each of the victims of last week’s shooting. Signs read: “No more hate! No More Guns!” and “Kids are not your Targets.”
Won, who gave birth to a boy earlier this year, told the crowd that kids should not have to live in fear of gun violence. She also praised the Canadian government for the steps it’s taking in ending gun violence—such as legislation to end the sale of handguns and requiring its residents to turn in their military-style assault weapons.
“Our children should not be made responsible for their own safety by being told to make their bodies small to fit in cubbies, or to hide in closets and under desks to avoid bullets,” Won said. “Parents should not hold fear in their hearts when they drop their children off at school wondering if every drop off may be their last.”
“The work to end gun violence is all of ours,” Won said, “but the power to end it lies in the federal government…and every day our representatives refuse to take action they have blood on their hands.”
Participants at a rally and vigil at the corner of Skillman Avenue and 43rd Street Tuesday evening (Photo courtesy of CM Won’s office)
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15 Comments
…let us carry, see how crime falls…
Good point, open carry doesn’t prevent crime! Luckily we have DECADES of data proving this, so we don’t need to wait and “see.”
Incredibly stupid.
The woke people are anti gun (as they should be), but they –
also support bail “reform,” which allows criminals to get back on the streets the same day they are arrested. Makes no sense. If you want to stop gun violence you need stricter laws but you also need to punish anyone who is carrying a gun. That’s why we need to let the police do their jobs. Stop and frisk anyone suspicious.
America is not some socialist country where police need a search warrant or probable cause to search people. They should be allowed to stop ‘n frisk everyone, all the time. Y’know, “small government.”
I’m no fans of liberals, but I love a good sarcastic retort.
But out of curiosity, for the socialists out there, if you want big government to control housing, living wage, etc. would you accept big government controlling crime?
…and respect the Constitution. Hard-line “Constitutionalist” Republicans don’t defend this pesky thing called “the 4th Amendment” when it comes to…certain people for some reason ?
I fully support Councilmember Won’s position on gun reform, but she has as much power on this issue as do her constituents. Why is her presence at the vigil of any importance? Albany barely has the power to make these kind of reforms, never mind the City. The headline should have been, in my opinion, “100+ people rally in Sunnyside for gun reform,” but I don’t make such editorial decisions.
Nice publicity stunt. And by the looks of the picture, the white liberals ate it up.
“Won, who gave birth to a boy earlier this year, told the crowd that kids should not have to live in fear of gun violence.” No, you should fear gun violence. Gun possession is a misdemeanor in NYC. With plea bargains and liberal judges perps can get less than a year in jail. Criminals see no fear in having guns. Make it a mandatory 10 year prison term for people caught with a loaded firearm and watch gun violence go down. The animal who shot Daniel Enriquez was caught with a firearm in the past, but he got a slap on the wrist. But unfortunately, people like to claim systemic racism and all sorts of nonsense to give excuses to perps for their bad behavior. This is the real problem. Without real repercussions to crimes, expect the same to continue.
It’s not only liberal judges. Conservative judges have released people convicted of rape charges and gun charges throughout the country because many conservative judges hold conservative views on issues concerning women and sex and guns.
Examples?
But my post was in regards to NYC. Why are you straying off topic? To show Republicans are bad? Or no real answers? You must be a politician. Lol. But if you want to play that game, then explain to me how Disproportionate minority confinement is being used in Chicago to let criminals go?
This is so performative and fake for a photo op. We already have some of the strictest gun laws in the Country. You want to make change? Take the fight to the states that make it insanely easy to obtain weapons. The illegal guns in NYC come from these states.
The stupid and obvious thing about this argument is: CRIMINALS DONT CARE ABOUT LAWS AND FOLLOWING RULES!!! They will buy them illegally, 3D print them, whatever.
If our justice system continues with their revolving door arrests this is going to continue.
Democrats, stop catering to criminals so other people dont need to buy guns to feel safe.
dont get me wrong if there were no guns in the world it would be great! Im for that. But it aint happening, letting thugs run around nyc with guns while going after law abiding people is freakin stupid
Worked really well in Uvalde, Texas right?
Happen to be Dems.