WISHING YOU LOVE, FAMILY, HOPE AND BLESSINGS ON MOTHER'S DAY
An open letter to Pennsylvania mothers,
As we celebrate Mother’s Day 2012, we also honor the hard won freedom that this voting year represents. It is a reminder of how hard our mothers, grandmothers and great grandmothers fought to secure the vote for us. And it is a reminder of the power we proudly possess as women.
Our power and influence as women extends far beyond voting. We carry and bear children. We’re the nurturers and often the ‘wage-earners.’ We preside in Congress. We even go to war. So now that we do have the vote let’s use it with care, selectivity, and determination. Let’s elect those who listen to us, and fight for us.
Gun violence has become an undeniable health crisis, producing horrendous stress in our communities, our families, and our children. No child in the United States of America should have to live in fear 24 hours a day, seven days a week, scared to play at the playground, learn in school, go to a movie, or simply to walk down the street.
Yet, our law makers in Pennsylvania have turned a blind eye to the epidemic, and refuse even to consider commonsense reforms to address it. Instead they’re poised to advance a bill that would create special legal rules for the gun lobby – enabling them to financially cripple cities that are taking local action to crack down on straw purchasers and illegal gun traffickers. If that sounds too outrageous to be true – believe it. The bill number is HB 1523 and it has already passed the House Judiciary Committee.
Cities and towns that have the courage to stand up for themselves against illegal gun traffickers should be supported by their legislature – not attacked!
What is most alarming to me about this, as a taxpaying, voting citizen, is that so many of our elected officials choose to put misguided politics ahead of public safety. They are not voting the way most of their constituents would prefer. Poll after poll shows that the overwhelming majority of people support proactive measures to reduce gun violence. In fact, recent polls found that 96% of Pennsylvanians think it should be requirement to report lost or stolen firearms to the police – including 92% of PA gun owners.
The stumbling block in the way of progress is the gun lobby. They sacrifice safety and common sense for politics and profit. It is up to us to puncture the myth of their power in Harrisburg and Washington, DC. If we make our voices heard we can begin to sway the balance of power back to reason and begin to make progress toward smart reforms to keep our communities and families safe.
Make your voice heard. Contact your legislators. Let them know how important taking proactive measures to protect communities from gun violence is to you. And on Election Day, use your vote to show your gratitude for their leadership – or to show them the door.
Mother’s Day is a time to celebrate not only mothers but also our most precious gift – our children. Being a mother is the most important thing I have ever done. I believe that our children, and our grandchildren, are our most precious resource. They are our strength and our greatest hope for the future. We should spare no expense and no effort trying to protect them and their future.
Celebrate that responsibility by using your voice and your vote. It's not just our responsibility as American citizens – it is a symbol of hope. Hope has always sustained us in America. Hope brought us out of a depression, saw us through wars, and helps to recover from atrocities. When hope joins with determination and action, it is unstoppable.
Warm Wishes to you for a beautiful Mother's day
Lynne Honickman
Vice President, CeaseFirePA
Founder, Moms Against Illegal Guns
