Ending Gun Violence

By Mary Ellen Balchunis

Gun violence is the biggest threat to Americans' safety.

Like most Americans, I believe in a responsible gun owner's right to own a firearm. Unfortunately, too many irresponsible people currently have access to guns.

In 2010, more than 11,000 Americans died in a homicide involving a gun, and more than 19,000 died in a suicide involving a gun. Many more died in accidental shootings, and around 500,000 were victims of a crime involving a gun.

I support:

Universal background checks for all gun sales (including those which are facilitated by online sites), to keep guns out of the hands of criminals and the mentally ill.

Increased funding for the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) to assist states in updating hundreds of thousands of records in this system that would prevent dangerous people from obtaining firearms.

Blocking people on the terror watch list from buying guns.

Stronger Federal penalties for gun traffickers.

Limits on the size of ammunition magazines to prevent sales of "high-capacity" magazines.

I find it appalling that Congress did nothing after Congresswoman Gabby Giffords was shot. I find it unbelievable that Congress did nothing after Sandy Hook and the killing of twenty beautiful first graders. I watched with shame as members of the House and Senate walked passed the parents of these children without talking to them or even taking the pictures of their children.

Simple, common sense solutions can make a big difference. After the shooting there, I helped Sandy Hook Elementary School raise money for special door locks so that only teachers would have access to the classroom. The idea was inspired by the facilities at La Salle University, and a La Salle grad's loss of his daughter in the Sandy Hook shooting. La Salle's classrooms can only be accessed by the professor.

A vote for ME is a vote in support of sensible laws that will reduce gun violence.