Dear Lucas,
Last week we were shocked and horror-stricken by the senseless shooting of the children and teachers at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. This tragedy is almost beyond comprehension and a stark reminder of the urgent need for gun reform. I applaud Mayor Bloomberg's longtime commitment to reforming our nation's gun laws and President Obama for calling for comprehensive changes to protect our children.
Washington must act now to adopt sensible gun laws that get military-grade weapons off our streets. These massacres are becoming far too frequent. Unfortunately, it took yet another tragedy—the loss of yet more innocent children—to realize once again that we need a comprehensive strategy to address gun violence.
In New York City, we lose too many children to gun violence every year. There are several gun control measures that should be part of the national and local conversation: a federal assault weapons ban, firearm microstamping, restrictions on magazine capacities, and an end to the gun show loophole. But we also need to address the millions of guns already out in our communities. Enacting gun buyback programs that work closely with our community advocacy and religious organizations and strengthening our network of mental health services are just two ways we can get guns off the streets and help reduce gun violence in our neighborhoods. These and other strategies are part of the discussions I will be having as I travel throughout the city in the coming months.
As we continue to mourn those that we lost this year, we will hold our children just a little closer and look toward a brighter New Year.
Sincerely,
