This letter appeared in the Bucks County Courier Times yesterday (no link available)…
The New Year is a time for annual resolutions, and the standards for these include weight loss, exercise routines and spending quality time with loved ones. If, however, you spend a minute looking back at 2007 to try to develop a meaningful resolution, look at the nearly 400 families in Philadelphia who lost a loved one to gun violence and murder, more than 125 of the victims under the age of 25. Unfortunately that statistic included our family (sic).
Eric was a 20-year-old college student, on the right track, going to school, working and enjoying his friends. His was not a typical gun death, barely newsworthy, but devastating to our family just the same. Perhaps if the gun laws included licensing and education requirements, his death may have been prevented. Our wish for the New Year is to help others avoid such a senseless death.
Most people watch the news and feel sad, but most also feel powerless to enact change. But what if you could – what a New Years resolution that would be. If you help with the fight for better gun laws, that action or the attention you give it could save one life, making it a very worthwhile effort.
My son was well liked and we received hundreds of letters of condolences. We ask that folks expend the same thoughtfulness and effort by signing the petition for better gun laws available on http://www.momsagainstguns.org. Moms Against Guns is a fairly new organization founded by Philadelphia resident and philanthropist, Lynne Honickman. Frustrated by the political rhetoric and lack of change, Ms. Honickman has formed this group hoping to bring individual voices together for a stronger united front calling for changes to the current gun laws.
You will see on the web site they have the support of (Philadelphia) District Attorney Lynne Abraham, (Wife of Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter) Lisa Nutter and others. All agree the safety of our children must come before anything else. Moms Against Guns has a goal of 50,000 signatures to be sent to our legislators, forcing this very political issue out front. It is too hard to fight the gun lobbyist alone; together each of our signatures will count. One death, let alone the many that have occurred, is too many.
So for yourself, your children and maybe for the memory of our son Eric, please start with this one accomplishment and make a difference.
Lisa and Robert Aberman and family
Middletown Township, PA
My sympathies go out to the Aberman family and Eric's friends; to learn more, click
here.
This letter appeared in the Bucks County Courier Times yesterday (no link available)…
2 comments:
First off, I am sorry to hear of your son. As a parent of two children myself I worry constantly about their safety and well being. I can also understand why you feel the way you feel about guns. Though I am not in favor of removing guns from society in any fashion I wish there were a way to find out why those who misuse guns and commit atrocious acts do the things they do. Removing guns isn’t solving the problem as those angry enough or careless enough to do something terrible will continue to do so with another weapon of choice be it fists or rocks. We need to find and correct the problem at its source rather than removing something that can be replaced. I am an avid collector of guns, especially bb pistols which I regularly shoot with my own sons. Education, good parenting, compassion, and supervision are key here. Again my condolonces. Take care
Since you expressed yourself in such a thoughtful and courteous way, it would be disrespectful of me to tell you what I think of your "guns versus fists versus rocks" argument, so I won't. And I give you credit for doing the right thing (and again, the Abermans have taken this initiative, not me). Thanks.
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