In honor of National Gun Violence Awareness Day, State Senator Josh Newman and Assemblywoman Sharon Quirk-Silva hosted a press conference against gun violence on the steps of Fullerton City Hall on June 3.
State Assembly member Sharon Quirk-Silva speaks on the steps of City Hall on National Gun Violence Awareness Day. Photo by Adrian Meza
Fullerton Mayor Fred Jung was the first to speak, addressing the “uniquely American” phenomenon of regular mass shootings.
“There have been 231 mass shootings this year and we’re barely into June,” Jung said. [As of writing this article it is now up to 246, according to Gun Violence Archive] “If we are the strongest of nations…we should be able to find compromise and more importantly true compassion for those who suffer the pain of this kind of loss.”
State Senator Josh Newman spoke next, listing some of the places where gun violence has occurred in recent years. “Columbine, Sandy Hook, Parkland, Charleston, Laguna Woods, Buffalo. These are the place names that we now know too well that burn into our collective psyche…[representing] tragedy about the end result of guns in the wrong hands.”
There have been 27 school shootings this year, and 119 school shootings since 2018.
State Assemblymember Sharon Quirk Silva said that, as a mother of four and a teacher of 30 years, it hurts every time she hears of yet another mass shooting in our country.
“As a legislator, I plan to continue my support of current and future legislation that will help protect people from gun violence,” Quirk Silva said. “However, we need U.S. Congress to act on common sense, popular gun reforms. It is my hope that the ‘Protecting Our Kids Act’ currently moving through the Federal legislature is passed soon. It’s time to say ‘enough is enough!’”
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Categories: Local News
Sharon- Mass killings happen when evil people know there will be no resistance. Many of our American institutions are protected by armed individuals. We accept that as entirely normal. The time to protect our vulnerable children in schools with lethal firepower has arrived. It is also time to reverse the absurd insanity of ‘defund the police.’ Police have been so criticized they have become paralyzed from acting out of a fear of being punished. The criminals are being protected and coddled. Human nature allows for crazy, evil people to exist. The only sensible action is to be prepared for them if they escape our early detection.
Surely you do not want to take guns from law-abiding citizens, do you?
How many mass killings are committed by knifes and feet?
Jacob-
P.S. I am all for tighter regulations on purchases of guns. However, we have a societal problem which is much bigger than just buying a gun easily.
Jacob, I do not own guns. I have no desire to cherry-pick items to bolster my point. I used the term shotgun and should have used rifle. The issue is whether or not rifles and military type weapons are the real problem. Guns are only objects. The sick people who need to be dealt with can do damage in multiple ways if they are determined to do so. Of course people are killed with handguns. The outcry over rifles and military type weapons is misplaced. Many more people are beaten to death with blunt objects, and killed with knives and fists than die by rifles and military type weapons.
Politicians wish to keep voters in fear and confusion so that we look to them for solutions. They are for the most part manipulators. All the anti-gun rhetoric would be better spent fighting against the destruction of the family and those foundational things.
Perhaps, but not 20 children at a time.
Martin,
Handguns not counting but shotguns do is still cherry-picking, there is not much outcry about shotguns yet you kept it in your statistic. I could say the same for knife deaths, if I was to say that kitchen knife deaths shouldn’t count then obviously the number of knife deaths will decrease. You could make the argument that moving the age of rifles and shotguns are the ones bring age restricted back to 21, but untraceable firearms and weapons that are trafficked do include handguns. If all weapon deaths not gun related count then all gun related deaths should count.
You also stated that with gun restriction only criminals will have guns, but the restriction stated in this article the Protecting Our Kids Act does nothing to prevent good people from getting guns it moves the age of certain weapons to 21 instead of 18 and to prevent gun trafficking and untraceable firearms, I would like to know how that would prevent good people from obtaining guns. If you are industrious in your fact seeking I implore you to look at the acts being mentioned in this article.
Jacob- I left out handguns because the focused outcry seems to be on guns which are often military type weapons. Handguns are common and an accepted part of society. The data has always been available to discover; mainstream media does not work to uncover it and most citizens are too busy or unmotivated to learn the truth. I am industrious in my fact seeking, that is simply a personal choice.
Questioning me why people would not tend to use knives for protection if they are ‘four times more effective’ against guns demonstrates you not only foolish but childish. America needs more citizens capable of basic logic; you are not helping matters.
Hi Martin,
Did you deliberately leave out handguns or did you forget to add them, handguns are the largest cause of firearm deaths and to keep them out of your statistic would be cherry picking the stats that serve your argument. If there is good reason to leave handguns out of the data then I would understand. And if this is knowledge that people don’t want known then why can you find a source for your data if there are people hiding the knowledge wouldn’t you never find it? Also if guns cause significantly less deaths then knives and other hand held weapons then why would people protecting others need guns in the first place, by your data knives would prove to be 4 times more effective.
Hello Louis and Nick-
Facebook post? I am not a Facebook user. The most recent report from the FBI is the Uniform Crime Report (UCR) and it makes it plain that the number of gun deaths are misrepresented or not reported by the general media. In 2021, 203 people were killed with shotguns. Another 454 were killed with rifles to make a total of 657 deaths for the year. The same report shows that 1,752 people were killed with ‘knives or cutting instruments’ that year.
In 2018 and 2019 four times as many were killed with ‘knives or cutting instruments’ as were killed with rifles or shotguns.
If guns are restricted only criminals will have them. Good people do not misuse their guns. The general media do not report the countless armed people who save lives and protect others daily.
Does my heart ache for Uvalde families? Certainly it does. Schools MUST be hardened and sick monsters MUST be corralled. I have never owned a gun. I have shot a handful. Guns are as old as the hills. They are a part of our society.
Louis, your post is directionless, a waste of reader’s time. Nick, you attempted to appear wise and yet offer not one piece of direct evidence to prove your assertion of irony.
Good luck to you both in your search.
Silly wabbits..these speakers and sign holders should do more study before they commit to vacuously lengthy speeches. More people are killed in America with knives, baseball bats, fists and feet than are killed by guns.
Some people do not want that information to be common knowledge.
Do your research, dont just look at one facebook post….
Handguns 8,029
Firearms, type not stated 4,863
Knives or cutting instruments 1,739
Other weapons or weapons not stated 983
Personal weapons (hands, fists, feet, etc.)* 662
Rifles 455
To use Martin’s own words, “Some people do not want that information to be common knowledge”
Ironic…
Good, it’s about time local leaders speak out.