Gun safety is really what MOMS is about
Recently, the North Idaho Chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America (hereafter called MOMS) has received unjustified criticism from some fervent supporters of unfettered gun ownership. I want to set the record straight.
A nonpartisan organization, MOMS focuses exclusively on gun safety issues and the reduction of firearms deaths. Why? More than 30,000 gun deaths (murder, suicide, accident) and more than 23,000 gun injuries have occurred in the United States so far this year.
MOMS supports:
- The 2nd Amendment to the Constitution of the United States;
- The right of law-abiding citizens to own guns;
- Keeping guns out of the hands of known domestic abusers;
- The passage of red flag laws allowing temporary removal of guns from domestic abusers with a demonstrated pattern of violence;
- The removal of guns from individuals with diagnosed mental illnesses, who pose a credible danger to themselves and others;
- Closing background check loopholes, including for online purchases. During a recent MOMS chapter meeting, a member purchased a gun online and was asked only for a credit card number.
MOMS works only to promote gun safety, particularly as concerns our children. Our education program, “Be SMART,” advocates for secure gun storage, which MOMS members discuss at community meetings. As parents, we know that our children don’t always listen to us. Old folks, what do they know? While we may tell our kids not to touch a handgun kept in plain sight for defense, will they always resist the temptation to show it off to friends? Will that unsecured gun be an irresistible lure to a depressed teenager?
Accidents can happen through unperceived negligence. My son had a friend whose father owned a fast food restaurant. Asked by his father to manage the evening shift, he carried that night’s cash and receipts into the office to put in the safe. The revolver his father kept in the safe, with the safety off for quick access, slid off the pile of older receipts, hit the floor, and shot the son dead. A family’s peace of mind was forever destroyed.
Recently, at the Hayden Farmer’s Market, I helped staff a Be SMART table. We gave away gun locks provided by the Coeur d’Alene Police Department and discussed our mission with whomever would listen. I asked parents, “Do you own a gun?” Most answered, “Yes.” I asked, “Do you keep it secure?” Nearly every parent proudly answered, “Yes, I do.” I asked, “When your children play at their neighbors’ houses, do you ask whether they also secure their guns?” Some answered, “Yes,” and some looked pensive. “I haven’t, but I will now.”
I urge all readers of this “My Turn” — woman or man, regardless of your political position, whether or not you own firearms — to support gun safety. If you have the urge to advocate for gun safety, MOMS welcomes you to volunteer, by logging on to the following Web site: https://momsdemandaction.org.
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Karen Charbonneau is Membership Lead, North Idaho Group, Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America.