Collins calls for gun reform to prevent future tragedies

CHICAGO– State Senator Jacqueline Collins (D-Chicago), an anti-violence advocate disheartened by yesterday’s mass shooting at a Texas elementary school, issued the following statement about gun violence and the tragedy of performative action:

“Yesterday’s mass shooting tragically reminds us of the need to meaningfully address the crisis of gun violence in our nation. Nineteen students and two teachers were murdered, and more civilians were injured because of an individual’s access to a deadly firearm and his intention to kill.

“This has been going on far too long, and our communities are in need of healing. Our country is in desperate need of reform. The adversity I faced in moving comprehensive anti-violence measures through the Illinois General Assembly is a reflection of a much larger issue: that state and national leaders are too readily swayed by the idea that a person’s right to have a gun defeats a person’s right to live in a safe, supportive environment.

“My heart yearns for a day in which people do not have to live in fear of these unspeakable acts of violence, and I am devoted to making the changes that will put a stop to this senseless violence. We’re all tired of learning about fatal tragedies plaguing our nation every day, but still our willingness to act fails to echo the sentiments of people across the country who believe our nation’s gun control efforts have had no effect on reducing violence. It’s time our actions match our words and we end this public safety crisis in America.”