Congratulations on the universal background check battle. Well fought.
Now that the election is over, ballots are tallied, and results have been posted, the referendum has gained the support of the majority. Congratulations.
You have presented this initiative to eliminate gun violence in our entire country by a plan with no details or specifics and those who voted for your referendum believe that you have taken a first step toward that end. You owe them more than just “We have delivered a statement.”
Every citizen of Oak Park now expects you to report on the next step and give some tangible proof of its success. I plan to ask for a status report on a regular basis and expect to be disappointed at your response.
Those of us who support the Second Amendment, plan to continue to press for legal enforcements against the people who harm others with firearms. We understand that it is bad people who create the mayhem and carnage in our inner cities and they are the focus of our attention. The laws needed to solve the problem exist and only need to be rigorously enforced, and we will be able to show the improvement in the reduction of gun violence that a “statement of principle” will never achieve.
Again, congratulations! And good luck!
Ray Simpson
Oak Park resident for 48 years