To the editor:

I never know day to day if another community will be devastated by gun violence once again. Even more worrisome is if I turn the news on and hear one of those communities is right here in Rhode Island.
We have an opportunity to take assault weapons meant only for the military off our streets.

The Rhode Island House of Representatives just passed H-5436 through their chamber. Now the Senate must do their job and pass S-0359 out of committee and onto the Senate floor for a full vote and passage.
These weapons have no place on our streets, in our churches, schools, stores, movie theaters, fields, etc. Assault weapons have been used in some of the deadliest mass shootings in our country. Newtown, Las Vegas, Orlando, Uvalde, Parkland, and there are many others. We do not want to add a city here in Rhode Island to this list.

The majority of Rhode Islanders want to keep assault weapons off our streets. A poll done by the AFL-CIO earlier this year showed that 64% of Rhode Islanders support keeping assault weapons out of our communities. The bills only target weapons of war, not the firearms that responsible gun owners commonly use.

Nine states and D.C. have passed assault weapons bans. The assault weapons ban has been upheld in state and federal courts, with challenges often rejected based on arguments that the bans do not violate the Second Amendment and the right to bear arms. In fact, the Supreme Court has declined to hear a case brought to the Supreme Court over Maryland’s assault weapons ban.

I think it is time our legislators stood up and did the right thing for the people of Rhode Island.

Judy Ouellette
Moms Demand Action Volunteer
East Providence