Submitted by Jonathan Perloe, Cos Cob
To the Editor:
In June, a Gallup poll of U.S. adults found that “the importance of gun policy…to vote choice is by far the highest on record.” And for good reason, even here in Connecticut.
Although Connecticut is fortunate to have one of the lowest gun death rates in the nation, thanks to tough gun laws that are ranked third strongest by the Giffords Law Center, gun violence is a public health crisis. Like the rest of the country, the state has experienced a surge in gun homicides, and firearms are the second leading cause of suicide.
In the state’s urban centers, gun violence is pervasive, affecting every aspect of the daily lives of their mostly Black and Hispanic residents. Mothers are afraid to let their kids play outside, for fear of them becoming “innocent bystander” victims of drive-by shootings. Students and educators are traumatized by the threat of school shootings, regardless of where they live.
That’s why we need lawmakers who prioritize protecting communities from gun violence, rather than sacrificing lives in favor of the NRA’s “guns everywhere” agenda. Rachel Khanna, candidate for State Representative in the 149th Assembly District, is a champion for common-sense gun laws and other measures proven to save lives. She is endorsed by CT Against Gun Violence and is a Moms Demand Action Gun Sense Candidate. Khanna will appear on the ballot on both the Democratic and Independent Party lines.
The need to elect lawmakers who will protect Connecticut’s strong gun laws could not be more important. As a result of the Supreme Court’s radical Bruen decision that ruled out public safety as a factor in considering the constitutionality of gun regulation, Connecticut gun laws are under attack. Our ban on assault weapons and large capacity magazines was just challenged in federal court. More lawsuits are expected.
Rep. Kim Fiorello represents the polar opposite of Ms. Khanna, earning an NRA “A” grade on the strength of her opposition to gun laws favored by majorities of Americans.
Rep. Fiorello’s voting record demonstrates her extreme positions: she voted against requiring a court to find that an individual is no longer at risk of imminent violence before returning their firearms. She sponsored a bill to create a stand-your-ground law in houses of worship; SYG laws are associated with notable increases in homicide. She introduced a bill that would prohibit Greenwich and Stamford from enacting local ordinances to protect us from gun violence, such as prohibiting guns in public buildings.
Fiorello’s out-of-the-mainstream solutions are not backed up by research about the causes of gun violence. At the Greenwich First Selectman’s Wear Orange Gun Violence Awareness Day event this year, she told reporters that lack of school choice, “breakdown of the family unit” and too few adoptions are root causes of gun violence.
The leading cause of gun violence in America is easy access to firearms by people who are a danger to themselves and others. For those who are worried about gun violence, Rachel Khanna is the right choice to represent the 149th district in Greenwich and Stamford. Please make a plan to vote on November 8.
Jonathan Perloe, Cos Cob