Parents, teachers and students rally for gun safety

2022-06-04 01:28:06 By : Mr. Eason Wong

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That range of emotions is still raw for Jean Bucaria one week after 19 children and two teachers were gunned down at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. Bucaria’s 10-year-old daughter, is a fourth grader at PS 11, the same grade the kids murdered in Uvalde were.

“You put yourself in the position of those parents, and you know, you almost can’t touch that, because it’s too painful,” Bucaria said. “I’m heartbroken, I am enraged, and I cannot understand the lack of action.”

It was that shared pain that brought a crowd of students, parents, teachers and local leaders to Sunnyside, Queens Tuesday night — a moment to remember the 21 lives lost in Texas, a cry to prevent it from happening again.

“I don’t want our legacy to be that we’re failing to protect our kids,” Bucaria said.

Councilmember Julie Won says what’s haunted her this past week is hearing children recollect going through safety drills.

“Eight-year-olds telling me, ‘I’m being told to squeeze my body into a cubby, I’m being told to go under a desk, I’m being told to go into a closet and close the door,’” Won said.

A new mom herself, Won knows the great lengths parents go to keep their kids safe.

“But there are things that we can’t plan for,” said Won. “What am I supposed to do? Send my child to school with body armor so in case there’s a shooting he won’t get shot?”

Earlier Tuesday, on the eve of Gun Violence Awareness Month, Mayor Eric Adams met virtually with mayors from across New York State to talk solutions, one of which he said is more mental health resources.

“The shooting in Buffalo is no different than the shootings that take place on Buffalo Avenue in Brooklyn,” Adams said. “Let’s invest in people. Let’s realize that this is a crisis that’s impacting far too many families.”

Gov. Kathy Hochul announced a package of legislation Tuesday aimed at toughening up New York’s gun laws.

The bills would require someone to have a license and be at least 21 years old to buy a semi-automatic rifle, add health care providers to the list of people who can flag someone as a risk, and would require information sharing between local, state and federal agencies when guns are used in crimes, among other laws.

Bucaria hopes those changes will prevent the unthinkable.

“When you see 19 children murdered, how can we not do something? That’s my question,” said Bucaria.

She’s left waiting for an answer, hoping it comes before it’s too late.