Sen. Larson Commends Gov. Evers’ Passionate Plea for Gun Reform
Madison, WI – Sen. Chris Larson (D-Milwaukee) issued the following statement in response to Governor Tony Evers’ State of the State Address:
“As families across Wisconsin continue to be devastated by the scourge of deadly gun violence, our legislature must listen to them and pass laws that are proven to work at saving lives. In his State of the State address, Governor Evers made it clear that doing nothing on gun violence is no longer an option.
“By calling for universal background checks, a red flag law, safe storage requirements, and mandatory waiting periods for firearm purchases, Evers has aligned himself with the vast majority of our Wisconsin neighbors, who – regardless of who they voted for in the last election – overwhelmingly support these common-sense, life-saving measures.
“Had the legislature heeded former Representative Jonathan Brostoff’s call 5 years ago to enact common sense gun laws, he might still be alive today. The legislature failed him then. We cannot change that now, but we can ensure that men and women struggling with depression and suicidal thoughts don’t have ready access to a gun. 85% of suicide attempts with a gun are successful versus less than 3% of attempts by drug overdose. Over 60% of all gun deaths in Wisconsin are by suicide. Every one of them is a tragedy, and the vast majority are entirely preventable.
“Nobody should ever have to get “the call” like I did on November 4, when I learned my dear friend Jonathan had taken his own life with a gun. It’s a story that’s all too common, but one that we can never come to accept as inevitable.
“I want to thank the Governor for leading on this critical issue, and I hope my Republican colleagues can find it within themselves to put politics aside, listen to common sense, and start saving lives.”
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
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