Letter: Meaningful action on guns being considered

I live in Winnetka, just a few miles down the road from Highland Park - the site of just one of many horrific mass shootings that have taken place in the U.S. this year. I wish I could say I was surprised when a mass murder occurred in my own community, but I was not. Here's why:

I got involved with gun violence prevention 10 years ago after the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary, where a man with an assault weapon brutally murdered 26 school staffers and students, including 20 first graders - kids the same age as my daughter at the time.

Back then, I thought the U.S. would quickly pass a federal assault weapons ban because how could we not after such an absolutely horrific and preventable tragedy? I've since learned that although the vast majority of Americans agree that weapons of war have no place on American streets, our political leaders often lack the willpower to take action.

But right now, we in Illinois finally have the chance to pass meaningful legislation to protect our families from gun violence. The Protect Illinois Communities Act tackles the problem from many angles. It will not only ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, it will crack down on gun trafficking, raise the age to obtain a FOID card to 21, improve our Firearms Restraining Order law, and hold the gun industry accountable for deceptive marketing that creates the environment that spurs on would-be shooters.

Did you know that gun violence is the leading cause of death for American children? That America's gun homicide rate is more than 25 times the average of other high-income countries? That's simply not acceptable. Illinois can show leadership by passing HB5855 right now before one more person is killed in a preventable tragedy.

Jackie Milord Raimo

Winnetka