Senate’s gun vote was cowardly

On April 17 the United States Senate, specifically Republican senators (all but four, including our own Mark Kirk), failed us all in spectacular fashion. They shamefully caved into their political fears and voted against a very reasonable and common sense enhanced background check amendment that 91 percent of all Americans support. These cowards, so cowed by the NRA and so scared of a noisy minority of gun owners, turned their backs on all of us.

Supported by the NRA’s insidious misinformation campaign, they voiced their master’s bogus concerns about a perfectly logical amendment and made sure it failed. This after the parents of children murdered in Sandy Hook and others affected by gun violence stood in their offices and asked for their help. And leading the charge was Rand Paul, who called them “props” and suggested that President Obama used them to his political advantage.

Shame on them and shame on us for shrugging our shoulders and moving on with our lives. Please, the next time a slaughter like Sandy Hook occurs (and it will) spare me the outrage and hand-wringing. In this case we surely get what we deserve by our own votes.

Dave Crost

Prospect Heights