Philadelphia – Sept. 22, 2016 – State Sen. Anthony H. Williams (D-Delaware/Phila.) is requesting that Gov. Tom Wolf call a special legislative session to focus on gun violence in Pennsylvania. Following is the text of the senator’s letter to the governor:

September 20, 2016

The Honorable Tom Wolf
Governor of Pennsylvania
Room 225 Main Capitol Building
Harrisburg, PA 17120

Dear Governor Wolf,

I am requesting that you call for a special session of the General Assembly to address gun regulation in Pennsylvania. Please note the attached news article detailing the most recent event in a series of recurrent gun violence.

There are many pressing issues facing this commonwealth, no doubt, but there is none greater than the loss of life due to illegal guns. Unfortunately, this is not a recent crisis but one that has plagued communities across the Commonwealth for years. Many citizens in these neighborhoods (police officers and civilians alike) watch our government react to many other legitimate issues while this very real epidemic goes almost unnoticed. It sends a message as if these communities don’t count; as if they are responsible for the overflow of illegal weapons onto their streets; as if it is fair that they pay taxes to find lost planets billions of lights years away, while we can’t find an illegal gun on our streets in this state.

I recognize that special interests have blurred the very legitimate concern for the protection of the second amendment, which is very different from the removal of illegal guns, but something must be done in order to preserve innocent life.

I hope that you find this crisis as profound as many law-abiding Pennsylvanians do. Let us begin the process of correcting this unjust protection of criminals preying on these communities.

We await your swift response.

Sincerely,
Anthony H. Williams
State Senator – 8th District

Editor’s NOTE:  Following is a link to the article, “Father of rampage victim Sara Salih hears gunshots that killed her” by Sam Wood, Philadelphia Inquirer, September 18, 2016. http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20160918_Father_of_rampage_victim_Sara_Salih_hears_gunshots_that_killed_her.html

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