Firearm control a life-or-death issue

I am writing in opposition to the recently introduced “Right to Bear Arms Act,” which would “assert Pennsylvania’s right to provide stronger protections of the right to bear arms to its citizens.”

In essence, this act would allow more lenient rights to gun owners based on the state constitution, and would forgo the stricter control present in the United States Constitution.

Based on recent events, I feel the current climate in the Pennsylvania state legislature surrounding gun rights and gun control is unsafe for the citizens of Pennsylvania. Legislators want to arm teachers in schools and take control away from local jurisdictions to determine restrictions on firearms.

Data show that in 2015, Pennsylvania ranked fourth in the U.S. in number of firearm deaths, behind Texas, California and Florida.

This should not be a pro-Democrat or pro-Republican issue. Firearm control is a life-and-death issue that affects all voters. I want Pennsylvania to learn from recent events and enact stricter gun safety regulations, not more general and lenient ones.

This story was originally published June 17, 2017 at 9:13 PM with the headline "Firearm control a life-or-death issue."