Gun safety group takes aim at pols

WEST CHESTER » A nonprofit volunteer organization is calling on residents to contact their local lawmakers to enact laws to reduce gun violence in Chester County.

Gun Sense Chester County was established in 2017 but is not an entirely new group. It was previously known as Chester County Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence. The original organization was formed after the Sandy Hook Elementary tragedy. The all-volunteer organization is under new leadership though their goals remain the same.

“It’s important that we all raise our voices to ask for what we believe makes sense,” said Ann Colby-Cummings, chairperson of Gun Sense Chester County. “Our elected officials are generally responsive to phone calls and letters from constituents. It’s important for citizens to let them know what they’d like to see enacted.”

Gun Sense Chester County is a nonprofit volunteer group that works to reduce gun violence in the Chester County communities. Their priority is opening a civil dialogue and finding common ground across a variety of perspectives, including gun owners and non-gun owners.

Recently, the Pew Research Center found more than half of adult Americans believe gun laws should be stricter. With a majority of those surveyed saying they want change, it can be surprising that no real change is occurring.

Colby-Cummings theorizes the rhetoric used by Second Amendment groups incites worry in some citizens that keeps them from reaching out to their local government officials, while others lack knowledge on what Pennsylvania’s gun laws are and how they affect gun violence.

“Our elected officials are generally responsive to phone calls and letters from constituents. It’s important for citizens to let them know what they’d like to see enacted.” — Ann Colby-Cummings, chairperson of Gun Sense Chester County

Colby-Cummings said Gun Sense is striving to get citizens involved in changing legislation to make the community safer. They emphasize that they believe in the Second Amendment right

and are not trying to take guns away from the people; they just want to teach responsible gun ownership and raise awareness of gun laws.

With all the gun violence in Chester County, Gun Sense wants to put pressure on lawmakers to change existing gun laws.

The organization’s members want to convince elected

official to pass legislation requiring universal background checks for all gun purchases. In Pennsylvania, while licensed gun sellers require a background check, those looking to purchase a gun without participating in a background check can make use of what is commonly referred to as the “Gun Show Loophole.” Pennsylvania

law only requires a background check for handguns sold at gun shows.

By educating the public on laws such as these, Gun Sense Chester County hopes to inspire change for a safer community, Colby-Cummings said.

The organization reaches these goals by holding events and interacting with local

communities. These events are open to the public and provide a variety of perspectives.

On July 24, at the Frazer Mennonite Church, Gun Sense Chester County will be holding an event about gun sports. Gun sport enthusiasts will discuss the sports they take part in to open dialogue on the topic and give

non-gun owners a new look at the activity.

The group also sponsors educational presentations, workshops, meetings with elected officials, rallies, fundraising events to support gun violence prevention programs and economic campaigns.

The organization‘s website is gunsensecc.com.