How many must be sacrificed before Congress acts to change laws

I choose not to live in fear, afraid to enter a theater, school, church, synagogue, concert, or train, anywhere we gather to learn, pray, sing, travel. This is America and monsters with guns cannot destroy lives and loved ones.

We take pride in freedoms, yet, we go too far if assault rifles are permitted and sold easily. How tragic to need a police state with guards at every door searching pocketbooks and backpacks, to see ID before we can enter. How many children and adults must be sacrificed before Congress acts to change laws and limit gun permits? When will mental health facilities identify those at risk and provide therapy and medication, before they erupt into violence.

I sat in synagogue with my son Adam praying for a better world. An hour later, I was at Art Open Studios. As I wandered, I chanced on a room with bikes and mementoes of the children and teachers killed at Sandy Hook. After viewing those faces, I found a chair to recover from the sadness I felt. Seconds later my son called to tell me about the tragedy at Tree Of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh.

I spent four years at the University Of Pittsburgh. My heart was broken a second time in minutes. The message that spoke across all denomiations and religions at the Jewish Community Center in Woodbridge that night echoed words of compassion, community, unity, solidarity and mostly of love.

Black shadows of hatred and anti-semitism are spreading across our beautiful world. Our differences are dividing us and we need to stand together in peace. We need to elect people who will uphold our freedoms and guarantee rights. We need to make America a land we can be proud to call our own. God bless the U.S.A. Bonnie K Goldberg

Hamden