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Opinion: ‘Thoughts and prayers’ aren’t a replacement for needed gun legislation

We need to call on our senators and representatives to do something meaningful to stop the continued gun violence epidemic

SHARE Opinion: ‘Thoughts and prayers’ aren’t a replacement for needed gun legislation
A 7-year-old girl holds a sign with a picture of children, a greater sign, and a semi-automatic rifle with the words “it’s simple math” written below.

Elise Schering, 7, displays a simple message during a National Gun Violence Awareness Day rally at the Capitol in Sacramento, Calif., on Thursday, June 2, 2022. State lawmakers, gun violence survivors and others gathered calling on Congress for stricter gun control laws.

Rich Pedroncelli, Associated Press

I find myself at a loss for words, after the latest school shooting in Uvalde, Texas. My fourth grader won his little league championship that night, as the parents in Texas were still finding out whether they would ever see their children again. “Thoughts and prayers” ring hollow in the wake of such a tragedy — especially when it is a tragedy we keep seeing in our country.

It seems that a large portion of my fellow Americans agree that something has to change when it comes to guns, and Congress has repeatedly failed to find the courage to take action.

So today, I ask: what are Sen. Mike Lee, Rep. Chris Stewart and Sen. Mitt Romney going to do to get commonsense gun control legislation passed? How many more lives must be lost to weapons of war in our cities before they take action?

Jon Boyer

Centerville