WWW.QNS.COM RIDGEWOOD TIMES MARCH 1, 2018 13
LETTERS AND COMMENTS OP-ED
Turn the Parkland tragedy
into something positive
BY COUNCILMAN ROBERT HOLDEN
It was a gloomy Thursday in
Parkland, Florida. Though it was
a grey and blustery aft ernoon, it
was the sadness in the air at Marjory
Stoneman Douglas High School in the
wake of the mass shooting incident
that claimed the lives of 17 that was
responsible for the weather.
Eight days had passed between the
shooting and when I visited, and photos,
stuff ed animals, fl owers and candles
were strewn about — a haunting memorial
for the victims. But the scene wasn’t
one of anger and protest; it was a solemn
memorial. If I hadn’t known otherwise, I
might have even called it peaceful.
A friend of my wife’s coworker lost her
daughter, Gina Montalto, in this senseless
shooting. As a parent, seeing that, I
couldn’t help but wonder how I’d feel if
it was my child. It’s unfathomable. I have
three children and three grandchildren,
and the thought that something like this
could happen on any given day, to any
one of them, breaks my heart.
As onlookers stood weeping and
whispering at the memorials, I found
the silence deafening. The quiet at
Marjory Stoneman High School sent
a clear message: We need change now.
I chose to visit the school and pay my
respects because I felt it was my duty as
a human being, but also as a legislator.
This is the latest in a long line of gun-related
tragedies, but what if it could be the
last one? We lawmakers have the power
to fi x the mass shooting problem in this
country, and we need to do it swift ly.
This isn’t a partisan issue, and it’s
not about the gun lobby; it’s about
making sure our children never have
to fear going to school, that no parent
has to bury a child, and no teacher
needs to sacrifi ce their life because
their students end up on the wrong
side of a gun.
To do that, all we really need is common
sense gun reform.
What does that mean? Common
sense gun control is the safe ownership
and usage of legally obtained
fi rearms — fi rearms that can’t shoot
off multiple rounds in less than a minute.
I support the national adoption of
permit-to-purchase.
Convicted felons and perpetrators of
violent misdemeanors should be barred
from buying fi rearms. Hunting enthusiasts
should be allowed to keep their
rifl es and pistols if they are able to pass
stringent background checks — that is
the extent to which I believe we can continue
to uphold the Second Amendment.
The biggest issue here is the fact that
practically anyone can legally purchase
a semi-automatic weapon. No
civilian needs one, plain and simple.
They belong in the hands of soldiers
who have been trained specifi cally to
use them and only in combat.
In civil society, in my opinion, these
are weapons of mass destruction,
meant only to do harm to fellow human
beings.
Instituting these measures is in
no way extreme, but losing dozens of
children to unnecessary gun violence
each year is. We as lawmakers need to
fi ght for gun reform. This is an opportunity
to ensure that those 17 who lost
their lives in the Parkland shooting
didn’t do so in vain, to guarantee that
no other school in this country is ever
again made into a somber memorial.
Councilman Holden represents the
30th District, which encompasses
Glendale, Maspeth, Middle Village,
Ridgewood, Woodhaven and
Woodside.
READER:
POL IN
‘FANTASYLAND’
ON NONPROFIT PET
STORES
Apparently some elected offi cials,
including my state senator, Michael
Gianaris, are living in a fantasyland.
The senator is sponsoring a bill which,
among other things, would prohibit
pet stores from making a profi t on
selling cats and dogs.
First of all, Michael, the main purpose
of a business is to make a profi t.
If a business couldn’t, why would it do
something? Secondly, once a pet store
obtains a dog or cat, it must spend
money on food, expend time taking
care of it, use of space, etc.
To top it off , the senator states that,
“Our four-legged companions should
be treated with respect, not like commodities.”
This comes from a man who
refuses to treat two legged animals (us
humans) with respect and advocates to
expand abortion in our state.
Thomas Murawski, Glendale
USE TECH
TO TRACK GUN &
AMMO
PURCHASES
Rising reports about the Parkland,
Florida, shooter and his purchase of
up to 10 long guns within a single
year are alarming. A hole to be
plugged in the sieve know as gun
control is just this issue: information
synergy.
Exchanging vital data about
gun owners, “red flags,” would be
a pivotal step in addressing this
phenomena. If I send a text about
“coffee,” within an hour I will see
advertisements from five coffee
companies on the web. This type
of information technology that
could thwart would be mass shooters.
If you purchase thousands of
rounds of ammunition, a system
is alerted. If you order 15 large capacity
magazines online, a system
is alerted.
The technology is there and the
algorithms can be written, but the
legislation needs to be passed.
Ownership of a fi rearm can no
longer be veiled behind constitutional
rights and privacy. There
must be information sharing and
prevention.
Ricky Malone, Ridgewood
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This gem from 1938 shows Eliot
Avenue at 85th Street in Middle
Village, looking east toward
Woodhaven Boulevard. You’ll notice
in the foreground the trestle carrying
the Long Island Rail Road. At
right is the skeleton of Resurrection
Ascension Church, and if you look
carefully in the background, you’ll
spot the triangular Trylon and circular
Perisphere — the landmarks
of the 1939-40 World’s Fair. Send
us your historic photos of Queens
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(subject: A Look Back) or mail
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A LOOK BACK
