Every sane person, regardless of their politics, is horrified when they realize the high number of gun deaths in the US today. It is especially shocking that guns are now the leading cause of death for children. I was glad to see that a typically Republican writer, Ruth Ann Dailey, concluded her Sunday column (“The American idol that keeps us from reasonable gun control,” Apr. 2) by calling for waiting periods and background checks for gun purchases.

There are proposed bills on these issues stuck in committees in the Pennsylvania State House. If you want to do something, contact your state house representative and remind them of HB 0393 (Background Checks for Ammunition Sales), HB 0698 (72 Hour Waiting Period for Gun Purchases) and HB 1306 (Waiting Period for Firearms Transfers). Legislators need to be reminded that their constituents care about these issues.

I couldn’t find one on a list of over 50 proposed gun-related bills for banning assault weapons, a measure eloquently recommended in the Post-Gazette’s editorial (“Ban assault rifles: No panacea but a rational first step to reduce the carnage,” Apr. 2) the same day. Those who agree with that recommendation should suggest such a bill in their letters as well.

Marianne Novy
Squirrel Hill North

First Published: April 9, 2023, 4:00 a.m.