Pennsylvania leaders, activists gather for End Gun Violence rally
SPRING GARDEN - In light of the school shooting in Texas, a long list of Pennsylvania officials, gun violence survivors and advocates rallied Friday in Philadelphia.
"This event seems to take aim at Republicans in the state, are you blaming them for deaths of children?" FOX 29’s Marcus Espinoza asked.
"I’m blaming them for not pushing legislation that we really need to make sure that we don’t kill children, yeah," Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf answered.
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Still fresh from the horrific murder of 19 children and two teachers at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, politicians from the Delaware Valley, religious leaders and community activists took aim at Republican leadership in the state house and Senate for failing to hold a vote on gun safety legislation.
"Let’s be clear, I’m willing to blame people. People who don’t want to take a vote on life-saving legislation and don’t want to put up considered bills. That’s something I’m willing to do because they’re costing lives," stated Adam Garber, from CeaseFirePa.
Hundreds gathered at Congregation Rodeph Shalom to directly respond to Republican legislative leaders, including Speaker of the House Bryan Cutler and House Majority Leader Kerry Benninghoff, who denied a vote on proposed gun safety laws this week.
"Did you know that gun violence is now the number one cause of death in children and teens in America? That is horrendous and unacceptable. And what’s the republican leadership in Pa. doing about it? Nothing," Gov. Wolf stated.
Neither Cutler or Kerry responded to a request for comment.
One local leader tells FOX 29 despite all the work that he believes needs to be done at the legal level, to address gun violence, real change, in his mind, starts at home.
"I emphasize this when I can say this, it starts at home. It starts in the household, but also the community and it starts in Philadelphia," NOMO Foundation’s Ricky Duncan explained.