Mt. Vernon Basketball Star Isaiah Cousins
The Shooting of Mt. Vernon Basketball Star shows the need for Comprehensive Gun Laws in New York State
The resent shooting of Isaiah Cousins, a Mt. Vernon basketball star echoes the need of controlling the influx of illegal weapons in our communities in Westchester County and the state of New York.
It is clear that we simply can not "arrest" ourselves out of our current crime problem. There must be a comprehensive change in the mindset of the people. To achieve any sustainable reduction in crime, our elected officials must engage in an aggressive plan to identify and promote programs that provide meaningful assistance for families in need. This is especially critical to those families with children to prevent the youth from growing up being/feeling neglected and joining on to so-called gangs and engage in criminal actives. The offender of tomorrow is often the at-risk child of today whose needs are not being addressed.
As Law Enforcement Professionals, we have found it is easier for youth to get an illegal weapon than a legal job in many urban cities in Westchester County. Illegal weapons in the Black community has become more American than Apple Pie.
It is unfortunate that our County Executive Rob Astorino is standing firmly on a platform to repeal the SAFE Act in New York in his campaign for NYS Governor. What will Astorino's message be to the Cousins family and many other families that have lost children to gun violence in New York? What fundamental right do our young and elderly have to feel safe walking the streets?
As a national organization of Law Enforcement Professionals, we demand our elected officials to fight for the fundamental rights of innocent people like Isaiah Cousins and not be cowards to gun enthusiast, gun lobbyist and the NRA.
Damon K. Jones
No comments:
Post a Comment