Local Residents Take A Stand Against Gun Violence

About 30 people braved cold temperatures and a biting wind Wednesday evening at the Temecula Duck Pond to call for an end to gun violence.

Carrying candles and holding signs depicting photos of American children killed by shooters, the residents marched along Ynez Road to Rancho California Road. They waved to honking motorists—and just smiled when others yelled out in angry protest.

Several members of the Democratic Club of Southwest Riverside County, along with supporters of the Democratic-based Organizing for Action, were on hand for what was promoted as a candlelight vigil to remember victims of gun violence. But Temecula resident Thetis Pressley insisted Wednesday’s event, which she helped organize, was not partisan and everyone in the community was invited to attend.

“We’re looking for points of discussion,” she explained. “Nobody is looking to take guns away.”

Temecula grandmother Patria Carter was on hand for the vigil because she said she doesn’t want to see more innocent children killed. She held a sign depicting Hadiya Pendleton, a 15-year-old Chicago girl who was gunned down Jan. 29 by a reputed gang member. Believed to be an innocent bystander, Hadiya’s death made national headlines because days before her killing she had performed with her high school band at President Barack Obama’s inauguration ceremony.

Carter didn’t know Hadiya, but the young girl’s senseless slaying made an impact on her.

“This is a young life snubbed out. It breaks my heart,” she said.

Tim Sheridan spoke to the crowd at Wednesday’s vigil. Sheridan, an attorney who represents the National Treasury Employees Union, argued the divide in the gun control debate is not too great to overcome. He said both sides on the issue want to see reductions in the number of mass shootings, murders, accidental shootings and suicides in this country.

“We can fix gun violence,” he said.

Sheridan ran down a list of statistics from the Brady Campaign that highlighted the number of U.S. children lost to bullets.

“It’s too many deaths in this society,” he said.

Borrowing a page from President John F. Kennedy, he added, “We choose to take on the issue of gun violence not because it’s easy, but because it’s hard.”

Temecula activist Paul Jacobs, a gun owner, was also on hand Wednesday. He said the gun control argument is not about taking away the 2nd Amendment; rather it is focused on putting checks and balances in place that will better protect all Americans.

“I support the right to own a weapon,” he said, but countered that stronger background checks, restrictions to gun access and tougher safety regulations should be put in place.

Jacobs cited current restrictions on spray paints, which are required to be under lock and key at hardware stores in an effort to curb graffiti vandalism. Jacobs conceded that paint and guns are hardly alike; his point is that weapons must be made harder to obtain than they currently are.

“If it works for cans of spray paint, it can work for weapons,” Jacobs said.

Temecula resident Ana Villanueva, a petite woman who was bundled up tight against the blustery weather Wednesday, said she had something personal to say about guns. The mother of three grown children recalled an incident 10 years ago in which her husband at the time returned home from a shooting outing with buddies. During a bout of sudden jealousy he accused his wife of cheating.

“My husband put a two-barrel shotgun to my face,” Villanueva said, explaining that she escaped unharmed but left him for good.

“It lingers on,” Villanueva said of the life-altering memory.

Temecula resident Jane McMackin called for politicians on both sides of the aisle to put aside reelection fears and work together on comprehensive gun reform. McMackin believes the majority of Americans—gun owners or not—want to see an end to gun violence, especially where children are involved.

The efforts of Mothers Against Drunk Driving resemble the type of organized endeavor McMackin said is needed on the gun control front.

“This is a moral issue,” she said. “Children are dying.”