We Are Better Than This
August 22, 2012 
13 Comments
Each year 100,000 Americans are injured or killed because of gun-related crimes. In recent weeks, too many horrific incidents of gun violence have captured national attention, reflecting the worsening ideological divisiveness, anger and intolerance in our nation, all of which must end. The fact remains that this trend of violence threatens us all and violates the values of respect for others that must be paramount in American civic and political life.
WeAreBetterThanThis.org was launched after the tragic shooting in Aurora, CO as a platform for a national conversation about the need for sensible gun control laws. The goal of the petition is to spark a conversation about gun control among elected officials, victims’ families, affected communities, law enforcement, and more.
The URJ has long recognized the need for legislation “that would limit and control the sale and use of firearms” and has called on the United States government to “eliminate the manufacture, importation, advertising, sale, transfer and possession of handguns except for limited instances.” (URJ 1975). In creating these policies we are instructed by the lessons found in the Talmud, which teaches us, “He who takes one life it is as though he has destroyed the universe and he who saves one life it is as though he has saved the universe.”
Click here to join the tens of thousands of Americans who have signed petitions urging elected officials to develop a real solution to the gun violence plaguing our country.
TELL PRESIDENT OBAMA, GOVERNOR ROMNEY AND ALL OF OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS:
WE ARE BETTER THAN THIS
We are better than a nation where tragedies happen like the one in Aurora, Colorado.
We are better than a nation where 32 people are murdered by guns every day.
In the next president’s term, 48,000 more Americans will be murdered with guns unless we do something about it.
The Second Amendment to the constitution guarantees the right to keep and bear arms. It is time we acknowledge that right, put aside partisan politics and look for solutions that will save lives.
I add my passionate voice to the millions of Americans from across the country and across the political spectrum, coming together to demand solutions – real plans – from our elected officials to do something about the toll of gun violence on our nation.
Because I know
WE ARE BETTER THAN THIS.
Certainly unneccesary loss of life due to improper firearm use is tragic. I’m not a big fan of the Second Amendment but it’s there.
The political reality is that zero, repeat zero, with this effort is going to happen this campaign cycle. Why? There are two primary party candidates who are operating in a polarized political environment and a very narrow margin separating them. No rational politician is going to pick a fight with the NRA at this point.
If Obama wins, the issue may be considered in his second term- after the economy recovers, Obamacare is hammered out, and a plan for managingour debt is sustainable and managed. If Romney is elected, gun control efforts will never receive consideration. It stinks but that’s the reality in my view.
No need for you Americans to have so many guns.
Let’s start a national movement for rational gun control laws. It took 30 years to take on the tobacco lobby. Why is everyone so afraid of the NRA? We can do it again – even if it takes another 30 years, it’ll be worth it!
Guns do not kill people, people who have easy access to guns kill people. We need to replace NRA’s stance and hiding behind the first ammendment which was appropriate for the time it was written, that time is long past.
If congress can ever get its’act together, the first ammendment needs to be review and revised if we are to be a safer society. There is no reason to own a gun unless your a animal hunter!
Those ahead of us make the case well. Please read them.
Art Siegal
Stand up the the NRA. Protect lives.
How many more assaults does it take for Congress to enact reasonable limits (without meddling from the NRA)?
Guns don’t solve anything. We must have more help for mentally disturbed as well as stronger gun control laws.
It’s a terrible thing to live in a ‘free’ country where one is afraid to even go into a movie theater or walk the streets of some neighborhoods. Guns kill—-get them off the streets.
As with most political issues, there is not a universal position within the Jewish Community. We need to be careful when taking a political position that we remember we are speaking for a very large, very diverse group of people. Believe it or not, not all Jews support gun control. Cars don’t kill people, drunk drivers do. Staircases and bathtubs don’t kill people, falling on them does. For once let’s make people take responsibility for themselves and their actions. Someone who commits a crime should be punished and the authorities need to have the tools and support do to this. The problems isn’t the cars, the bathtubs, the staircases or the guns. The problem is the people and our unwillingness to assign blame or guilt to humans.
Time to stop guns running the streets and killing innocent people. We need gun control laws and the NRA’s influence must be replaced by stringent gun control.
We have more gun deaths than any other country!! This is ridiculous!!
No one needs a gun,for any reason. If hunters object, let them have restricted rifles, for hunting or target practice. Period.
guns do not solve anything they ,just lead to disaster. we must have stronger gun control laws.O