Disclaimer:
Cambridge Day does not endorse candidates or positions. Views expressed in this letter are those of the writer.
I recently stopped by my son’s school to take him to a midday appointment. It was my first time in the building, and I was asked to stay in the vestibule and interact with the office staff through a protective glass partition. I reflected on how, even in communities where gun violence is rare, the *fear* of violence affects us.
This was underscored on Oct. 6, when a flurry of texts alerted me to a (thankfully nonfatal) shooting near Russell Field. The following day, another shooting in Cambridge, near Columbia Terrace, injured another person.
Even in a state with some of the strongest firearms laws in the country, we cannot take our safety for granted. This November, Ballot Question 9 will determine whether Massachusetts keeps or repeals the broad-ranging firearms law passed in 2024. A YES vote keeps the law in place. A NO vote repeals it.
Among its many provisions, the law:
- regulates untraceable ghost guns
- strengthens firearms licensing requirements
- expands “red flag” protections
- supports research and community violence intervention
In our area, this vote is unlikely to affect the operation of our schools or how we manage our day-to-day lives. But the outcome will send an important signal. National gun lobbyists are watching this race closely. If laws can be weakened here, they could become vulnerable in other states. For those of us living in a blue state, this is a rare opportunity to influence the national conversation about gun safety, even in a small way.
This year’s ballot is long, and some of the wording is confusing. I worry that people will skip or misunderstand Question 9. Please review the ballot carefully and join me in voting YES for a Safe Massachusetts.
Sincerely,
Dori Peleg Mazor / Fairmont Street, Arlington
A stronger
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