McCarthy: Shootings are all too Common

Rep. Carolyn McCarthy on Friday afternoon released a statement in the wake of the massacre of 20 school kids in Newtown, Conn.

Here is the text of the statement:

“Our hearts go out to the victims and families from this horrific tragedy, especially during the holidays when kids should be thinking about presents and having fun with their families and friends, not America’s deadly problem with gun violence.

“There are a lot of unanswered questions right now, but one thing is clear – there’s too much gun violence in our country.  These shootings are becoming all too common, and it’s too easy for dangerous people to get the weapons that help them perform mass executions like today’s.

“Leaders in Washington from both parties, and groups like the NRA, all say that now is not the time to talk about how gun safety laws can save lives in America.  I agree, now is not the time to talk about gun laws – the time for that conversation was long before all those kids in Connecticut died today.

“We owe it to our children to work harder to reduce gun violence.  The Second Amendment is the law of the land but it was never intended to allow murderers to take the lives of innocent kids.  It’s our moral obligation as policymakers and as parents to do more to save lives.

“I hope the President’s words about taking ‘meaningful action to prevent more tragedies like this regardless of the politics’ stay true as we continue down this road again.”

McCarthy also conducted a series of interviews, including one on MSNBC and another with Gail Collins of the New York Times. To read Collins' column, click here.

Story by David Reich-Hale