Several local organizations came together for a rally on Wednesday, April 12, outside Congressman George Santos’ Douglaston office to protest against his sponsorship of a proposed bill to declare the AR-15 the national gun of the United States.
Among those represented at the rally were Robert Zimmerman, Santos’ Democratic opponent in the 2022 general election; Lynda Beigel-Schulman, the mother of Scott Beigel, one of the victims of the 2018 Parkland shooting; and members of MoveOn, Indivisible, Bend the Arc and Moms Demand Action.
This rally comes in the wake of recent mass shootings in Nashville, Tennessee, on March 27 and Louisville, Kentucky, on April 10. The first shooting left seven dead, including the shooter, while the second left six dead, also including the shooter. In both shootings, the perpetrator used an AR-15 style rifle.
“George Santos embraces assault rifles and Republicans embrace George Santos,” Zimmerman said. “They are complicit in this travesty. They are complicit in this injustice. We are here to stand together today united and strong, making it clear that we understand what’s at stake for our nation.”
According to a member of Concerned Citizens of NY-03, most New Yorkers have supported gun control measures. A 2022 Siena College poll was cited, which showed that 76% of New Yorkers supported a law that would require a permit in order to get a semi-automatic rifle. In order to receive this permit, individuals would have to pass background checks, take a safety measure course and be at least 21 years of age.
“People in this district care about gun safety and rightly recognize that it should not be a partisan issue,” the member of Concerned Citizens of NY-03 said. “It’s about safety. Santos is merely hoping to stay relevant by appealing to the most extreme elements in this country. We’re not those people and we won’t stand for it.”
A letter to Santos by the Plainview-Old Bethpage Central School District on March…
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