Just over two months since the mass shooting at Highland Park’s July 4 parade, Moms Demand Action New Trier Township has been working with local governments to enact change at state and national levels.
Just over two months since the mass shooting at Highland Park’s July 4 parade where seven people were killed and many others injured, Moms Demand Action New Trier Township — a branch of the nationwide gun safety activist group — has been working with local governments to enact change at state and national levels.
Roin said he recognizes he and the village trustees were not elected to their local government roles based on political views on national issues such as gun rights, but recent events are bringing the gun safety issue to the forefront. While many of its neighboring communities have been exploring its gun laws, Glencoe’s efforts toward gun safety are different as the village has “non-home rule community” status, meaning it needs specific authority from the state to enact firearm regulation laws, according to Village Attorney Steven Elrod.
Glencoe resident Myles Mendoza calls for the village to be welcome to all people as part of a gun safety discussion at a September 14 meetingHe called on residents to continue to reach out to all people. Members of Moms Demand Action, adorned in red shirts, have spoken at each of the meetings requesting changes in the face of the recent gun violence, such as greater education about red flag laws and registration of weapons.
One of the group’s leaders, Lauren Harper, has three children and has been concerned about the issue since the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in December 2012.“I would drop them off at school and every day I would kiss them and they would get out of the car. As soon as the door would shut after I would say to them ‘I love you,’ every single day I would play the words in my head ‘don’t get shot’, ” Harper said.