Rise up against blanket apathy

I am lucky to be able to celebrate this Father’s Day with my wife and three great kids. Yet, as the Sunday commentary from Kate Tulenko points out, due to gun violence, this Father’s Day will be a somber one for far too many dads. Most reading this letter will ignore the Sandy Hooks and other recent gun-related tragedies, being content that it didn’t happen to them. Others will dismiss these events as aberrations or mollify themselves with vague bromides like “that’s just the cost of freedom.”

This type of rampant apathy has fostered a society in which guns, and the violence associated with them, are ignored. They are mere appliances, casually stored in a desk drawer or cabinet, not far from the French door refrigerator and the ultra-quiet dishwasher. Sadly, far too many people are ignorant of the dangers of gun ownership and their deleterious effects on our families and communities. Worst of all are the politicians who kowtow to the NRA and are willing to scuttle common-sense legislation that the majority of people support.

Let’s hope we can find the courage to take reasonable actions to ensure future Father’s Days are not marred by gun violence.

Larry Wechsler

Edmonds