Gun Violence Solutions to Be Discussed at Library

As the president was moving forward with sweeping gun control proposals on Wednesday, grassroot efforts around the nation were preparing for their own conversations on gun violence.

Over 200 "Community Committee Against Gun Violence" meetings are scheduled throughout the country Thursday, including at 10 a.m. at the Morristown & Morris Township Library.

Not only are these events on the heels of President Obama's Wednesday announcement, which includes 23 executive actions to take effect immediately, it also is just days following a public event in Cranford, where many New Jersey mayors part of the Mayors Against Illegal Guns advocacy group convened.

"The tragedy in Newtown, Conn., was the last straw," reads the MoveOn.org information page for the nationwide event. "We've got to keep the call for change loud and visible to move our leaders from mere words to meaningful action. That will take consistent, creative, sustained action from us to end gun violence in our communities."

The Morristown meeting, organized by resident Pam Hasagawa and Morristown councilwoman Rebecca Feldman, is meant to introduce like-minded, concerned citizens to each other "to carry out peaceful, effective action and move our state and national representatives toward common sense solutions to reduce gun violence," Hasagawa said.

Unlike much of the nation's dialogue being tied perhaps a little too much in one political party or another, "I don't think the average Republican citizen cares less than the average Democrat citizen," she said.

Indeed, the Mayors Against Illegal Guns group, for example, is comprised of mayors from across the political spectrum. "This is something every person in America needs to care about,"Hasagawa said. "We don't know where it can happen again."

RVSP's are required to attend the meeting and can be made by contacting Pam Hasagawa at pamhasagawa@gmail.com, or by registering at this link.