Congressman, State Senators Rally Support for New Gun Control Measures

With the failure of proposed gun control measures to pass the Senate this week, gun control proponents turned their focus to the state level in a rally on Sunday.

“Stand Up for Gun Sanity,” sponsored by the Bergen County Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence and held at Ridgewood’s Christ Episcopal Church, featured Congressman Bill Pascrell, State Senators Loretta Weinberg and Robert Gordon, as well as several speakers from around the county.

“We support the second amendment rights of law abiding Americans,” Pascrell said. “We support citizens’ right to possess firearms for hunting, shooting sports, defense—lawful and legitimate purposes. But we insist on reinstating and strengthening the prospective federal ban on assault weapons.”

Pascrell, who bragged about his ‘F minus’ rating from the National Rifle Association, was openly critical of what he characterized as inaction by the federal government on the issue of gun violence. Other speakers at the rally echoed his sentiment.

“With the failure of leadership in Congress, we now need your help more than ever,” Gordon said. “I implore you to make your voices heard across this state and, most importantly, in the halls of Trenton.”

The state senate is currently considering twelve new gun control measures, which include mandatory safety training and new background checks.

The coalition collected names and contact information of attendees at the rally, with the intention of busing supporters of the proposed measures to Trenton during hearings on the issue.

“We need you there. We need your voices there. We need your presence there,” said Weinberg, the senate sponsor for some of the legislation.

Weinberg has previously held events to build support for the gun control legislation, which has come under criticism from second amendment groups. In February, the assembly’s passage of over twenty new firearms restrictions was heavily protested.

The assembly’s gun control measures have already been trimmed down by the senate—including the removal of a measure to limit magazine sizes from 15 to 10—but the event on Sunday was protested by a small contingent of gun rights supporters who believe the measures still go too far.

“You can have all the laws in the world,” said Edward Durfee, the Bergen County coordinator for Campaign for Liberty. “It comes down to personal responsibility. We have a second amendment, and they’re chipping away at it.”

Robert Tessaro, the president of the Fort Lee based Safe School technologies who has been active in gun control since his senior year at Fort Lee High School, where he organized a petition in support of the 1994 assault weapons ban, was also featured in the event.

"This isn't a liberal or conservative issue, it's a public safety issues," Tessaro said. "And we need Democrats, independents, Republicans to come together, because a bullet doesn't care what your party affiliation is."

Speakers at the rally urged supporters of the gun control measures to call, write, and lobby their senators, and hold them electorally accountable for their votes.

The state senate will begin committee hearings on the proposed gun control bills April 30.