Page 6 THE VILLADOM TIMES II • August 28, 2013 Area National group urges background check legislation Left: MDA members with Assemblyman Tim Eustace, Rev. Kathleen Green of the Unitarian Society, and Steve Tencer of the Bergen County Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence. Right: Robyn Platis of MDA and future activists helped organize this event. The Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America – New Jersey Chapter recently hosted a successful lemonade stand on Rock Road in Glen Rock. The group’s symbolic lemonade stands are being held across the country in an effort to pressure Congress into passing background check legislation this fall. “Congress gave America lemons in April when the Senate failed to pass common sense legislation that would have expanded background checks on all gun sales. Moms were disappointed by the Senate’s failure to act, but we were not deterred, and we’re making lemonade out of the lemons we were given,” said Bonnie Chalek, a member of the NJ Chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America. “Our lemonade stands are our way of taking a stand: Amer- ican moms demand new and stronger gun laws, and we’re not going away. Congress must act to protect our children and fami- lies from gun violence.” Organizers of the Glen Rock event noted that close to 100 people signed postcards addressed to Congressman Scott Garrett urging him for common sense gun laws in this country, and background checks in particular. The local chapter reported that numerous people who signed the postcards identified themselves as being gun owners. These postcards were hand delivered to Congressman Scott Garrett’s Glen Rock office after the event. Senator Robert Gordon and Assembly- man Tim Eustace stopped by to talk with residents about what is happening on the state level. “We are not going give up when it comes to passing common-sense legislation that will keep guns from criminals, terrorists, and the dangerously mentally ill,” said House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force Chairman Mike Thompson. He added, “The bipartisan background check bill I’ve intro- duced respects the Second Amendment and will save lives. It deserves a vote.” Much like Mothers Against Drunk Driv- ing was created to change laws regarding drunk driving, Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America (www.momsdeman- daction.org) was created to build support for common sense gun legislation. The non- partisan grassroots movement of American mothers is demanding new and stronger solutions to lax gun laws and loopholes that jeopardize the safety of children and fami- lies. In just seven months, the organization has more than 100,000 members with chap- ters in 40 states across the country.