LETTERS

Why is Rep. Dawn Keefer holding a gun seminar in a middle school? (letter)

Chad Baker
Dawn Keefer

Just days after the deadly school shooting in Florida and within weeks and months since gun violence has torn the lives of young children from their schools and families, state Rep. Dawn Keefer mailed out to her constituents, posted at the top of her legislative website and posted on her social media pages information regarding an upcoming Concealed Carry Seminar to be held at Northern York Middle School.

The information both on the mailer and online speaks nothing to providing safety training to gun owners. Rather it states, “It is essential that gun owners know their rights, as well as their responsibilities,” Keefer said. “The speakers at these upcoming seminars have a firm grasp of our laws and will do an excellent job explaining them.”

More:I'm part of Pa.'s Common Sense Caucus: Here's our plan (column)

While the debate regarding gun reform will be continue to be a hot button issue in York County and beyond, it is truly tasteless that someone in the position of state representative would use a middle school as the site of an upcoming session to discuss conceal carry rights. You don’t need to be pro- or anti-gun reform to see how truly offensive and out of touch holding such a session at a middle school can be.

I am sure Rep. Keefer will tell you that this is an unfortunate scheduling issue that was promoted before the events in Florida occurred. The fact of the matter remains, the parents and students in Newtown, on various college campuses and in “gun free zones” across the country would tell you, there is never a time this is appropriate.

More:Pa. was the last state to allow hunting with an AR-15, and hunters are split

Beyond the callousness of these sessions, there is no statement on the part of Rep. Keefer regarding the safety of schools in her district or even the standard “thoughts and prayers” statement released by many who receive funding from pro-gun organizations.

Rep. Keefer needs to be responsible for this event. She needs to move this event away from our schools. While the fact of the matter is the Second Amendment is indeed the law of the land, as a responsible representative of the people, you can also ensure the sensitivity and needs of parents and their children are met.

Chad Baker is chair of York County Democratic Party. He lives in Manchester Township.