To the Editor:

On Sept. 7, 2021, our Kendall County Board voted on a “very important” resolution declaring full support of the Second Amendment. County Board Chairman and candidate for Congress Scott Gryder told us that “this is to let our legislators know where we stand.”

A letter to the editor was written shortly thereafter in this newspaper titled “Local Government at Its Best” by Kendall County Board member Judy Gilmour who wrote, “in today’s world we see many of our freedoms under attack” explaining why this resolution is important to all county residents. She went on to explain how courageous it was for people who came to speak, and the boardroom was “overflowing” with support.

I do not think any reasonable person in this country believes the Second Amendment will ever go away or be changed, let alone guns will be taken away from citizens. Based on these attitudes and dominating political ideologies, it is also safe to say that the idea of sending your kids to school, going to the grocery store or attending many other public places is not a guaranteed right to be free from extreme gun violence.

When we discuss American Exceptionalism as Gilmour described and affirmed by our County Board is that this is apparently the best our elected representatives can provide us all. If it is not about gun control, then what about resolutions or further actions the Kendall County Board and all local elected officials can do better regarding mental health access and affordability for all? What about improved public safety, especially in schools, and having appropriate emergency response to public mass shootings that is now assumed inevitable in our communities?

It is tragically time to be honest with ourselves and admit that this is the reality of our society. Maybe one day there will be an overflow of people at local board meetings demanding the right to be free from watching fellow classmates, coworkers and fellow citizens being killed in front of the world. It would be even more spectacular to watch our elected representatives truly be “Local Government at Its Best.”

David Edelman

Oswego