My son was killed by gun violence. Pass Protect Illinois Communities Act to stop more deaths.

Maria Pike of Moms Demand Action, whose son Ricky was fatally shot a decade ago, waits to speak before the Illinois House Judiciary Committee at a hearing on gun safety legislation on Dec. 15. (Pat Nabong/Sun-Times)

I take no issue with responsible gun ownership. I am a member of a family who used guns to hunt when we were children. My friends are responsible gun owners, and I know fellow survivors who are members of the NRA.

However, as an advocate who witnesses the daily devastation of gun violence in our communities, and a mother who has experienced it first-hand, I stand unequivocally on the side of common-sense legislation like the Protect Illinois Communities Act under consideration in the Illinois General Assembly.