Tragedy sparks gun control debate
Updated: December 15, 2012
SPRINGFIELD -- The tragedy at a Connecticut elementary school is causing one central Illinois woman to re-live her own tragic past.
Mary Kay Mace is hoping the school shooting is considered as the state writes its gun control law. The WCIA 3 Facebook page was filled with comments and posts on both sides of the issuue. Many times, the conversation turned away from the Sandy Hook shooting and towards guns.
The debate lies in whether or not gun laws are too relaxed. Aside form all of this, it is an issue that is getting a lot of attention in Illinois as our state is working to ease up on gun restrictions.
For Mary Kay Mace, Friday's tragedy in Connecticut hits too close to home. Five years ago, she was in the same position.
"My only child Ryanne was murdered. She was 19 years old and was the youngest of the five students slain that day," Mace recalls.
Ryanne Mace was a victim of the 2008 Valentine's Day shooting at Northern Illinois University. Mary Kay says until then, she never thought twice about gun laws.
"Not even on my radar," she says. "I just assumed that the laws worked as they were intended to work, as they were supposed to."
Now Mace is involved in public gun safety. She says there needs to be a better, more secure screening process for gun owners. After Sandy Hook, a lot of others seem to agree. Social media sites are lighting up with demands for the President to reel in gun rights. In Illinois though, lawmakers are gearing up to expand them.
Supporters say conceal carry will help prevent mass shootings. Mace says she isn't convinced.
"I think people celebrating conceal carry in Illinois over-estimate their abilities. If there's an active gunman, whether or not you've got your gun you don't know you have to have it in your hand until the bullets are flying," she says.
Mary Kay Mace is hoping the school shooting is considered as the state writes its gun control law. The WCIA 3 Facebook page was filled with comments and posts on both sides of the issuue. Many times, the conversation turned away from the Sandy Hook shooting and towards guns.
The debate lies in whether or not gun laws are too relaxed. Aside form all of this, it is an issue that is getting a lot of attention in Illinois as our state is working to ease up on gun restrictions.
For Mary Kay Mace, Friday's tragedy in Connecticut hits too close to home. Five years ago, she was in the same position.
"My only child Ryanne was murdered. She was 19 years old and was the youngest of the five students slain that day," Mace recalls.
Ryanne Mace was a victim of the 2008 Valentine's Day shooting at Northern Illinois University. Mary Kay says until then, she never thought twice about gun laws.
"Not even on my radar," she says. "I just assumed that the laws worked as they were intended to work, as they were supposed to."
Now Mace is involved in public gun safety. She says there needs to be a better, more secure screening process for gun owners. After Sandy Hook, a lot of others seem to agree. Social media sites are lighting up with demands for the President to reel in gun rights. In Illinois though, lawmakers are gearing up to expand them.
Supporters say conceal carry will help prevent mass shootings. Mace says she isn't convinced.
"I think people celebrating conceal carry in Illinois over-estimate their abilities. If there's an active gunman, whether or not you've got your gun you don't know you have to have it in your hand until the bullets are flying," she says.
