Our letters to newspaper editors and politicians
Recently, we have been sending letters to local politicians and newspaper editors. The politician letters have been sent and answered, and the editor letters will most likely appear in multiple Somerville newspapers. Here are their letters:
Dear Congressman Capuano,
Gun violence is a very important issue for our country. My school’s seventh and eighth grade classes are working on a service learning project. My class selected the topic of gun control because we were very upset by the school shootings in Newtown, Connecticut. I feel that it is very important that you work hard to sponsor or vote for bills that will reduce the chance of future gun deaths and mass shootings. I am also very worried about the possibility of people using 3-D printers to make their own guns that are impossible to detect in metal detectors. I want you to study that issue and do what you can to prevent that possibility. I have also contacted Elizabeth Warren. Maybe you can work
together.
In the second amendment it is written that we have the right to bear arms, but it is also written that it should be a “well regulated militia.” What I might say is that the second
amendment was in the past and that we probably had to use guns to protect ourselves from wild animals that come and kill people or if there was a war then they would have protected themselves with guns probably. Our society today is much different from then and the laws that control guns should be different as well.
I would like you as a U.S Representative from Massachusetts to think about this idea of mine and hope that as our representative you’re able to convince other members of Congress to think of this idea. I think that we should probably have stronger state and federal laws to reduce the violence that guns have created in our society.
Sincerely,
John Da Silva
Dear editor,
My name is Leonora Koney, I am 13 years old, I am in seventh grade and I go to the Healey School in Somerville. I wrote the letter to help my class service project about gun control we know that guns are used for good, but there are those people that use guns (weapons that were not created for intentionally killing) for bad ways. I do think guns should be allowed, there are many positives to owning a gun like self-defense or policemen, and the second amendment allows us to. With all those positives come many negatives like people using guns for threatening or plain out killing, guns are being used for many wrong reasons now a days. If we had stronger back ground checks and a limit on ammunition, there should be less people who own guns, the less people who own guns the less gun violence there would be. Every city, town, state and country should aim for less gun violence, it would bring peace to those who have lost loved ones to gun violence and should generally make everyone feel safer.
Sincerely,
Leonora Koney
Dear Editor,
My name is Mario Pena, and I am a student from the Healey School in
Somerville, Massachusetts. I am concerned about gun control, because some people
use guns mostly for gun violence and to kill. My opinion is that every time
people buy guns they should check them for background information to see if they
are a bad influence to holding a gun. If someone’s background is good, then they
have the opportunity to hold a gun for safety in their homes and for their
family. There should be a law that only people whose background is good should
have a gun. Also we should try to prevent people from bringing random guns to
our country. We need to do more to keep guns out of the hands of people who will
use them for killing or for violence.
Sincerely:
Mario Pena
Dear Congressman Capuano,
My name is Jahdyr Russell, and I am a student from the Healey School in
Somerville, Massachusetts. I am concerned about the amount of guns sold and the
amonut of guns people hold. There are more guns than people in the Unted States.
The reason I’m concerned is because guns are often used for violence in the
streets and even cause accidental deaths.
I would like you to work hard in Congress to pass laws that
limit the type of guns that people are able to buy. I know that people have the
right to own guns, but the second amendment says that the militia or gun owners
should be well regulated. I think that we need to regulate who is able to own
guns and the type of guns that people can own. I know that new regulations won’t
stop all gun violence, but even if they prevent one unnecessary death than that
is important.
Thank you for your time and for reading my letter.
Sincerley,
Jahdyr Russell
Dear Editor,
Hello, I’m Meriam and I'm from the
Healey School. Currently, we are working on the topic of gun control. As a
social service, we’d like to have an article published in a local newspaper. Gun
control is a rising problem, at a state and federal level. It’s becoming harder
and harder to control who gets guns, and what they do with it. It seems that
anyone in anyplace can get a gun as easy as getting supplies at a store.
Background checks are minimal in most states. Recently, a law to strengthen
background checks was denied. We hope, by publishing an article in your
newspaper, to let people know that we must take action for our crimes. Gun
control is an ongoing debate amongst politicians and the people who put
politicians in office. However, the people’s opinions aren't being recognized
in congress, and are being ignored. We, hopefully, can bring this problem to
attention-even if on a small, state scale. Thank you for your
time!
Sincerely,Meriam Sarrah
Dear Editor,
I am a student at the Arthur D. Healey School in Somerville Massachusetts.
My opinion on gun control is I think it’s a bad idea. I think it’s a bad
idea because most crimes that are committed with a gun, the gun isn’t bought
legally. People who would follow new gun control laws probably won’t commit
crimes anyway and the people who do commit crimes will still get guns
illegally. Let’s say someone bought a gun illegally and tried to rob someone’s
house. If the law was that you can’t have a gun bigger than a 9 mm, and the
person committing a crime has an assault rifle, then person committing the
crime obviously has the upper hand. So this is why I think controlling if
someone can have or can’t have a gun will not stop gun violence. I think a new
good gun law is stopping people from buying a gun online and stopping people
from buying a lot of guns because they will only buy more than what they need
so they can sell it to people who don’t have licenses to buy guns or for people
who can’t buy guns.
Sincerely,
Tommy Tran
Dear editor,
Hi my name is Michelle Velasquez. I am s student at the A.D.Healey School in Somerville. I believe that gun
control laws should be stricter. Statistics say that if one state or place has
weaker gun control laws then people can easily get it from another city/state
and bring it to an area with strict gun laws. This affects everyone around this
person. I also think stricter background checks should be necessary. The Sandy
Hook tragedy shows us that the government should check about mental health and
criminal background before someone can buy a gun. They shouldn't have turned
down the bill that would have bigger background checks. With those background
checks we could have stopped a lot of gun violence.
Sincerely,
Michelle Velasquez
Dear, Michael Capuano
I’m Crystal West from the Somerville A.D Healey School, and I
have a problem with our system of gun control. I don’t think we have a good system in our
community for gun control. I am comparing this to the recent gun shooting in
Sandy Hook. The fact that bothers me is that Adam Lanza (sandy hook killer) just
walked in the school and started killing. I don’t thing we need to go as far as
to have police or guards in the hallways, but I think we should have cameras
around the school that are watched by the front office desk person and especially
cameras in the door ways leading into the schools. I also think parents should
be more aware of what kids go to school with like weapons and such.
I have no further information and I thank you for your time for
reading this.
Sincerely,
Crystal West
Dear
Mr. Capuano,
My name is Clarah Leite, I am a student at the Healey School in
Somerville, MA and I'm writing this letter to give my opinion. I feel as though
many people disregard my opinion because of how young, and “inexperienced”I am,
so I would appreciate it very much if you would hear me out. I would also like
to express my disappointment on the defeat of the bill that would expand
background checks on any firearms purchase.
For the past few months, my class has been focusing on a very
controversial issue happening in the USA, and that is gun control, and
everything associated with gun violence. In these couple of months, my
knowledge on gun control has expanded, and now I feel that I am educated enough
to make an opinion on this whole situation.
Firstly, I think gun laws should definitely be tightened; background
checks should be expanded, and obtaining a gun license should be harder. I also
feel as if weapons should be taken away from homes, and only kept in the hands
of law enforcement. At the same time, however, I think these laws would only
affect law-abiding citizens; I say this because what criminal would actually pay
attention to the law? They can always obtain weapons illegally through black
market, or secret organizations in other
countries.
Suicide is another issue that I feel very strongly towards; and it
surprises me how many commit suicide with a weapon. Did you know that 20% of
kids that are suicidal claim that they have a gun at home? And among those kids,
15% know how to get their hands on the bullet and the gun itself. That is
extremely dangerous, and this just adds to my point on tightening gun laws. I
think that the number of suicides would definitely go down if weapons were
either harder to get, or taken completely away from citizens.
Thank you
so much for taking time to read this letter, and if you would like to contact
me, my email is [email protected]
Dear Michael Capuano,
My name is Silvia Arriaza and I am a 7th grader from the Arthur D Healey School in Somerville,
Massachusetts. The reason why I’m writing this letter is because there was a bill about background
checks, but it didn’t get as much votes in order for it to get passed. Even though that
bill didn't pass, I still think you should make another bill to abandon guns
that are not necessary to have. For example, people shouldn’t be able to have
assault weapons. These weapons have been used in many mass shootings and other
tragedies that happened in the past. People have the right to bear arms, but that doesn’t mean they have the
right to own these really powerful weapons. Regulating the sale of assault
weapons will prevent from some mass shootings and other tragedies in the
future. These are my thoughts and I would like you to work hard to make our
country safer by limiting assault weapons. Thank you for taking the time to read my letter.
Sincerely,
Silvia Arriaza
Dear Congressman Capuano,
As a middle grade student at the Healey School in Somerville,
Massachusetts, I’m disappointed that the senate’s background check for gun
ownership was not passed. Think back to all the mass crimes that have occurred
in the past and all the innocent lives that have been taken.
I think there should be background checks for all gun purchases.
Additional background checks may not stop all gun violence, but even if one life
is saved by background checks keeping guns out of the hands of a potential
killer, then it would be worth it. Passing the bill for background checks for
future years to come could prevent a lot of mass shootings and street crimes.
The vast majority of Americans support additional background checks. I would
like you to work hard to bring this bill or a changed version of it back to the
floor for a vote. I am worried that our leaders will abandon this important
issue. Please remember that this issue is important to me and many Americans and
we are counting on you to make a difference.
Sincerely,
Sam Cochran
Dear Editor:
Myname is Joao Lair Bonicenha. I am in the seventh grade at the Healey School in
Somerville. I am writing this letter because our class is doing a project on
gun control we are trying to get more people to help us stop gun violence. Guns
are a big problem in this world. A lot of people can buy a gun and easily shoot
someone without even getting in trouble. I think that there should be stricter
gun laws and more background checks. Bullets should have bar codes so they can
be more easily traced. I think that police and state officials should be the
only ones who carry guns. Guns are really dangerous and most of the time they
get in the wrong hands. I think personally guns should only be used to defend
our country not to shoot up a person you don’t like.
Sincerely,
Joao Bonicenha
Dear Editor
I am Liam O’Keefe. I go to the Arthur D. Healey School right here in Somerville.
In our class we have been exploring gun control as well as its pros and
cons. Being a big gun control advocate, I may be a bit biased on this subject, but still I would like to
present my case.
Even though we have relatively strict gun control laws, I think we could
improve them in a very important way. Every day guns are transported from
states with easier gun control laws to states with strict gun control laws.
(I am talking to you Colorado). Even if we in Massachusetts as a whole make our laws stricter, it does
not stop others from bringing guns from other states here.
The solution is to make stricter national laws so you go through the same
process to get a gun everywhere.
Sincerely,
Liam
O’Keefe
Dear Editor,
My name is Thomas, a 13 year 7th grader at the Arthur
D. Healey School. We have been working on a service learning project and my main
subject has been Gun control. Ever since the Newtown school shooting, I have been doing research on the pros and
cons and history of gun control. i would like to express my feelings about gun control. I
think if additional gun control legislation did get passed it would stop some
violence. But what about the rest of the violence in America? People do not only kill with guns. They have bombs,
knives, and even can kill with hands. Like I’ve said in a past essay, should we
have hand control? No. Despite this, I’m for gun control, because it would bring
the death rate down a little more. We want to intervene into some of the bad gun control ideas as well, mainly
the school protecting ideas. The NRA thinks it’s a good idea to arm teachers
with guns, and set up armed guards around schools. This is a horrible
idea. Not only is it dangerous in the hands of teachers (whose job is to teach,
not shoot), it’s also dangerous in guards. I don’t think that more guns around
kids is a good idea. We need to work together to reduce the number of
accidental and intentional gun deaths in our country.
Sincerely,
Thomas Pinto Franco
Dear editor,
My name is Pedro Monteiro; I am in the seventh grade at the Healey School
in Somerville. I am writing a letter because I am very concerned about guns in our country.
Guns are a big problem in this world; people die everyday because of guns. I think that there
should be stricter gun laws and that there should also be fewer guns on the
street. The second amendment says people have the right to carry a firearm, but
I think that police and state officials should be the only ones who carry guns.
In England there are very strict laws on gun control and there are far fewer
murders and accidental deaths there. Guns are really dangerous and most of the
time they get in the wrong hands. I think personally guns were the worst idea to
come up with and there should be strict limits controlling who can purchase a
gun.
Sincerely,
Pedro Monteiro
Dear Congressman Capuano,
Gun violence is a very important issue for our country. My school’s seventh and eighth grade classes are working on a service learning project. My class selected the topic of gun control because we were very upset by the school shootings in Newtown, Connecticut. I feel that it is very important that you work hard to sponsor or vote for bills that will reduce the chance of future gun deaths and mass shootings. I am also very worried about the possibility of people using 3-D printers to make their own guns that are impossible to detect in metal detectors. I want you to study that issue and do what you can to prevent that possibility. I have also contacted Elizabeth Warren. Maybe you can work
together.
In the second amendment it is written that we have the right to bear arms, but it is also written that it should be a “well regulated militia.” What I might say is that the second
amendment was in the past and that we probably had to use guns to protect ourselves from wild animals that come and kill people or if there was a war then they would have protected themselves with guns probably. Our society today is much different from then and the laws that control guns should be different as well.
I would like you as a U.S Representative from Massachusetts to think about this idea of mine and hope that as our representative you’re able to convince other members of Congress to think of this idea. I think that we should probably have stronger state and federal laws to reduce the violence that guns have created in our society.
Sincerely,
John Da Silva
Dear editor,
My name is Leonora Koney, I am 13 years old, I am in seventh grade and I go to the Healey School in Somerville. I wrote the letter to help my class service project about gun control we know that guns are used for good, but there are those people that use guns (weapons that were not created for intentionally killing) for bad ways. I do think guns should be allowed, there are many positives to owning a gun like self-defense or policemen, and the second amendment allows us to. With all those positives come many negatives like people using guns for threatening or plain out killing, guns are being used for many wrong reasons now a days. If we had stronger back ground checks and a limit on ammunition, there should be less people who own guns, the less people who own guns the less gun violence there would be. Every city, town, state and country should aim for less gun violence, it would bring peace to those who have lost loved ones to gun violence and should generally make everyone feel safer.
Sincerely,
Leonora Koney
Dear Editor,
My name is Mario Pena, and I am a student from the Healey School in
Somerville, Massachusetts. I am concerned about gun control, because some people
use guns mostly for gun violence and to kill. My opinion is that every time
people buy guns they should check them for background information to see if they
are a bad influence to holding a gun. If someone’s background is good, then they
have the opportunity to hold a gun for safety in their homes and for their
family. There should be a law that only people whose background is good should
have a gun. Also we should try to prevent people from bringing random guns to
our country. We need to do more to keep guns out of the hands of people who will
use them for killing or for violence.
Sincerely:
Mario Pena
Dear Congressman Capuano,
My name is Jahdyr Russell, and I am a student from the Healey School in
Somerville, Massachusetts. I am concerned about the amount of guns sold and the
amonut of guns people hold. There are more guns than people in the Unted States.
The reason I’m concerned is because guns are often used for violence in the
streets and even cause accidental deaths.
I would like you to work hard in Congress to pass laws that
limit the type of guns that people are able to buy. I know that people have the
right to own guns, but the second amendment says that the militia or gun owners
should be well regulated. I think that we need to regulate who is able to own
guns and the type of guns that people can own. I know that new regulations won’t
stop all gun violence, but even if they prevent one unnecessary death than that
is important.
Thank you for your time and for reading my letter.
Sincerley,
Jahdyr Russell
Dear Editor,
Hello, I’m Meriam and I'm from the
Healey School. Currently, we are working on the topic of gun control. As a
social service, we’d like to have an article published in a local newspaper. Gun
control is a rising problem, at a state and federal level. It’s becoming harder
and harder to control who gets guns, and what they do with it. It seems that
anyone in anyplace can get a gun as easy as getting supplies at a store.
Background checks are minimal in most states. Recently, a law to strengthen
background checks was denied. We hope, by publishing an article in your
newspaper, to let people know that we must take action for our crimes. Gun
control is an ongoing debate amongst politicians and the people who put
politicians in office. However, the people’s opinions aren't being recognized
in congress, and are being ignored. We, hopefully, can bring this problem to
attention-even if on a small, state scale. Thank you for your
time!
Sincerely,Meriam Sarrah
Dear Editor,
I am a student at the Arthur D. Healey School in Somerville Massachusetts.
My opinion on gun control is I think it’s a bad idea. I think it’s a bad
idea because most crimes that are committed with a gun, the gun isn’t bought
legally. People who would follow new gun control laws probably won’t commit
crimes anyway and the people who do commit crimes will still get guns
illegally. Let’s say someone bought a gun illegally and tried to rob someone’s
house. If the law was that you can’t have a gun bigger than a 9 mm, and the
person committing a crime has an assault rifle, then person committing the
crime obviously has the upper hand. So this is why I think controlling if
someone can have or can’t have a gun will not stop gun violence. I think a new
good gun law is stopping people from buying a gun online and stopping people
from buying a lot of guns because they will only buy more than what they need
so they can sell it to people who don’t have licenses to buy guns or for people
who can’t buy guns.
Sincerely,
Tommy Tran
Dear editor,
Hi my name is Michelle Velasquez. I am s student at the A.D.Healey School in Somerville. I believe that gun
control laws should be stricter. Statistics say that if one state or place has
weaker gun control laws then people can easily get it from another city/state
and bring it to an area with strict gun laws. This affects everyone around this
person. I also think stricter background checks should be necessary. The Sandy
Hook tragedy shows us that the government should check about mental health and
criminal background before someone can buy a gun. They shouldn't have turned
down the bill that would have bigger background checks. With those background
checks we could have stopped a lot of gun violence.
Sincerely,
Michelle Velasquez
Dear, Michael Capuano
I’m Crystal West from the Somerville A.D Healey School, and I
have a problem with our system of gun control. I don’t think we have a good system in our
community for gun control. I am comparing this to the recent gun shooting in
Sandy Hook. The fact that bothers me is that Adam Lanza (sandy hook killer) just
walked in the school and started killing. I don’t thing we need to go as far as
to have police or guards in the hallways, but I think we should have cameras
around the school that are watched by the front office desk person and especially
cameras in the door ways leading into the schools. I also think parents should
be more aware of what kids go to school with like weapons and such.
I have no further information and I thank you for your time for
reading this.
Sincerely,
Crystal West
Dear
Mr. Capuano,
My name is Clarah Leite, I am a student at the Healey School in
Somerville, MA and I'm writing this letter to give my opinion. I feel as though
many people disregard my opinion because of how young, and “inexperienced”I am,
so I would appreciate it very much if you would hear me out. I would also like
to express my disappointment on the defeat of the bill that would expand
background checks on any firearms purchase.
For the past few months, my class has been focusing on a very
controversial issue happening in the USA, and that is gun control, and
everything associated with gun violence. In these couple of months, my
knowledge on gun control has expanded, and now I feel that I am educated enough
to make an opinion on this whole situation.
Firstly, I think gun laws should definitely be tightened; background
checks should be expanded, and obtaining a gun license should be harder. I also
feel as if weapons should be taken away from homes, and only kept in the hands
of law enforcement. At the same time, however, I think these laws would only
affect law-abiding citizens; I say this because what criminal would actually pay
attention to the law? They can always obtain weapons illegally through black
market, or secret organizations in other
countries.
Suicide is another issue that I feel very strongly towards; and it
surprises me how many commit suicide with a weapon. Did you know that 20% of
kids that are suicidal claim that they have a gun at home? And among those kids,
15% know how to get their hands on the bullet and the gun itself. That is
extremely dangerous, and this just adds to my point on tightening gun laws. I
think that the number of suicides would definitely go down if weapons were
either harder to get, or taken completely away from citizens.
Thank you
so much for taking time to read this letter, and if you would like to contact
me, my email is [email protected]
Dear Michael Capuano,
My name is Silvia Arriaza and I am a 7th grader from the Arthur D Healey School in Somerville,
Massachusetts. The reason why I’m writing this letter is because there was a bill about background
checks, but it didn’t get as much votes in order for it to get passed. Even though that
bill didn't pass, I still think you should make another bill to abandon guns
that are not necessary to have. For example, people shouldn’t be able to have
assault weapons. These weapons have been used in many mass shootings and other
tragedies that happened in the past. People have the right to bear arms, but that doesn’t mean they have the
right to own these really powerful weapons. Regulating the sale of assault
weapons will prevent from some mass shootings and other tragedies in the
future. These are my thoughts and I would like you to work hard to make our
country safer by limiting assault weapons. Thank you for taking the time to read my letter.
Sincerely,
Silvia Arriaza
Dear Congressman Capuano,
As a middle grade student at the Healey School in Somerville,
Massachusetts, I’m disappointed that the senate’s background check for gun
ownership was not passed. Think back to all the mass crimes that have occurred
in the past and all the innocent lives that have been taken.
I think there should be background checks for all gun purchases.
Additional background checks may not stop all gun violence, but even if one life
is saved by background checks keeping guns out of the hands of a potential
killer, then it would be worth it. Passing the bill for background checks for
future years to come could prevent a lot of mass shootings and street crimes.
The vast majority of Americans support additional background checks. I would
like you to work hard to bring this bill or a changed version of it back to the
floor for a vote. I am worried that our leaders will abandon this important
issue. Please remember that this issue is important to me and many Americans and
we are counting on you to make a difference.
Sincerely,
Sam Cochran
Dear Editor:
Myname is Joao Lair Bonicenha. I am in the seventh grade at the Healey School in
Somerville. I am writing this letter because our class is doing a project on
gun control we are trying to get more people to help us stop gun violence. Guns
are a big problem in this world. A lot of people can buy a gun and easily shoot
someone without even getting in trouble. I think that there should be stricter
gun laws and more background checks. Bullets should have bar codes so they can
be more easily traced. I think that police and state officials should be the
only ones who carry guns. Guns are really dangerous and most of the time they
get in the wrong hands. I think personally guns should only be used to defend
our country not to shoot up a person you don’t like.
Sincerely,
Joao Bonicenha
Dear Editor
I am Liam O’Keefe. I go to the Arthur D. Healey School right here in Somerville.
In our class we have been exploring gun control as well as its pros and
cons. Being a big gun control advocate, I may be a bit biased on this subject, but still I would like to
present my case.
Even though we have relatively strict gun control laws, I think we could
improve them in a very important way. Every day guns are transported from
states with easier gun control laws to states with strict gun control laws.
(I am talking to you Colorado). Even if we in Massachusetts as a whole make our laws stricter, it does
not stop others from bringing guns from other states here.
The solution is to make stricter national laws so you go through the same
process to get a gun everywhere.
Sincerely,
Liam
O’Keefe
Dear Editor,
My name is Thomas, a 13 year 7th grader at the Arthur
D. Healey School. We have been working on a service learning project and my main
subject has been Gun control. Ever since the Newtown school shooting, I have been doing research on the pros and
cons and history of gun control. i would like to express my feelings about gun control. I
think if additional gun control legislation did get passed it would stop some
violence. But what about the rest of the violence in America? People do not only kill with guns. They have bombs,
knives, and even can kill with hands. Like I’ve said in a past essay, should we
have hand control? No. Despite this, I’m for gun control, because it would bring
the death rate down a little more. We want to intervene into some of the bad gun control ideas as well, mainly
the school protecting ideas. The NRA thinks it’s a good idea to arm teachers
with guns, and set up armed guards around schools. This is a horrible
idea. Not only is it dangerous in the hands of teachers (whose job is to teach,
not shoot), it’s also dangerous in guards. I don’t think that more guns around
kids is a good idea. We need to work together to reduce the number of
accidental and intentional gun deaths in our country.
Sincerely,
Thomas Pinto Franco
Dear editor,
My name is Pedro Monteiro; I am in the seventh grade at the Healey School
in Somerville. I am writing a letter because I am very concerned about guns in our country.
Guns are a big problem in this world; people die everyday because of guns. I think that there
should be stricter gun laws and that there should also be fewer guns on the
street. The second amendment says people have the right to carry a firearm, but
I think that police and state officials should be the only ones who carry guns.
In England there are very strict laws on gun control and there are far fewer
murders and accidental deaths there. Guns are really dangerous and most of the
time they get in the wrong hands. I think personally guns were the worst idea to
come up with and there should be strict limits controlling who can purchase a
gun.
Sincerely,
Pedro Monteiro