By Evelyn Uddin-khan

The rallying cries of the American people are ringing all across this democratic land. From Salisbury to every corner of our great nation parents and children, teachers and students, in one voice are begging for gun control. “Enough is Enough.” “March For Our Lives.” “Stop The Guns.”

Senators Burr and Tillis seem to have heard our voices. Now if only they could persuade their fellow Republicans in Congress to step forward and join the “March.”

Reps. Budd and Cawthorn, why are you silent? We need to hear your voices if this life sentence on the American people (and kids in schools) are to change. We need to hear you condemn guns and mass murders.

There were 638 mass shootings in 2021 alone and 3,269 people were wounded and/or killed. Those who died left this world not knowing why the guns were pointed at them. Those who survived, only God knows their daily trials.

Mr. Budd, Mr. Cawthorn, can you hear those kids in Uvalde crying and screaming? Can you feel the fear of those Black folks in Buffalo whose only sin were the color of their skin? Can you help to change our likely death by guns?

You all — senators and representatives — our elected officials must come forward and speak your minds. Are you going to support our “March” for “Stop the Guns,” or are you going to continue to sell AK47 and other weapons of mass destruction?

Gentlemen of the Elite, we the people face death every time we leave our homes. You are faced with a moral and ethical dilemma. We elected you to serve us, to protect us, to uphold our rights to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” (U.S. Constitution).

Life? We are exchanging our lives for guns.

Liberty? We need a new definition for the word.

Happiness? You gentlemen and the other Republicans and the NRA must be happy with gun sales because we the poor, hanging on the gun ranges, are not happy.

Patrick Henry said, “Give me liberty, or give me death.” We the American people are denied liberty because some people in Congress choose to give us death instead.

“Enough is Enough.” We “March for our Lives.” Why should we march for our lives? A few of my friends have reassured me that people kill people, not guns. Well gentlemen of Congress, do you buy that? I don’t!

How many mass shootings this year alone? How many people died? How many children? How many suicides by guns? Every hour a child is shot in the U.S. We have domestic terrorism right here on American soil. Deny it, or face it. Call it what you will. The fact is, we just can’t go on like this. And Congress, it is your responsibility to do something about it. It is time for you to come out of the closet and face the facts that guns and life don’t go together. Guns take lives.

Well senators and representatives, we the people know that you are deaf to our right to live free of fear from dying by guns. You don’t really care how many more babies die by guns. Or how many more people are shot while shopping, or in a cinema, or in classrooms, or at a ball game.

What you care about is power and money — more and more gun money in your purse. Silence is consent, and you are all quietly consenting to our demise by guns.

We can march as far and as long as we like — we know you won’t raise your voices and speak out against guns.

Why not prove me a liar and speak out about the gun violence that is tearing America apart.

God knows we have had enough.

Evelyn Uddin-khan moved to Salisbury in 2018 after living in the New York City area for most of her life. She taught in public schools and for a community college in the New York City area.