As president of the board of CeaseFirePA it is bittersweet that we announce the launch our newly designed HandgunSanity.org website when our community is reeling from the news of another innocent victim of gun violence. As you will read below, our first post is a letter from Lance Haver, and friend and colleague who reports the sad news that his son was shot when he stopped to buy a snack. Daren is now paralyzed.
Lance, as anyone who knows him or knows of him, has been an untiring public advocate. This shooting, like all the tragedies represented above, should serve as a wake call for all those who care to join in demanding meaningful legislative action now. We must rid our communities of the scourge of illegal handguns. HandgunSanity.org provides an opportunity for you to act today.
Thank you for your kindness, concern and renewed commitment to stop illegal handguns.
Phil Goldsmith
Date: September 25, 2007
Subject: Our sad news
Dear Friend,
As you might have heard, our youngest son, Daren was shot and paralyzed late Saturday night. Daren, is 24 and as sweet and loving a young man as you could meet. He was shot on Cheltenham Ave when he stopped to buy a late night snack for his friend and himself.
It was senseless. Daren did not know the person who shot him. He cannot move nor breathe without the aid of a respirator. Daren is a great young man, he overcame the adversity of having his birth parents unable to raise him; joining our family when he was nine and working part time jobs while in school so that he could help support his biological father. He worked hard, graduated from college and was working a full time job when he was struck down.
