A Worthy March Against Violence : For third year, Downtown L.A. gathering will protest against gun carnage

When an Altadena child is murdered moments after he steps off a school bus, when a Carson high school student is gunned down as he sits in his disabled car, when almost every weekend carries a grim toll of armed robberies and drive-by shootings, we wonder what any one of us can possibly do to end the carnage.

To be sure, we can take sensible action to avoid becoming victims of gun crime: Deadbolt the doors, lock the windows, stay alert. But freedom from fear and violence lies less in dodging the bullet than in reducing the number of guns and bullets on the streets through more legislative restrictions--and through law enforcement crackdowns against illegal gun dealers and gangs. This is the political challenge for lawmakers now. However, the constituency for such reasonable restrictions is fragmented and too often reluctant to step forward. Instead, the legislative agenda on guns has of late been captured by those promoting ill-advised measures to make it easier for individuals to acquire and carry guns. In that direction lie only more mayhem and more tragedy.

Domestic peace and safety will come only by embracing effective and collective restrictions. Toward that end, Angelenos and others will gather downtown at 12:15 p.m. Sunday for the third year in a row to stand against the slaughter by marching the few blocks from the Olvera Street Plaza to the County Hall of Administration. The annual event, sponsored by Drive-By Agony, Women Against Gun Violence and the Violence Prevention Coalition of Greater Los Angeles, has drawn more participants each year. They come from all parts of town, they are old and young, they are of all races. And, sadly, each year more carry photographs of loved ones killed by guns. Last year alone, 864 people were murdered with firearms in Los Angeles; gun accidents added tragically to that total.

Be counted in the campaign to end gun violence. Join the march.