Richard Martinez writes in The Stranger:

But after Chris was killed in the mass shooting in Santa Barbara on May 23, 2014, my work suddenly seemed unimportant. I resolved to honor Chris’s life and the lives of so many others who have been killed by preventable gun violence by taking action to address the heartbreaking cycle of gun violence in our communities—and to urge others to join me in the fight.

Washington State is on the brink of taking that kind of meaningful action.

. . .

Last month, I met hundreds of Washingtonians who are working to pass this common-sense measure. Too many families have had to bear the pain of losing a son or daughter to gun violence—and with Initiative 594, we have a real chance to stand up and pass a measure that will keep our communities safer from these senseless tragedies. Initiative 594 won’t just honor the legacy of our lost loved ones—it will help give us a safer future.

Read the full editorial here.