Vermont passed six gun violence prevention laws in 2018 - with an R Governor - and more are in the works. Of course, Bernie Sanders is a US Senator and does not propose or pass any legislation here in VT. His position on guns has evolved; I have a lot of respect for politicians who can consider new information and change/update their positions. Bernie is no ideologue; he's a principled and passionate advocate for the common (wo)man, an increasingly-rare breed in Washington.
I was spurred to do SOMETHING after Parkland and fortuitously joined Moms Demand Action for Gunsense. MOMS now has 10 million supporters across the country. It's under the umbrellas of Everytown which provides professional staffing, research, legislative strategy, and election mobilization. We take actions all the time everywhere. Just click on this link and sign up for a coming event in your zipcode. https://momsdemandaction.org/start-here/
I care deeply about many policies, programs, and priorities, but until we enact the necessary meaningful changes required to reduce gun violence and protect the lives of our children over the right to own a weapon of war, I am a single issue voter. The only way to end these tragedies is to punish at the ballot box every politician and candidate who fails to support the necessary measures to reduce gun violence.
Sheila, Roberto. Just the kind of a response I was hoping for. If others believe the idea has merit, I’d like to participate in a group to see if we can further it. Shep.
This shows what an AR-15 does to human bodies. CAUTION: Disturbing images....this will stay with you, and you may prefer not to see it. I apologize in advance if showing this upsets you - but I think we all need to know what the NRA and the radical right GOP are subjecting us to.
Most businesses, especially public companies, are happy to post the photos and biographies of their executives online. Gun manufacturers? Not so much. Judging by a quick Google of at least three big ones--Smith & Wesson, Colt and Ruger, the people who manufacture these monstrosities and pay lobbyists to push them would rather you not find out who they are. At the very bottom of the Ruger website, there is a link to "Tell the CEO," accompanied by a photo of CEO Chris Killoy with a large, dead animal. Killoy invites "customers" to email him with their questions and suggestions, and asserts, "Yes, I read and reply to every single submission that I receive."
Maybe it's time these merchants of death heard from the majority of Americans who are fed up with the small but powerful minority who care more about their guns than their children.
The ziilionith mass shooting here. Where are our basic instincts to protect our children?
Re Biden and our continual ratings assessment if "we like him", if he is too old, too talkative, too old fashioned, too much or too little anything, I am exhausted by all this scoring. He and his amazing administration have faced huge issues with intelligence, focus, good will for the greater good.
What did you say, Robert, a while back, something abut Americans are just grumpy now and don't like anyone?
I wanted to lift up a group that my wife and I belong to. There are local chapters in many areas. We have been involved for years in this cause, but it hit home especially hard when our dear friend's son was shot with an assault weapon at a school party. He survived but four of his friends did not. The group is called Moms Demand Action - https://momsdemandaction.org/ - please check them out and join with their work if you are called to do so. BTW - they have a great t-shirt for men who join them that says, "Man enough to be a Mom"
Vermont passed six gun violence prevention laws in 2018 - with an R Governor - and more are in the works. Of course, Bernie Sanders is a US Senator and does not propose or pass any legislation here in VT. His position on guns has evolved; I have a lot of respect for politicians who can consider new information and change/update their positions. Bernie is no ideologue; he's a principled and passionate advocate for the common (wo)man, an increasingly-rare breed in Washington.
This quote seemed apropos of the dark moment we’re in:
“Hope itself is like a star--not to be seen in the sunshine of prosperity, and only to be discovered in the night of adversity.”
C.H.Spurgeon, 19th century British preacher and author
I was spurred to do SOMETHING after Parkland and fortuitously joined Moms Demand Action for Gunsense. MOMS now has 10 million supporters across the country. It's under the umbrellas of Everytown which provides professional staffing, research, legislative strategy, and election mobilization. We take actions all the time everywhere. Just click on this link and sign up for a coming event in your zipcode. https://momsdemandaction.org/start-here/
I care deeply about many policies, programs, and priorities, but until we enact the necessary meaningful changes required to reduce gun violence and protect the lives of our children over the right to own a weapon of war, I am a single issue voter. The only way to end these tragedies is to punish at the ballot box every politician and candidate who fails to support the necessary measures to reduce gun violence.
Sheila, Roberto. Just the kind of a response I was hoping for. If others believe the idea has merit, I’d like to participate in a group to see if we can further it. Shep.
This shows what an AR-15 does to human bodies. CAUTION: Disturbing images....this will stay with you, and you may prefer not to see it. I apologize in advance if showing this upsets you - but I think we all need to know what the NRA and the radical right GOP are subjecting us to.
Source: WAPO today.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/interactive/2023/ar-15-damage-to-human-body/?utm_campaign=wp_post_most&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&wpisrc=nl_most&carta-url=https%3A%2F%2Fs2.washingtonpost.com%2Fcar-ln-tr%2F398b342%2F6423167bf19a510b042865f7%2F597297889bbc0f1cdce74aa9%2F9%2F72%2F6423167bf19a510b042865f7&wp_cu=a4e485acee369466dcbcd9f8233edb12%7CC0DF3E24B47F72ADE0430100007F11E8
It's data we need to fully understand. Once. Then prevent the killing fields.
I've said this before. There are many triggers (pun intended ) leading to gun violence:
mental illness, poverty, homelessness, unemployment, drugs, gangs, etc. But they share one
final common pathway....THE GUN. Banning assault weapons is a very small step in the right direction.
"Small step" because mass shooting can still be carried out with hand guns that can be reloaded
rapidly. Red flag laws, strict gun purchasing laws, gun safety laws all become moot if ALL
GUNS are banned. It will take decades to disarm America. Sound impossible? That's probably what Orville and Wilbur Wright's friends said.
Thank you again for your no-nonsense newsletter.
Most businesses, especially public companies, are happy to post the photos and biographies of their executives online. Gun manufacturers? Not so much. Judging by a quick Google of at least three big ones--Smith & Wesson, Colt and Ruger, the people who manufacture these monstrosities and pay lobbyists to push them would rather you not find out who they are. At the very bottom of the Ruger website, there is a link to "Tell the CEO," accompanied by a photo of CEO Chris Killoy with a large, dead animal. Killoy invites "customers" to email him with their questions and suggestions, and asserts, "Yes, I read and reply to every single submission that I receive."
Maybe it's time these merchants of death heard from the majority of Americans who are fed up with the small but powerful minority who care more about their guns than their children.
Here's the link: https://www.ruger.com/dataProcess/tellTheCEO/
The ziilionith mass shooting here. Where are our basic instincts to protect our children?
Re Biden and our continual ratings assessment if "we like him", if he is too old, too talkative, too old fashioned, too much or too little anything, I am exhausted by all this scoring. He and his amazing administration have faced huge issues with intelligence, focus, good will for the greater good.
What did you say, Robert, a while back, something abut Americans are just grumpy now and don't like anyone?
GOP = GUNS OVER PEOPLE
(Courtesy of MoveOn)
Amen
I've tweeted several excerpts, with the URL, to Jordan.
I wanted to lift up a group that my wife and I belong to. There are local chapters in many areas. We have been involved for years in this cause, but it hit home especially hard when our dear friend's son was shot with an assault weapon at a school party. He survived but four of his friends did not. The group is called Moms Demand Action - https://momsdemandaction.org/ - please check them out and join with their work if you are called to do so. BTW - they have a great t-shirt for men who join them that says, "Man enough to be a Mom"
I’m a big believer in action.
Here’s what we need to do:
Call every elected official who represents you: state, local, federal. Tell them to pass gun bills (there’ve been lots of ideas posted here).
Call every day. Same message.
Congress: 202/224-3121.
Tell everyone you know to do the same. Noise matters. Even republicans can count; they count calls.
Then support candidates who will act. The Second Amendment was hijacked.
Guns kill. Laws control guns. Kids being gunned down is a policy decision.
No amount of talking to each other will fix this. Political pressure does work...if it’s loud and sustained.
Good letter but when, dear G-d, will we have something positive to report about gun control ?
His numbers may be falling, but there are still nearly 30 million magas out there!