The U.S. just experienced the deadliest weekend for mass shootings this year.
There have been 245 mass shootings in the U.S. so far this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive.
Parents in Uvalde, TX have begun to bury their children and teachers after a gunman murdered them in their classroom.
The community of Buffalo has laid their friends and family to rest after a racially motivated shooting at their local grocery store.
Why are we just now talking about this in the D6 newsletter?
Because this is when we become complacent.
This is when we forget, and move on.
When we accept this as our reality.
We cannot move on. We cannot forget. We cannot accept this as our reality.
We are seeing the deadly results of a complete breakdown in leadership when it comes to common sense gun laws in America.
Our elected leaders are choosing money and power over the lives of their constituents, and our children.
We applaud Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr for his comments after the Uvalde shooting during a press conference. If you haven't watched it we encourage you to do so.
Other basketball coaches have followed suit. San Antonio Spurs coach Greg Popovich and former Duke basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski have publicly called on politicians to address our gun violence crisis immediately.
They and many other public figures are using their platforms to speak truth to power. We are grateful to these leaders for speaking out and demanding change.
As leaders in our families, schools, and communities we have a voice too, and it is our responsibility to use that voice.
But speaking out is not enough. We have to DO something if want change to happen.
We have been looking for an organization to support in this important work.
We found Moms Demand Action.
Moms Demand Action is a national, grassroots movements of Americans ("mothers and others" as they like to say), fighting for public safety measures that can protect people from gun violence.
They pass stronger gun laws and work to close the loopholes that jeopardize the safety of our families. They also work within communities and with business leaders to encourage a culture of responsible gun ownership.
Action is the antidote to grief, despair, and feelings of hopelessness.
If you are experiencing any of these feelings and are called to action we encourage you to take a look at Moms Demand Action.
Their work is giving us hope.
Below are three starting points that we found helpful in learning about Moms Demand Action, their philosophy, their work, and how we can support them.
How you can take action:
Listen to this powerful interview with Shannon Watts, Moms Demand Action founder on the We Can Do Hard Things podcast (listen via Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your podcasts).
Find a virtual or in-person information meeting and events to learn more about how you can get involved with Moms Demand Action.
Donate to help their goals of pressuring lawmakers to improve gun laws, raise awareness about gun violence, and educate the public about responsible gun ownership.
Edmund Burke said it best...
The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.
Maybe it's time for "Moms" to take this one....
DID YOU KNOW?
A few facts on gun violence in America
That firearms are the leading cause of death among children and teens in United States.
We live in a country where gun homicide rate is 26x higher than that of other high income countries.
Our federal, state, and local governments are spending a combined average of $34.8 million each day to deal with the aftermath of gun violence across the country. The total annual bill for taxpayers, survivors, families, employers, and communities is $280 billion. This is money that could be invested in public services to improve quality of life for all Americans.
Over one million ads on Armslist (the Craigslist of guns) do not require a background check for someone to purchase a gun. This has resulted in guns ending up in the hands of convicted felons, domestic abusers, gang members, and gun traffickers.
(Information from Everytown for Gun Safety, parent organization of Moms Demand Action)