Campaign US’ Post

As the leading cause of death among children and teens ages 1-17, gun violence is a prevalent—and increasing—problem in the U.S. What are Americans’ perceptions of gun violence in the U.S.? My colleagues and I at the Ad Council Research Institute commissioned a poll among 3,000 Americans to get in-the-moment data on gun violence, and to promote prevention strategies to curtail gun violence and its impact on young people—including perception and attitudes, overall impact, and potential solutions to addressing gun violence and firearm-related incidents. Some of our key findings include: - Gun violence is a top three issue Americans are concerned about. - Americans, especially parents, are aware of and concerned about the risk and impact of gun violence on children, and some are discussing gun violence at home. - They believe education and safe gun storage are most likely to reduce gun violence. Check it out here: https://lnkd.in/gHn9vDDt

Today is gun violence awareness day. Too many people continue to be impacted by gun violence, that I think we all can agree on. What we don't always agree on is how we reduce victimization. Sometimes the disagreements get downright ugly. What often is forgotten is the impact gun violence has on victims and their families. Many of us have lived through traumatic experiences that change our lives forever, every day more people 'join' this group. I belong to this group and I don't say that to solicit empathy (please don't) but rather to express my frustration at the 'nyet' crowds. At both ends of the political spectrum we have people who continue to obstruct progress. We have second amendment absolutionist who obstruct any and all legislative efforts to reduce access to firearms for anyone, we have activist who refuse to support any and all law enforcement solutions. Both groups are small and don't reflect what the majority of Americans want but unfortunately continue to exert a disproportionate impact on how we address gun violence. As a victim I can tell you that these groups don't represent me. As an academic I can tell you that their opinions are not supported by evidence and lean heavily on cherry picking pieces of evidence. If we want sustainable solutions we have to be better at listening to the folks that are impacted: inner city residents, survivors or mass shootings and others who had their lives upended. We also need to work together better, police and community organizers, democrats and republicans. We don't always have to agree on everything to work together, but we should be willing to listen. If you can't do that, respectfully, maybe sit this one out. If you can, let me know how I can help.

I was invited to attend a Zoom call from The White House on Friday led by Gregory Jackson Jr., Deputy Director of the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, and facilitated by Feven Solomon, Senior Advisor for Public Engagement at the White House. They were joined by Oresa Napper-Williams of advocacy organization Not Another Child (https://lnkd.in/eqE8QzUt), which helps inner-city families who are directly impact by violence, and Anthony Smith of Cities United (https://lnkd.in/eZK5KM6w), which works to create safe, healthy, and hopeful communities with holistic approaches to gun violence. Deputy Director Jackson talked about the huge investments made in communities through local and national organizations, in wraparound services, and in mental-health professionals in schools. He also talked about the reduction in homicides of young Black men and boys—and the challenging work still to be done—and the urgent need for people to properly secure their firearms, given the central importance of time and distance between a moment of crisis and access to a firearm. He said: “There’s a common misconception that gun violence in Black communities is purely connected to gangs and drugs. But when we look at the stats, there’s a different story. Only 11 percent is connected to gang activity, and only 30 percent is connected to another felony. So what we’re seeing is really a crisis of individuals lashing out and having interpersonal conflict and retaliation—cycles of violence that roar on and cause trauma, which fuels future trauma. … “As you think about prevention, one of the most impactful ways that we can prevent violence when thinking about youth is really focusing on those who have suffered loss, because we know that most individuals who commit an act of gun violence were victimized first. It may not mean they were directly shot, but they have been traumatized or suffered loss. By working with those who have suffered loss or been harmed, even at a very young age, elementary age—who lost a father or brother or witnessed a traumatic event—investing in those youth and providing therapeutic support and emotional and sometimes economic support we know can drastically prevent the likelihood of future violence. … “We know that hurt people hurt people, but also this Administration is committed to working with you to ensure we are healing people, knowing that healed people can heal people.” #whitehouse #preventgunviolence #Blackhealing #Blackcommunity 

Today is National Wear Orange Day, a day to honor Hadiya Pendleton and the over 43,000 victims of gun violence in the U.S. each year. Observed every June, Wear Orange Day raises awareness about the impact of gun violence. The Los Angeles County Office of Violence Prevention, along with the nation, commemorates Gun Violence Awareness Month, which began in 2013 after Hadiya’s tragic death. Wearing orange symbolizes safety and remembrance. In 2022, over 800 lives were lost to gun violence in LA County, including 500 homicides and over 300 suicides. Gun violence affects families physically, emotionally, and financially, with direct costs exceeding $570 million and additional costs from lost work and quality of life over $9 billion. Gun Violence Restraining Orders (GVROs) are a vital tool to help prevent harm by temporarily removing firearms from individuals at risk. Learn more about GVROs and how to obtain one to help keep our communities safe. #WearOrange #GunViolenceAwareness

NEW: What's working in gun violence prevention? Our final Trajectory newsletter of 2023 takes stock of the most encouraging developments — from state-level progress on gun reform to federal investment in grassroots community programs.

2023 has been a watershed year for gun violence. As we near years end, I think it’s well worth reflecting on the stats: - Total gun violence deaths in the U.S. as of Dec. 7: 40,167 (almost 118 deaths/day) - Teen deaths: 1,306; Child deaths: 276 - Gun suicides in 2023: 22,506 (about 66/day) - States with the highest deaths: Texas, California, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Illinois, Louisiana - Police officer-involved shooting deaths: 1,344 - Police officers fatally shot: 46 - Unintentional shootings: 1,472 - Mass shootings in 2023: 632 (4 or more victims) - Mass shooting deaths: 597; Injuries: 2,380 - Deadliest mass shooting: Lewiston, Maine on Oct. 25 (18 dead, 13 injured) #gunsafety #safety #deadlyweaponsprotection https://lnkd.in/gthT6M5Q

We don’t need new laws, criminals don’t concern themselves with laws when they commit crimes. Also, the AR-15 is based on 70 year old technology. The military version, that has the ability to shoot full auto, was fielded during the Vietnam War, back when we were still running leaded gas in automobiles. The civilian version, that can only fire one shot every time you pull the trigger, used to be available mail order. There used to be a time when the people were trusted, now government agencies see it as their mission to regulate every aspect of our society. The AR-15 is not the problem and never has been. Something changed in our society. Our children are encouraged to question their parents, civil authority and citizens rights. People praise elected officials, not for their work to strengthen the nation, but for their work to dismantle political opponents. There are clear divides between groups of people and media outlets develop stories to exasperate those divides. The list goes on. The only reason government officials would want more gun laws is because they know we are coming to a tipping point and they seek to control the ability of people to defend themselves. They must think it is better for us to be defenseless. They are wrong. Americans have the right to defend themselves and elected officials need to accept that. Our rights are not the margin they can manipulate. I will vote against any candidate, who supports any gun related legislation that imposes any burden or penalty on a citizens right to bear arms.

GUNS, DEMOCRACY, AND THE INSURRECTIONIST IDEA - PDF: https://lnkd.in/gnxKsTN2 The NRA steadfastly maintains that the 30,000 gun-related deaths and 300,000 assaults with firearms in the United States every year are a small price to pay to guarantee freedom. As former NRA President Charlton Heston put it, "freedom isn't free." And when gun enthusiasts talk about Constitutional liberties guaranteed by the Second Amendment, they are referring to freedom in a general sense, but they also have something more specific in mind---freedom from government oppression. They argue that the only way to keep federal authority in check is to arm individual citizens who can, if necessary, defend themselves from an aggressive government. In the past decade, this view of the proper relationship between government and individual rights and the insistence on a role for private violence in a democracy has been co-opted by the conservative movement. As a result, it has spread beyond extreme "militia" groups to influence state and national policy. In Guns, Democracy, and the Insurrectionist Idea, Josh Horwitz and Casey Anderson reveal that the proponents of this view base their argument on a deliberate misreading of history. The Insurrectionist myth has been forged by twisting the facts of the American Revolution and the founding of the United States, the denial of civil rights to African-Americans after the Civil War, and the rise of the Third Reich under Adolf Hitler. Here, Horwitz and Anderson set the record straight. Then, challenging the proposition that more guns equal more freedom, they expose Insurrectionism---not government oppression---as the true threat to freedom in the U.S. today. Joshua Horwitz received a law degree from George Washington University and is currently a visiting scholar at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. He is Executive Director of the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence and the Educational Fund to Stop Gun Violence. He has spent nearly two decades working on gun violence prevention issues. He lives in Arlington, Virginia. Casey Anderson holds a law degree from Georgetown University and is currently a lawyer in private practice in Washington, D.C. He has served in senior staff positions with the U.S. Congress, the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, and Americans for Gun Safety. He lives in Arlington, Virginia. #openaccess #guns #democracy #insurrection #america #history # #americanrevolution #secondamendment

In Georgia, every day two children are shot, and every two days a child dies from gun violence. Firearm injuries are the leading cause of death for children and youth in America. For the safety of our families and communities, gun safety reform must be met head on and I am proud of the work I've done in the Georgia House to tackle gun violence: ✅ Secured $80k per school for safety enhancements, saying NO to arming teachers. ✅ Advocated for tax breaks on gun safes & safety training. ✅ Co-launched coalitions & sponsored bills to protect victims & ban assault weapons. ✅ Delivered $7.4 million for Community-based violence intervention and prevention programs. But there is more work to be done. We must close background check loopholes, mandate training, raise the gun purchase age, & limit high-capacity firearms. Our work isn't finished until every DeKalb County resident feels secure at home. #EndGunViolence #BuildingABetterGeorgiaTogether #BeckyDelivers

It is with a heavy heart that I address you today following the devastating mass shooting that occurred in our beloved city shortly after midnight. This tragedy, which left one man dead and 24 others wounded, has shaken our community to its core. The pain, trauma, and grief are felt deeply throughout Akron as we come to terms with this senseless act of violence. Mayor Shammas Malik and Police Chief Brian Harding released a statement Sunday morning expressing their deep sorrow and commitment to justice. As they stated, our city is reeling from this devastation, and the repercussions of this tragedy are felt far and wide. Our hearts go out to the victims and their loved ones during this challenging time. In the wake of this violence, we must come together as a community. We must support one another, stand in solidarity against such acts, and work towards healing and prevention. As a product of the East Akron community, being born and raised here, this tragedy profoundly touches me and my family. I know firsthand the strength, resilience, and spirit of our community. Gun violence is a complex issue that requires a multifaceted solution. It involves addressing the availability of firearms, strengthening background checks, and ensuring that guns do not fall into the wrong hands. We must advocate for stricter gun control measures that can help prevent future tragedies. This includes supporting legislation that imposes stricter regulations on firearm sales, implementing thorough background checks, and closing loopholes that allow individuals to bypass these checks. Moreover, we need to invest in community programs that address the root causes of violence. By providing resources for mental health support, education, and economic opportunities, we can create an environment where individuals do not resort to violence as a solution. Community engagement and outreach programs can play a significant role in identifying and supporting at-risk individuals before they turn to violence. Our law enforcement agencies also need our support in the form of resources and training to effectively handle situations involving gun violence. They must be equipped not only to respond to incidents but also to engage in preventive measures and community policing efforts. Let us honor the memory of those we have lost by committing to a future free of such senseless violence. Let us support the survivors and their families with compassion and solidarity. Let us work together with law enforcement, community leaders, and policymakers to ensure that our city adopts and enforces the necessary measures to reduce gun violence and make our community a safer place for all. We are stronger together, and together, we can make Akron a city where safety and peace prevail.