Hundreds of new voices speaking up to prevent gun violence
Today we had the largest gathering of Moms Demand Action Miami ever. It lasted just about an hour. It was a far cry from the first one I attended just about a year ago. Just a few of us sitting in comfortable chairs in a midtown coffee shop trying to figure out how we'd ever gather the momentum to make common sense gun laws a reality. Our momentum would come from 17 lost souls. The Parkland 17 are raising their voices from their graves and lending them to us to tell their horrible story and the stories of the thousands of Americans who've been affected by the horror of gun violence.
I love being part of Moms Demand Action Miami because I love what the organization stands for. I think you'd like their vision too.
They envision a country where our children, families, neighborhoods, and schools are safe from gun violence.
We are not even close to achieving that goal. There are 8 guns for every 10 of us. Yet some would tell you that more guns will make us safer. Ha! If more guns made us safer, we would be living in the safest country in the world. Instead, we have a gun homicide rate 25 times higher than other developed countries.
Why speak up?
People sometimes ask me why I’m so vocal about this issue. I often joke that I’m a voter and a taxpayer and don't like to take any nonsense from elected officials. But it's also a true statement. I help pay their salary and they get paid to represent the things that matter to me. This matters to me. Saving lives matters to me. It mattered to me last year. It mattered to me yesterday. And it matters to me today. It matters to me every single hour.
The body count rises every hour
On Saturday, our meeting lasted just about an hour. We don't know who, we don't know where, but we know that at least four Americans were murdered with a gun. Let me say that more directly. Four people are dead. They are gone and a gun took them away. All in hour – this hour – this day.
The simple passing of time is killing people.
That’s why we have to act today. So we might one day wake up to a tomorrow when we don’t have to mourn 90 more lost souls.
Get vocal too!
That’s why I’m so vocal. My voice is needed. Your voice is needed. Our voices must be the voices of all victims everywhere. They can't speak up, so we must. Our vision of a country where our children, families, neighborhoods, and schools are safe from gun violence won’t happen without making a little noise.
Please go to Moms Demand Action to find out how your voice can be heard.
