All tagged Gun Violence

Hundreds of new voices speaking up to prevent gun violence

Hundreds of new voices speaking up to prevent gun violence

Eileen Higgins
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.

If you know who the murderers are, why don’t you arrest them?

If you know who the murderers are, why don’t you arrest them?

Eileen Higgins
Gun Violence, Local Government

In Richmond, CA police identified a mere 25 people causing 70 percent of the city’s violence. When I learned these statistics were similar to ours in Miami, I asked what I thought was a simple question. “If you know who these murderers are, why don’t you just arrest them?” The answer is not so simple. These people often escape arrest and prosecution because witnesses are too fearful to testify. So, no, the police can’t just arrest them even though they’d like to.

Coffee Klatch and Guns

Coffee Klatch and Guns

Eileen Higgins
Community Action, Gun Violence

It may sound a bit odd to sit around drinking lattes and talking about guns, but it's actually extremely comforting. Chatting about violence, suicide, and death is never pleasant so why not wrap your hands around a good cup of coffee? It did seem to make it easier for a circle of women to open up about our worries about guns in south Florida as victims, advocates, and human beings. This was my first Mom's Demand Action meeting.

Why Do We Have to Teach Parents about Gun Safety?

Why Do We Have to Teach Parents about Gun Safety?

Eileen Higgins
Community Action, Gun Violence

Because 1.7 million kids live in homes with guns that are loaded and unlocked. In any other country, there would be no need to implement a training program for parents about gun safety.  But, this is the United States of America where guns are everywhere whether we want them to be or not. That means kids are around them. The Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense group is rolling out their BE SMART training program.