Seven Mass Shootings in Seven Days
WAVE is heartbroken over the senseless loss of life in Boulder… and in Atlanta, Stockton, Gresham, Oregon, Houston, Dallas, and Philadelphia. There have been at least seven mass shootings in the last seven days in this country. While we grieve the innocent lives lost this week to the gun violence epidemic, we are also not surprised. 2020 was the worst year in modern American history in terms of gun violence — many of our major cities saw homicides double last year, in addition to the massive increase in suicides and accidental shootings.
Minutes after ten people were murdered at a grocery store in Boulder, the NRA tweeted out the text of the Second Amendment…nothing more. Let us remember that the Declaration of Independence also guarantees the unalienable right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. The innocent victims of gun violence in Boulder, Atlanta, Stockton, Oregon, Dallas, Houston and Philadelphia and every other American city will never have that.
Gun violence has become part of the American experience and it is heartbreakingly clear that until we stand up and demand our elected officials pass meaningful gun safety legislation, this mass violence will continue. Congress must act immediately to ban assault weapons and require universal background checks on all sales. The background check bill passed the U.S. House of Representatives on March 11 and is heading for the Senate. Unless we can get rid of the filibuster, this legislation will require a supermajority — meaning ten Republicans must join with the Democrats in support of this bill which has 60% voter approval. Unfortunately most Republicans, who believe that more guns would make America safer, are unlikely to help.
Join with WAVE’s gun safety working action group to organize with us and demand change from our elected officials. It’s time. Help us continue to build a gun violence prevention movement for real change. Please email gunsafety@wave4all.org to find out how you can be a part of our movement to end gun violence.