John—

Zora Neale Hurston, who was raised in Florida and set many of her greatest
works there, once said that "If you are silent about your pain, they'll
kill you and say you enjoyed it." So while I'm still struggling to process
what happened in Jacksonville, I refuse to keep that struggle to myself.

Since I sent you my initial thoughts on the murder of three Black people
in a racist shooting in Jacksonville on Saturday, August 26, my resolve
has only increased. That tragedy was utterly devastating—but it was not
surprising.

We live in a country where it's all too easy for a white supremacist to
obtain an AR-style weapon and then use it to inflict carnage upon the
people he hates. The firearms industry has created a dystopian, "guns
everywhere" culture. It has been assisted by so-called leaders in elected
office who love to speak in hushed tones about America's glorious history
and values, but then do everything they can to restrict Black Americans'
access to the ballot box and force schools to teach children that Black
people BENEFITED from slavery.

These words and actions have consequences—and we must hold the politicians
who traffic in them accountable for the death and destruction that gun
violence is wreaking on the Black community, especially on Black kids.

We must disarm hate. [ [link removed] ]Add your name to our petition: Our lawmakers must
keep assault weapons out of the hands of violent extremists.

[ [link removed] ]ADD MY NAME

We're in this fight to honor every person impacted by this crisis. People
like Angela. And AJ. And Jerrald.

Thank you for being in this fight with me.

Angela Ferrell-Zabala
She/Her/Hers
Executive Director
Moms Demand Action

---------- Forwarded Message ----------
From: Angela Ferrell-Zabala, Moms Demand Action
Date: Monday, August 28, 2023
Subject: Add Your Name: We must keep guns out of the hands of violent
extremists

[ [link removed] ]Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America

John, my heart is broken. This Saturday in Jacksonville,
Florida, three Black people were shot and killed in a hate-fueled act of
gun violence.

I grieve for everyone who was killed, for their families, for the
Jacksonville community, and for all Black people across this country who
are feeling this pain in their soul.

The details of the shooting paint a grim picture—and white supremacy is at
the center of it. The shooter, clad in tactical gear, initially entered
the nearby Edward Waters University (EWU), a historically Black
university, but was turned away by campus security. Then, armed with a
Glock handgun and a Palmetto State Armory AR-15 rifle with swastikas on
it, he traveled a few blocks over to a nearby Dollar General store. He
opened fire both outside and inside the store, fatally shooting the three
victims before killing himself.

This crisis is not inevitable. We must disarm hate to prevent tragedies
like the shooting in Jacksonville.

[ [link removed] ]Add your name to our petition: Our lawmakers must keep assault weapons
out of the hands of violent extremists.

[ [link removed] ]ADD MY NAME

To make matters worse, some lawmakers have exacerbated both anti-Black
racism and gun violence. In their states and communities, they've
restricted or outright banned the teaching of Black history in schools,
sometimes replacing it with outright lies about the "benefits" of slavery.
And at the same time, they've rejected gun safety legislation, instead
choosing to pass laws that flood our communities with guns and make it
easier for extremists to get their hands on a firearm. In this tragedy,
like in many others, the shooter was able to quickly and legally purchase
an assault weapon.

These policies only add fuel to the fire of white supremacy and
hate-motivated gun violence. In an average year, over 25,000 hate crimes
in the United States involve a firearm—more than 69 each day. And nearly
half of race-based hate crimes target Black people.

We deserve better than to live in a country where hateful extremists are
given easy access to deadly weapons and people are forced to live in fear
of being shot and killed for who they are.

This tragedy is a stark reminder of the work that is needed to make
America safer. Even though every western democracy has extremists, only in
America do extremists have far too easy access to far too deadly weapons.
Racism, white supremacy, and gun violence target Black people across this
country in a deadly combination.

[ [link removed] ]In honor of the victims, the survivors, and everyone impacted by this
tragedy and tragedies like this one, we must take action. Add your name to
demand our lawmakers disarm hate.

Thank you for being a part of this movement. Together, we'll make our
communities safer for everyone.

Angela Ferrell-Zabala
She/Her/Hers
Executive Director
Moms Demand Action


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