| | As you know, in the wake of the horrific mass shootings last weekend in El Paso and Dayton, there have been calls for the U.S. Senate to return to D.C. and for the PA General Assembly to meet in a special session. While we'd love to see our legislators back at work moving good gun violence prevention bills, we're not sure that's going to happen until the fall. So, for now, the PA State Legislature remains on summer recess, which means your Senators and Representatives are back in their home districts. Now is the time to call their district offices or set up a meeting to discuss gun violence prevention legislation. This may sound intimidating, but it’s actually very easy. Just reach out and ask to set up a meeting to discuss gun violence. If you need help finding your legislator or their record on gun violence prevention reach out to us, or use our legislator look up tool. The legislators have much more time when they’re home in the district, and they need to hear from us. Please, take the time for an important conversation, call us if you need talking points or help planning your pitch, and let us know how your meeting goes. We've been busy with similar meetings, and we've also been holding events all over the Commonwealth to bring partners and supporters together to call for action. You can read the highlights below. | | | | | | Philadelphia: Love Over Hate On Tuesday August 6, we brought together groups from across Philadelphia to mourn the lives lost in El Paso and Dayton, to focus on the lives lost to gun violence every day in Philadelphia, and to call on DC and Harrisburg to take immediate action to Disarm Hate. We were joined by Senator Bob Casey, Attorney General Josh Shapiro, Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon, State Senator Larry Farnese, State Representative Brian Sims, Councilmembers Derek Green and Helen Gym, local survivors Aleida Garcia and Renee McDonald, Catherine Miller Wilson of HIAS and faith leaders from across the five county region. | | | Harrisburg: Call to Action, Let's Make PA Safer On Wednesday August 7, we hosted an event with Governor Wolf, U.S. Senator Casey, State Senator Anthony Williams, and the prime sponsors of the PA ERPO bills, Senator Tom Killion and Rep. Todd Stephens. We were joined by local survivor Julia Mallory, who spoke about losing her son to gun violence in Harrisburg. We echoed Governor Wolf's calls for the U.S. Senate to immediately pass SR 42, the Senate version of the background check expansion bill that passed the House earlier this year and for the PA General Assembly to enact ERPO legislation and to expand PA's background check system to cover the private sale of long guns. | | | |  | Scranton: A Vigil Against Hate and Gun Violence On Monday August 5th CeaseFirePA gathered with Action Together, Queer NEPA, Students Demand Action, Moms Demand Action, area legislators, and faith leaders at St. Luke's church in Scranton. More than one hundred community members gathered to remember those lost in Dayton and El Paso, to raise their voices in solidarity and hope, and to pledge their commitment to continue the flight for commonsense firearms policy. Faith leaders from the Catholic diocese, the Islamic Center and a local synagogue offered words of prayer and helped center our work in the tradition of faith. State Rep. Kyle Mullins spoke, and Senator Casey and State Rep. Bridget Kosierowski sent representatives. The vigil was followed by a candlelight march to the courthouse. | | |  | Pittsburgh: Enough: Disarm/Dismantle Hate On Thursday, August 8, CeaseFirePA, Squirrel Hill Stands Against Gun Violence, and Casa San Jose- joined with more than 300 community members to stand in solidarity with Dayton, El Paso and with all of those who suffer daily at the hands of gun violence. Eighteen community groups who work in gun violence prevention, faith, immigrants' rights, racial justice, labor, gender equality, and more supported the event at Sixth Presbyterian Church. Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto, Congressman Mike Doyle, and State Senator Jay Costa and State Representatives Summer Lee, Dan Frankel, and Ed Gainey were among the speakers who demanded increased safety through common-sense gun policies. | | | | | | Walmart On the morning of August 10, CeaseFirePA stood with Guns Down, March for Our Lives, State Representative Danielle Friel Otten, and community members outside of the Walmart in Exton, PA. We raised our voices, calling on Walmart to take action now to end the sale of firearms. It was a unified call for action ignited by March for Our Lives at Walmarts around the country including Parkland, Florida. We demanded an end to the sale of bullets next to backpacks and guns next to gum. | | | Demand the Ban CeaseFirePA joined Delaware County United for Sensible Gun Policy, Heading God's Call, Orange Wave, faith leaders, legislators, and other partners in the fight for commonsense firearms policy on Monday August 12th. We gathered together outside Senator Toomey's Philadelphia district office, unified in our belief that assault weapons are weapons of war, and don't belong on our streets. The goal was to draw attention to the need to put banning assault weapons and high capacity magazines on the agenda in Congress. | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
