[ [link removed] ]Moms Demand Action
Hi,

To my children, Newtown is a magical place—a place to visit their family,
walk in the woods, and play until the sun sets below the treeline. A place
for opening presents and enjoying a special birthday dinner. A place to
pick apples in the sunshine and play games in front of the fire. But as I
watch them enjoy the town that I grew up in and love so much, I wonder how
long it will be before they hear about what happened here.

My son is now the same age as the 20 children whose lives were senselessly
taken at Sandy Hook Elementary School along with six educators. He has
already practiced lockdown drills and experienced what it's like to
shelter in place. Like the brave educators in Sandy Hook, his teachers do
everything in their power to make these drills feel normal. But when he
comes home and tells me about them, I can’t help but think: How much
longer until he knows what they're really practicing for?

Many of us who grew up in Newtown ask ourselves this question. Because
while it's been 12 years since that horrific day, it doesn’t feel far away
at all. I still see the pained looks, the uncomfortable pause, when I tell
someone where I’m from. I still struggle to find words for my anger and my
grief. I still struggle to understand how anyone could watch what happened
in my hometown and not immediately act to ensure it could never happen
again.

Twelve years later, I'm angry that the shooting that devastated my
community didn't immediately lead to stronger gun safety laws. I'm
heartbroken that 26 families have missed out on more than a decade of
memories with their loved ones. I'm angry at those who say nothing can
change. But most of all, I'm furious at those who want to take us
backwards in our fight for gun safety.

Yet I refuse to feel hopeless and helpless. Instead, I let my anger and
grief fuel me in this fight. Because our children deserve better than
hiding in closets and sending frantic texts saying goodbye to loved ones.
Our educators deserve better than wondering if any given day at the job
they love will be their last day on Earth. And we deserve better than the
cynicism, greed, and indifference shown by the gun industry, the gun lobby
and the politicians who spread their lies.

So in honor of Newtown and all of the communities impacted by gun
violence, join me in choosing hope. It's a radical act at a time when
others want us to feel powerless and afraid. But as so many courageous
survivors of gun violence have shown us, we must choose hope again and
again and again. Because giving up when people's lives are on the line
simply isn't an option.

Now, we can't give up hope that an America free from gun
violence is possible. [ [link removed] ]Join me in taking the pledge and recommitting
yourself to this urgent fight in the coming year.

[ [link removed] ]Take the Pledge

We know the coming years will be tough. But together, the 10 million of us
in this movement are tougher. We refuse to let anyone take away the
progress we've made at the federal, state, and local levels. And we refuse
to accept a world in which people fear for their lives in the places they
learn, work, worship, and celebrate.

On December 14, 2012, the world watched in anguish as Newtown became
synonymous with heartbreak. But we also became a beacon of hope—hope that
a safer future is possible, and hope that a group of committed citizens
can change the course of history when they refuse to give up. We won't let
anyone take that hope away from us.

I will do everything in my power to keep it from happening again. Will you
join me? [ [link removed] ]Sign the pledge to take action in 2025.

Thank you for choosing hope with us. Our work has never been more
important or more urgent, and together, I know that we can keep saving
lives.

Kaelyn Forde
Associate Director of Field and Volunteer Communications
Moms Demand Action




Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America is a grassroots volunteer network of
Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund. As a movement of Americans fighting for
common-sense gun policies, we depend on contributions from supporters like you
to fund important work to reduce gun violence.

Contributions to Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund are not tax-deductible as
a charitable contribution or as a business expense under IRC Section 162(e). A
gift may qualify you for annual membership in the Action Fund.
[ [link removed] ]DONATE







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