Hi John, it’s David Hogg.
I know it’s been a while, but I need to come to you directly with this.
As a survivor of the Parkland shooting, I’m outraged. Rhode Island lawmakers just passed an assault weapons ban — but it’s so watered down, it’s dangerously ineffective.
This law doesn’t ban the possession of assault weapons. It only restricts new sales and manufacturing. That means the weapons already in circulation — the ones already used in mass shootings — aren’t going anywhere.
Rhode Islanders deserve better. A real assault weapons ban must include both sales and possession. Anything less is a hollow compromise that puts lives at risk.
Local advocates, led by the Rhode Island Coalition Against Gun Violence, fought hard to strengthen the bill — but lawmakers passed a version that falls short of what’s needed.
Look, this law is better than nothing. But we need to be honest: it isn’t enough. The legislative session in Rhode Island is already over, and no amount of calls right now will change that. The truth is, we won’t get a stronger bill until next year — and only if we start organizing now.
Let’s take this as a wake-up call. If we want better outcomes in the future, we have to build more power, more pressure, and more accountability — starting now, with this final fundraising push to close out the month strong.
Thanks for being in this fight with me.
—
David Hogg
Co-founder, March For Our Lives
P.S. If you’re in Rhode Island, send a message to your representatives now. You can find out who represents you here. Tell them we expect better next year — and that the fight for a real assault weapons ban isn’t over.
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