John,

When will our lawmakers understand that thoughts and prayers aren’t enough? Our kids, and their families, deserve to celebrate the new school year without worrying it will be their last. But only days into the school year, two families in south Minneapolis are planning funerals for their children. 

These children were gunned down while sitting in pews. How can our public officials watch this despicable attack on students in their church and only offer hollow ‘thoughts and prayers’? The Minneapolis community and kids across the nation deserve more: John, will you send an urgent message to Congress to take action to stop school shootings? 

What Right-wing Republicans don’t understand is that it is their failures that allow these tragedies to happen again and again. Our hearts are with the victims and their families, and we will stand with them as they find a way to heal. But more than anything, we hope that no other school suffers the same fate. John, it’s simple: this shooting shouldn’t have happened in the first place. 

President Trump has called the incident a ‘tragic’ and ‘terrible situation, but continues to defund the evidence-based solutions that are propelling progress nationally. It's sickening: While his armed National Guard intimidate the residents of DC, kids are being murdered with the same weapons. 

Annunciation Catholic Church School was on its third day of the year. Parents everywhere are watching this news and are scared to send their children back to school– and our kids are scared to be in classrooms. This shouldn’t be normal. Students should be excited for the new year, seeing their classmates, and meeting their teachers.

This senseless shooting has left the community shattered. The entire country is watching, and Congress’s constant inaction that perpetuates this violence is, quite frankly, embarrassing. Condolences won’t protect our kids from another fatal attack. It is unacceptable for our lawmakers to offer us anything other than lifesaving action. Please, will you demand Congress stop the next school shooting and finally protect our kids? >>

Our hearts are with the victims, survivors, and families in Minneapolis. We will honor them with action and we won’t stop fighting until our kids are finally safe.

Kris Brown

Brady President