John,
Today is the 4th of July — celebrating the day 244 years ago when the Declaration of Independence was adopted, granting America independence from Great Britain. The Declaration says that the government will derive its powers from the consent of the governed, meaning that we, the people, vote for our representation. But we must recognize that has hardly been the case in America.
Too often, our "representative" democracy fails to represent us. Case in point: How Mitch McConnell is letting bipartisan background check legislation languish in Congress.
Poll after poll shows that more than 90% of Americans support expanding background checks to all gun sales. But Mitch McConnell and Donald Trump outright refuse to advance legislation on universal background checks. In the meantime, 100 people in America continue to be killed by guns every single day. In order to strengthen our nation’s gun laws, we must fix our democracy.
So, we've teamed up with March For Our Lives and Team ENOUGH to mobilize our supporters to fight for democracy reforms ahead of Election Day. Are you with us?
JOIN OUR NEW CAMPAIGN: #VotingAccessSavesLives >>>
The fight for democracy is the fight for gun violence prevention. It is no accident that the communities most affected by gun violence — namely Black and Latinx communities — face the greatest barriers to the ballot box. In 2018, for example, Black and Latinx voters faced the longest of lines on Election Day, waiting about 45% longer than white voters.
These suppressive tactics are allowing for the election of candidates who, like Mitch McConnell, refuse to reflect the will of the people.
Will you join our #VotingAccessSavesLives campaign?
We've had enough. We’re mobilizing gun violence prevention activists to lobby to expand voting access across four broad categories: 1) vote-by-mail and absentee voting; 2) online and same-day voter registration; 3) early voting, and; 4) restoring voting rights to people with felony convictions. We map out concrete ways you can lobby your state and local leaders, including who you can contact.
🎧 The Trevor Project on LGBTQ Youth, Guns, and the Risk of Suicide
Gun violence has taken an enormous toll on the LGBTQ community. Nearly two-thirds of firearm deaths in the U.S. are suicides. For those using a gun, 90 percent of suicide attempts are fatal, and data shows that this has a particular impact on the transgender and adolescent members of the LGBTQ community. To discuss the risk of firearms and suicide in the LGBTQ community, JJ is joined Casey Pick of the Trevor Project.
🎧 Virginia is For Gun Violence Prevention Lovers (from the archives)
We made history this week! On July 1, an entire slate of gun violence prevention laws went into effect in Virginia. This monumental victory took not just years, but decades, and it happened only after voters ousted NRA-backed politicians. To reflect on our wins in Virginia, we're revisiting our podcast episode about how voters flipped the legislature to a gun safety majority. (P.S. Don't forget: Elections matter. We're looking forward to ushering in more wins on Election Day 2020.)
🎧 History in the Making (from the archives)
In this episode from January, Brady President Kris Brown and Lori Haas of the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence (CSGV) — both Virginians themselves — talk about why the rest of the country should be paying attention to what we achieved in Virginia.
Put Your Advocacy to Action with Our Democracy Bingo Game!
Print your gameboard or play on Instagram using stickers
Join your friends and play our Democracy Bingo game! Mark off squares as you take action — like contacting election officials to ask about plans for mail-in voting or asking a friend if they know their voting rules. The middle square is the last step you can take: voting on Election Day. So we're gearing up to play Democracy Bingo all summer. Use the hashtag #VotingAccessSavesLives to join on social media. Get your Bingo board and play now!
Who are the Gun-Toting Boogaloo Bois? Brady President Kris Brown, Medium
Gun-Violence Prevention Organizations Launch Voter Rights Campaign, CNN
FBI Firearm Background Checks Set Another All-Time Record in June, CNN
Gun Violence Groups Team Up On Voting Rights Initiatives, Axios
Brady Celebrates Historic Day For Virginia as Over 10 New Gun Violence Prevention Laws Take Effect, Brady
On the Anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, Where the Gun Violence Prevention and LGBTQ Rights Movements Intersect, Brady on Medium
"Young people are often blamed for not participating in the political processes, yet the truth is that we are often barred or discouraged from voting. ...Despite this, we know that all voices and votes matter. More so, they are necessary if we are to drive real change in our country."
— Team ENOUGH Executive Council on our #VotingAccessSavesLives campaign with March For Our Lives
We work across Congress, courts, and communities to prevent gun violence adn save lives. Our work is made possible by grassroots supporters like you.
Thank you for supporting the Brady Campaign. The Brady Campaign is a 501c(4) and donations to the Brady Campaign are not eligible for a tax deduction. We rely on the generosity of donors like you to fund our work to prevent gun violence and create a safer America.
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