[ [link removed] ]You asked your gun safety questions, now we have answers.
Hi John -
In the wake of the tragic shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in
Minneapolis, so many reached out—asking what comes next for our movement
and how we can turn grief into action.
Those questions matter. Because moments like this demand more than
thoughts and prayers—they demand answers, accountability, and a plan to
save lives.
That's why Everytown President John Feinblatt wanted to personally share
his responses to the three most frequently asked questions we've
received—and how our movement is tackling them head-on.
Read John's answers below ⤵️:
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Given the number of guns in circulation, how can we make progress in
reducing gun violence?
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This question speaks to a key fact: Americans own nearly 400 million guns.
So if we're serious about reducing gun violence, we need to be serious
about reaching out to gun owners. The Everytown Support Fund recently
launched a new initiative that takes a novel approach to doing just that:
Train SMART.
The story of Train SMART starts with our Veterans Advisory Council, which
includes nearly 40 veterans from across the country. They helped us
recognize a glaring contributor to gun violence in America: the poor
quality of firearm safety trainings, many of which use fear-based tactics
to indoctrinate gun owners into a "shoot first" mindset and help
manufacturers sell guns. The gun industry's grip on the training landscape
is so tight that 21 states require taking NRA courses, or those run by
NRA-certified instructors, in order to buy guns or receive concealed-carry
permits.
We know many potential or new gun owners would welcome an alternative to
NRA trainings, so the Support Fund is launching Train SMART, a series of
veteran-developed online trainings that will teach the fundamentals of
responsible gun ownership. Train SMART courses focus primarily on people
contemplating buying their first gun, and those who have recently
purchased guns. The Train SMART Leadership Council, a group of
distinguished veterans from multiple branches of the military, ensures
experienced military voices are front and center.
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How can we address gun violence in a bipartisan way? Both parties agree
that we don't want people to be shot and killed in public places. How
might we find a solution that everyone can agree on? There must be a way.
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No question about it: Political polarization is perilously high. But if
you look past Washington, you can still find examples of bipartisan
consensus. Case in point: Everytown's response to the emerging threat
posed by Glock switches.
Some background: Certain handguns, particularly Glocks, can be quickly
turned into a machine gun with the installation of a small, cheap device
commonly known as a "Glock switch." Unsurprisingly, these DIY machine
guns—which are capable of shooting thousands of rounds a minute—are
increasingly showing up at crime scenes.
Like gun violence itself, the threat posed by Glock switches doesn't
differentiate between red and blue states—and many state lawmakers realize
this. Everytown has worked with Republican leaders in Tennessee, Alabama,
and Mississippi to pass bans on Glock switches. In 2026, we plan to pursue
a similar strategy in other Republican-leaning states, including Utah and
Georgia.
Two more things worth noting when it comes to Glock switches:
We're being even more aggressive in states with Democratic leadership. In
California, Gavin Newsom just recently signed a first-in-the nation bill
championed by Everytown that bans the sale of handguns that can easily be
converted to machine guns. Thanks to this bill, the sale of up to 200,000
convertible handguns will be blocked every year in California alone.
In addition to legislation, Everytown Law is taking Glock to court for
failing to address this threat. So far, they've brought two lawsuits
against Glock, one with the City of Chicago and another with the State of
Maryland and the City of Baltimore.
Bottom Line: We'll continue ramping up pressure on the gun industry until
they take steps to reform.
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What is the best way to get weapons of war like the AR-15s and assault
rifles off the street? How do we get Congress to act?
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When it comes to assault weapons, Everytown is using the playbook that has
guided our work since our founding more than a decade ago: Start with the
states, with an eye towards putting pressure on Congress.
Just this year, we passed assault weapons restrictions in two new states
after years of hard work. In Colorado, which has a long tradition of gun
ownership, we worked closely with Governor Jared Polis on a bill to create
a permit-to-purchase system for assault weapons. Under the new law,
potential buyers are required to pass a background check and take a safety
course. We will use this first-of-its-kind legislation as a model for
other states where a ban isn’t politically feasible.
We also succeeded in passing a ban in Rhode Island—and this one is a story
of perseverance. For 12 long years, our Moms Demand Action volunteers
showed up at the capital in Providence, calling on their lawmakers to ban
the sale of weapons of war. It would have been easy for them to give up.
But there's a reason the Moms Demand Action motto is "Keep going." In
June, Governor Dan McKee signed a bill that was a dozen years in the
making, bringing the number of states with assault weapons bans or
restrictions to 15.
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We hope these proved informative to you.
The Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund is committed to ending gun
violence—and supporters like you power our ability to do that work.
Together, we're tackling the most pressing gun violence prevention issues
of our time:
* Holding the gun lobby accountable for putting gun industry profits
over the lives of our children.
* Pressuring lawmakers to pass stronger gun laws and rejeect the gun
lobby's "guns everywhere" agenda
* Mobilizing our supporter base to show up where it counts so we can
keep playing offense at city halls and statehouses across the country,
help elect Gun Sense Candidates who will stand up to the gun lobby,
and end the gun violence crisis that's plaguing our communities.
Every win—from new state laws to electing gun sense candidates down the
ballot—happens because people like you refuse to give up. Every donation
fuels the mobilization and advocacy that turns outrage into real change.
[ [link removed] ]If you're with us as we continue to push for solutions and stand up to
the gun lobby, then please consider making your first gift to the
Everytown Action Fund today. Help fuel the lifesaving work that you make
possible.
Thank you standing with us.
Everytown for Gun Safety
[ [link removed] ]Donate
Together, we are taking on gun extremism and fighting for life-saving gun
safety laws. We depend on contributions from supporters like you to power
our movement for a future free from gun violence.
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