Dear John, I am going to quote from this morning’s press release from Rev. Nancy Nord Bence, Executive Director of our state affiliate in Minnesota, who wrote: “This past weekend Americans from coast to coast experienced terror, pain and devastation that will lead to lifelong trauma because of law makers’ fealty to the gun lobby. On Sunday, at least three people died and 15 were wounded in a mass shooting at a large food festival in Gilroy, California, while across the country one died and five were injured in a mass shooting in Philadelphia. There was also a drive-by shooting in front of a synagogue in Miami. These are just a few of over 500 Americans who were shot over the weekend. At least 200 died.” We join Protect Minnesota and the nation in grieving these terrible, senseless losses. Our state-based grassroots gun violence prevention leaders work every day advocating for commonsense gun laws to protect public safety and prevent these kinds of tragedies. We join Protect Minnesota in urging state and national law makers across the United States “to imagine the pain being experienced today by the victims and their loved ones. They were going about their normal activities: attending a festival, party, or religious service, having fun with their friends and families. Then, in an instant, their lives were destroyed—because dangerous and unstable people had access to guns.” Thank you for standing with us against the gun lobby, Karen Abrams, Interim Executive Director States United to Prevent Gun Violence Check out what your state is doing to end gun violence! | 