313 people have died or been injured by gun violence in the 72 hours before Valentine's Day.
"Today is Valentine’s Day but too many of us no longer celebrate this day due to gun violence. Our hearts are shattered again by another deadly preventable mass shooting incident.
According to the Washington Post, the 43-year-old gunman was arrested in 2019 for possessing guns without a concealed carry permit, charged again with possession of a loaded firearm in a vehicle, and had a note in his pocket with threats against two schools in Ewing, New Jersey. Michigan has weak gun laws. Michigan has not yet passed universal background check legislation, open carry ban, red flag law, assault weapons ban, or limits on high-capacity magazines." - Newtown Alliance
Check this map for details on the incidents created with data from the Gun Violence Archive. It also includes details of the State Reps, Congressional Rep, Senator, Governor and State Attorney General for the district. Zoom into the map for state district details. Call them to ask about their love of guns this Valentine's Day and how many American lives they are willing to sacrifice for it in return for gun lobby donations?
Mapping gun violence before Valentine's Day
Gun safety legislation needed
“After the Buffalo, Uvalde, and Highland Park mass shootings, 15 Senate Republicans and 14 House Republicans broke from the National Rifle Association, National Shooting Sports Foundation, and the gun industry and voted with Democrats to pass the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. These Republicans did not suffer politically during Midterms for voting for gun safety legislation for the first time in three decades. The fact is gun violence prevention is the high political ground."
End the gun violence public health crisis
The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act was a step in the right direction but it was not enough to end the gun violence public health crisis in our nation. If Senate Republicans are unwilling to pass additional gun control legislation, then we urge the Senate Democrats to end the filibuster. Newtown Action Alliance calls on Congress to urgently pass the policies outlined in the Denver Accord starting with legislation to:
● Require background checks on all gun and ammunition purchases
● Require permits to purchase guns
● Ban assault weapons, high-capacity magazines, bump stocks, ghost guns, 3D guns
● Require gun owners to safely store their guns in their homes and cars
● Repeal Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act to remove the gun industry’s legal shield
● Adequately fund the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to enforce existing gun laws
● Increase investments for community violence intervention programs
● Increase funding for gun violence research
● Protect kids from dangerous gun marketing tactics
● Reform policing
Republicans block gun safety legislation
Michigan Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer chastised state lawmakers in her recent State of the State address for not taking action on gun safety laws after four students were killed in a mass shooting at Oxford High School in November 2021. Just 19 days later, Whitmer choked back tears during a news conference on Tuesday morning after another shooting in the state ended the lives of three Michigan State University students and wounded several more.
“We’re all broken by an all too familiar feeling — another place that is supposed to be about community and togetherness shattered by bullets and bloodshed,” Whitmer said. “We know this is a uniquely American problem.”
A bipartisan federal gun-control bill passed last year in the wake of the Uvalde, Tex., school shooting included funding to help states create and administer red-flag laws. Democrats in the Michigan Senate introduced a bill to create a red-flag law in the state last year, but it never left committee. Dingell also expressed her frustration at the lack of legislative changes since the Parkland, Fla., shooting in 2018. “I thought five years ago, ‘Okay, the kids will get the change,’” Dingell said. “Well, the kids are going to have to bring about the change because we keep talking, and nothing happens.” - Washington Post
TakeAway: Protect your loved ones. Demand your elected official support gun safety reforms this Valentine's Day!
Deepak
DemLabs
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