After the largest and deadliest mass shooting in modern American history, it was inevitable: pundits and politicians are saying it’s too soon to talk about the causes of gun violence. But for the hundreds of people shot at a country music concert last night in Las Vegas, it’s not too soon – it’s too late.
After a plane crash, no one says we can’t talk about how to make planes safer. After a massive building fire, no one says we can’t talk about ways to prevent fires. Yet after 59 Americans are shot and killed and over 500 are hospitalized at what should have been a safe and fun event, it’s too soon, according to the chattering class, to talk about why.
Not for me – not any more. I’m going to scream and kick and shout until Congress acts to make Americans safer. Because when guns are available to anyone, anywhere, our families are unsafe everywhere. In fact, Las Vegas was at least the eighth mass shooting (killing four or more people) in the United States this year, and the 162nd since 2009.
And even though most Americans agree with me – 90% support multiple commonsense gun safety policies – our laws reflect the extreme positions of well-financed gun industry lobbyists. That’s why the open carry of firearms is legal in Nevada. That’s why 93 Americans are killed with guns every day. And that’s why America’s gun homicide rate is 25 times higher than the average of other developed nations.
The National Rifle Association opposes commonsense gun safety laws, even though they are remarkably effective at preventing shooting deaths. Across the board, stronger gun laws correlate with lower rates of gun deaths, even after adjusting for sociological and demographic factors, according to a Harvard medical school research. In other words: when we pass real gun reform, fewer people die from gun violence.
Gun laws work, and they are worth fighting for. Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, the organization I founded, has millions of supporters in chapters in all 50 states, linking arms to protect our children and communities. While the National Rifle Association is a powerful foe, experience shows that grassroots activism can counter their deep pockets.
Our volunteers fight – and we win. Last month in Rhode Island, for example, our local activists helped pass legislation to keep guns away from domestic abusers, adding to the half dozen other states that have enacted similar laws. We can continue to win victories like this across this country if everyone gets off the sidelines and joins us.
Here’s how Americans can act today.
First, Congress is considering legislation that would gut silencer safety laws and make it easy for convicted felons and domestic abusers to buy gun silencers – which distort the sound of a gun and make it harder for law enforcement officers to stop a shooter – without a background check.
In Las Vegas, being able to hear gunshots helped first responders recognize the shooter’s location and end the incident before he could hurt even more people. It’s no surprise, then, that many of the nation’s top law enforcement organizations oppose efforts to roll back silencer safety laws.
The gun lobby is also gearing up for their “concealed carry reciprocity” campaign, in support of legislation that would force each state to recognize concealed-carry standards from every other state, even though states have dramatically varied standards.
Countless people would be able to carry hidden, loaded guns in all 50 states, with no background check or gun safety training. These extreme measures would defy the pleas of millions of Americans crying out for sanity and safety. It’s important for Americans to call their members of Congress now and tell them to reject these bills.
Our country is at a defining moment: do we want to keep experiencing these horrific shooting tragedies because the gun lobby has convinced Congress that we should allow guns for anyone, anywhere, any time – no questions asked? Or will we demand safety in our daily lives – at church, school, concerts and movie theaters? Because we do have a choice, and I urge every person who is as disgusted and horrified by this routine violence to make their voice heard.
As we grieve the horrific tragedy in Las Vegas, we must start talking openly and honestly about how to solve our nation’s gun violence crisis. For Congress, that means demanding they reject National Rifle Association leaders’ radical and deadly agenda. In Nevada, that means elected officials enforcing the law their constituents enacted last November.
Doing what we’ve been doing for decades – essentially letting the gun lobby write our country’s gun laws – has led to America having the highest rate of gun homicides of any developed nation. Clearly it’s time to do exactly the opposite of what gun lobbyists have instructed us to do: use our voices and votes to save lives. We can’t be silent anymore.
- Shannon Watts is the founder of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America and a mom of five kids. She lives in Colorado