This week the students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., will be returning to school after enduring one of the worse school shootings in U.S. history, and suffering through two weeks of funerals for some of their friends and classmates. Because of this deadly massacre, and because of the outspoken advocacy of the students, the gun debate in the United States has gained momentum.
Two anti-gun groups have reached out to one of the largest media outlets in the country in order to push their agendas, and strike while the iron is hot; they’ve decided to send a message to the legislature by purchasing a 2-page newspaper ad. This massive ad will appear in the NY Times, and was funded by two gun-control groups, Everytown for Gun Control and Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America – as a wake-up call to America and a call-to-action for every member of our legislature who has sat by year after year, while gun violence has ripped American families apart. The ad reads, “These members of Congress take NRA money, but refuse to take action to pass gun safety legislation.” It goes on to list the names of approximately 100 lawmakers who have accepted money from the NRA. Then, on the opposite page, there is the now-famous picture of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School students being escorted by police out of the school, with a statement that reads, “We are children, you are adults….get something done.”
The $230,000 ad is set to appear in the Time’s paper on Wednesday, and not only does it list law-makers’ names, but it also lists their contact phone numbers. This is a part of a strategic plan, to continue a needed conversation and dialogue for Americans to take action in regards to gun control. The goal is for lawmakers to finally take a stand against gun laws, and against the NRA, an organization that has been lining the pockets of politicians for decades. For example, here are the list of lawmakers from South Carolina:
SOUTH CAROLINA
REP. JEFF DUNCAN $12,500 (202) 225-5301
REP. TREY GOWDY $7,150 (202) 225-6030
REP. RALPH NORMAN $10,029 (202) 225-5501
REP. TOM RICE $6,000 (202) 225-9895
REP. MARK SANFORD $12,290 (202) 225-3176
REP. JOE WILSON $20,271 (202) 225-2452
SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM $50,946 (202) 224-5972
SEN. TIM SCOTT $18,513 (202) 224-6121
People are tired, and people want action. Putting an ad in the newspaper may seem a little dated, but advocates understand it is a smart tactic. It gives people something to hold on to, something to keep and something physical to share. Shannon Watts, the founder of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America went on to explain,
“We are having a national conversation right now about this issue. A lot of people want to act. One way to act is to call your representative, to have knowledge when you do of how much that lawmaker took from the NRA and how it might impact their vote on gun safety. To be able to see the list and then to take action is a very important part of democracy. We want to continue this conversation at a national level as long as we possibly can because what really matters is what happens in the midterms. That will determine the future of what laws are made around this issue.”
So, if you’re concerned about gun laws, and you want to make your voice heard, click the picture below for a listing of all lawmakers who’ve accepted funds from the NRA. Make phone calls and take action.
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