You can make a difference.
In fact, only you can.
The latest mass shooting in America:
I no longer keep track because they happen every day.
Here are 30 or so actions you can take on gun control in America that can make a difference. Go ahead and try.
Personal Note:
I’ve been working on gun issues for several decades now and no longer believe that trying to get responsible or reasonable gun owners to join the gun control movement is worth the effort.
I also no longer believe that background checks will “save lives.” In fact, instant background checks increase the number of guns on the streets, rather than reduce them. They were the rocket ship that launched modern gun ownership to 300 plus million guns in America.
I also now understand that the majority of gun deaths in America (60%) are because of suicide.
What will reduce gun deaths?
Reducing the number of guns in America. Full stop.
How?
Culture change and gun buybacks.
Stop insisting that guns are normal and that the 2nd Amendment is sacrosanct. Guns are not normal. They are not safe.
Implement a nationwide gun buyback program to reduce the number of guns.
Shaun Dakin
1 - Donate To A Gun Control (GVP) Group
Here are some groups that are doing work on Gun Control:
Community Justice Action Fund - Join us in building power with and for communities of color to end gun violence.
Giffords - Gabby Gifford's Organization
March For Our Lives - The group formed after Parkland.
2 - Call Your Member Of Congress
After meeting directly with your representative in person, making a phone call is the single most effective thing that you can do today.
Find out who represents you in Congress by clicking here.
Once you call, let them know that you are a constituent, that you vote for candidates that make gun control a priority, and that you expect to see them take strong action on gun control.
3 - Write A letter to your local paper
It is easy. Find your local paper, learn how to send a "letter to the editor", and then send it.
Here is a good article on how to write a great LTE.
4 - Facebook your representatives
Find your representative on Facebook and send them a message. It is easy.
For example - Dear Representative, I am your constituent and I vote. I am horrified about the gun violence epidemic in America and want action now. Specifically, I want to see legislation supporting gun buybacks to reduce the number of guns in America.
5 - Tweet YOUR REPRESENTATIVES
Find your representative on twitter and send them a tweet. It is easy.
Don't know how to find their twitter name? Click here.
For example: "Dear @POTUS enough gun violence in America ! We must reduce the number of guns! #GunControlNow"
6 - Learn more about the gun issue and gun control in america
The NRA has a ton of money and they have spent decades spending that money setting the terms of the discussion and the debate in America. It is not hard, however, to learn the facts about gun violence and gun ownership in America and what you can do to stop it.
Here are some helpful resources:
The Brady Campaign on background checks.
ONLINE COURSE at Johns Hopkins University (FREE). Learn more and register here.
“Daniel Webster, director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Policy and Research, is the driving force behind the online course Reducing Gun Violence in America: Evidence for Change.”
7 - Join a local gun Control group
There are national groups with local chapters and there are state-specific groups that you can join. Or you can join both.
Get involved! Meet people like yourself that are interested in this issue.
National groups with local chapters:
8 - JOIN A LOCAL Gun Control event
Don't want to join a group or donate? Want to get your feet wet and meet people involved? Then find a local event that you feel comfortable participating in.
All the major groups have local chapters, or you can find a state group. See number 7 for links!
For example, if you are in DC area there is a monthly event at the NRA Headquarters. You can find out more here.
9 - ASK
Ask, "Is there a gun in the home where my child plays?"
ASK = Asking Saves Kids
When you visit a friend's home you ask about pool covers and let them know about known allergies, right?
Now, make sure that you ask if there is a gun in the home. If there is, ask if it is locked away from the kids and if the ammo is kept in a separate place.
More on this important and life-saving program at the ASK website.
10 - Donate to politicians, who advocate for Gun Control
Guess what? Politicians care about two things: 1) votes and 2) money. Make sure you donate to those candidates that support common sense gun controls and let them know why you are giving them money. Donate at every level. Federal, State and Local.
Any amount can have an impact. Seriously.
11 A - Contact your state and local representatives
After you have figured out who your Federal reps are, take a moment to learn who represents you at the state level. Just like at the Federal level, you will have a state representative and a state senator.
Find out who they are. Use this website to help.
Call them up and let them know you are a constituent, that you expect strong gun controls to protect American lives, that you vote and that you expect action.
Email them.
Post to their facebook page.
Tweet to them!
Use ResistBot to easily email your Federal and State reps.
11 b - Learn about federal gun laws
Gun rights advocates spend all day on one issue: guns. They have a talking point that goes something like this: "Gun control laws? We don't need any NEW laws, we just need to enforce all the laws that we already have on the books!"
You better bet that they know every single law that is on the books, better than most law enforcement officers (sometimes).
Here are some resources:
12 - LEARN ABOUT State GUN LAWS
Just like we stated in #11 above, Gun folks love to know the law and each state has their own very specific gun laws. Depending on the state you live in, it is important to understand the local laws that impact the sale and use of guns.
Giffords has a great state database as well.
NEW ONLINE COURSE at Johns Hopkins University (FREE). Learn more and register here.
“Daniel Webster, director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Policy and Research, is the driving force behind the online course Reducing Gun Violence in America: Evidence for Change.”
13 - If you have guns in the home, learn about preventing child access to guns in the home
Did you know that more than two million American children live in homes with unsecured guns? It’s a fact that should concern every single parent—especially because, according to a recent report from Moms Demand Action and Everytown for Gun Safety, at least 100 children were killed in unintentional shootings between December 2012 and December 2013. Learn more from Moms Demand Action here.
14 - Be smart
S Secure guns in homes and vehicles.
M Model responsible behavior.
A Ask about unsecured guns in other homes.
R Recognize the risks of teen suicide.
T Tell your peers to be SMART.
15 - Ask your local organizations about their gun policies and demand that they publish them
It is important for your local community organizations to have a gun policy. Ask your local:
Businesses
Faith communities
Schools
Libraries
Public spaces
16 - Join a campaign to get companies to ban guns in their stores
Join a campaign to encourage corporations to ban the civilian carry of guns in stores. For example, Moms Demand Action has worked on getting Kroger to stop allowing guns in their stores.
Campaign page here.
17 - Join a local voter registration drive
What did we say politicians really care about ? 1) Votes and 2) Money.
What do only 30 % of Americans do in off year (non presidential election) elections?
Vote!
Join an organization that works to register voters who care about gun control.
US Government website on voting
18 - Register to vote and then vote, really vote!
The NRA has 5 million members and when the NRA tells them who to vote for guess who the members for vote?
NRA sponsored and NRA rated candidates.
The NRA has the power to go to politicians and give them what they want. 1) Money and 2) votes.
Make sure you register to vote !
US Government website on voting
19 - hold a public vigil for gun violence victims
Heartfelt and public displays of grief for the victims and their families are important. When the next (and there will be a next) horrific gun murder occurs in your community volunteer to organize or be part of a public vigil.
20 - Post information and facts about gun violence in America so your friends and family can learn more
Don't go all social media crazy about gun control, but do spend some time spreading the newfound knowledge that you have now that you KNOW THE FACTS! Everytown has a great learning center here.
For example: (Note: These are not updated)
Did you know that 104 people die every day from guns in America?
Did you know that 34,000 people die every year because of guns?
Did know know that 2/3 of those 33,000 are people who kill themselves? And that suicide via a gun is almost 100% effective?
Did you know that the NRA stopped all federal research into gun violence at the CDC?
21 - block the gun "trolls" on social media
Block, report, ban -- do whatever it takes so that you don't waste your precious time attempting to "reason" with gun nuts who believe things like the murder of 26 at Sandy Hook was a "false flag" operation by the Obama administration designed to allow the government to confiscate guns from Americans.
Don't spend a second with them.
Bye bye.
22 - volunteer for politicians that support gun controls
Not a big wig with a ton of money?
Volunteer for the candidate(s) that believe what you believe in.
Know what? You can actually get to meet the candidate (over pizza) and talk to them, 1 on 1, about your views on guns.
They will listen.
23 - speak at your house of worship or community group about gun control
Offer to speak to your community. Start a conversation.
24 - buy some awesome gun control "wear" and show it off at community events
There are some great shirts you can buy now from some of the organizations listed at the top of the page. I personally love my "Wear Orange" from Everytown.
PS: Don't forget to take a change of clothes if you are met with hostile crowds of gun nuts.
25 - Read a good book about guns and then suggest that your book club read it
Got any good ideas? Buy a book, read it, get your book club to discuss it. Take action.
I would suggest any book by Mike Weisser. Click here to find some at Amazon.com !
26 - Register for the Brady annual gun prevention summit in DC
Check out the Brady website for the latest on this event.
27 - Tell Cabela’s: #NoCheckNoSale
Via Moms Demand Action:
An NRA-backed amendment to the 1993 Brady Bill created a loophole that—over the last five years—has allowed more than 15,000 gun sales to dangerous people because a background check could not be completed within the three-day period required by the law. The Federal Bureau of Investigation recently revealed that the Charleston shooter obtained a gun despite an incomplete background check due to this loophole in the law.
Some retailers, like Wal-Mart, have instituted policies to prohibit the sale of a gun to a customer who hasn’t actually passed a completed background check. We are calling on gun retailers–starting with Cabela’s–to put public safety first. More than 100,000 have already called on Cabela’s to adopt a NoCheck, NoSale policy. Make sure Cabela’s gets the message: sign our petition today.
28 - PLEDGE TO SUPPORT ONLY CANDIDATES WHO WILL FIGHT TO implement gun controls
Via CSGV: (CSGV is now gone)
The responsibility of enacting common-sense gun laws in the United States lies with us all.
Most Americans care about the issue of gun violence. We are deeply affected by the coverage of gun-related tragedies we see in the media, and by the tragedies that strike closer to home, affecting acquaintances, friends, and even family.
But how many of us are making the issue of gun control a priority when we head to the polls to cast votes for candidates for elected office?
How many of us have voted for a candidate who was good on many of the issues that matter to us, but terrible on guns? And yet we gave him/her a free pass.
No more. With 32,000+ Americans dying each and every year from gun violence, there can be no more free passes.
29 - Petition For Safe Gun Storage
At least 1.5 million children in the U.S. are living in homes with unlocked and loaded guns. Every day at least 6 children under 18 are injured in an unintentional shooting and every three days a child dies.
This is unacceptable.
Safe storage laws intended to make firearms less accessible to young children and teenagers prevent unintentional shooting deaths as well as teen suicides. Yet only 28 states have child access prevention laws. Some are so weak they merely prohibit an adult from directly providing a firearm to a minor.