Are you sick and tired of the NRA?
I am. After the Newtown massacre in 2012, I remember thinking, "Finally, Congress will act to combat violence." Instead, our senators and representatives were bullied by the NRA into opposing the most commonsense gun laws—and a handful of Democrats joined Republicans in filibustering reforms.
Now, after the horrendous events in Oregon, there is another moment when Americans of conscience from all parts of the country and the political spectrum are shouting for laws to reduce gun violence.
And we're being told: No, the NRA will never let it happen.
Well, maybe it's time the NRA isn't in charge of Washington—which is why MoveOn is going to launch an organizing effort focused on uniting the progressive grassroots and the majority of reasonable gun owners to act as a counterweight against the NRA.
Whether you're a gun owner or not, we need your help right now—to get this effort off the ground and take on the NRA directly in Washington, D.C.
Will you pitch in $3 and help us in a new push against the horrifying and pernicious impact of the NRA?
MoveOn is a community of 8 million members—enough to find thousands of folks who own guns AND believe we need tighter gun laws to prevent killings like last week's.
If thousands of responsible gun owners can come together, they can challenge the NRA's claim that it speaks for all gun owners.
There are many Americans who own guns for hunting, recreation, and self-defense. But the NRA doesn't speak for them. Instead, as Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid said recently, "the NRA and its leadership are committed to a radical agenda that allows criminals and mentally ill Americans to access guns to commit these terrible acts."1
Recent polls show that a majority of gun owners want sensible laws, such as closing gun show loopholes and reducing the size of ammo clips.2 The NRA opposes any measure that would make Americans safer. Instead, it capitalizes on fear, calls for more guns, and pays back its large benefactors in the firearm manufacturing industry.
Enough. Sensible gun owners are speaking up—and we're reaching out to Americans who own guns and those who don't in order to mount a real campaign to push back against the NRA. Can you chip in $3 and help support this new effort?
We've seen this script before. Americans clamor for change following a tragedy. Politicians declare, "something must be done." The NRA threatens to beat politicians who support gun laws in the next election. And politicians back down.
We need to change this script. If more gun owners speak out against the NRA, they will sap the NRA's power. And if more of us have the backs of politicians who stand up for sensible laws, we can beat the NRA in next year's elections—and break the hold they have on American politics.
So, are you with us?
Thanks for all you do.
–Anna, Erica, Robert, Jo, and the rest of the team
Sources:
1. "Reid starts new gun-control push, calls Republicans 'puppets' of NRA," Politico, October 5, 2015
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=307703&id=133346-10220574-Jnsx%3DMx&t=1
2. "Large Majority of Americans—Including Gun Owners—Support Stronger Gun Safety Policies," Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, June 3, 2015
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=307704&id=133346-10220574-Jnsx%3DMx&t=2
Want to support our work? MoveOn member contributions have powered our work together for more than 17 years. Hundreds of thousands of people chip in each year—which is why we're able to be fiercely independent, answering to no individual, corporation, politician, or political party. You can become a monthly donor by clicking here, or chip in a one-time gift here.
This email was sent to eddie alfaro on October 7, 2015. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.
No comments:
Post a Comment