I
remember where I was when I first saw the “Breaking News” on my iPhone: there
had been a mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown,
Connecticut. I was sitting in an
elementary school classroom with a cadre of teachers—we were there to learn new
strategies for teaching reading.
remember where I was when I first saw the “Breaking News” on my iPhone: there
had been a mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown,
Connecticut. I was sitting in an
elementary school classroom with a cadre of teachers—we were there to learn new
strategies for teaching reading.
I remember how my heart sank. I remember what
it felt like to be a mom wondering how those moms—and dads—of the fallen Sandy Hook
children could possibly cope with such broken hearts. I wondered how I could
live in a country that lets massacres like the one at Sandy Hook happen, and
Columbine, and the Sikh Temple in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, and the movie theater
in Aurora, Colorado, and all the countless other tragic places that shootings
have happened.
it felt like to be a mom wondering how those moms—and dads—of the fallen Sandy Hook
children could possibly cope with such broken hearts. I wondered how I could
live in a country that lets massacres like the one at Sandy Hook happen, and
Columbine, and the Sikh Temple in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, and the movie theater
in Aurora, Colorado, and all the countless other tragic places that shootings
have happened.
Apparentlyanother mom, in another city, had the same reaction. But she turned her shock and horror into
action. That mom is Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense
in America. Shannon, who lives in the Indianapolis area, is a mother of five. A
former communications executive for high powered companies, she was at the time
of the Sandy Hook shootings a stay at home mom.
In
a recent interview on the Katie Couric show, Shannon described how she started
what would become a national grassroots movement by simply posting a page on
Facebook. I remember seeing that page
when it had only several hundred likes. Now it has over 152,000 likes, and the
non-profit organization Moms Demand Action has a webpage and chapters in every
state of our nation.
a recent interview on the Katie Couric show, Shannon described how she started
what would become a national grassroots movement by simply posting a page on
Facebook. I remember seeing that page
when it had only several hundred likes. Now it has over 152,000 likes, and the
non-profit organization Moms Demand Action has a webpage and chapters in every
state of our nation.
And
it turns out that determined Moms can have a very powerful voice. When visiting the nation’s capitol building in
Washington D.C. Shannon and her fellow Moms realized that when they had diaper
bags and strollers in the hallways, legislators couldn’t get by without talking
with them and listening to their concerns. “Stroller Jams” are now a strategic
tool to get lawmakers and other stakeholders to listen.
it turns out that determined Moms can have a very powerful voice. When visiting the nation’s capitol building in
Washington D.C. Shannon and her fellow Moms realized that when they had diaper
bags and strollers in the hallways, legislators couldn’t get by without talking
with them and listening to their concerns. “Stroller Jams” are now a strategic
tool to get lawmakers and other stakeholders to listen.
When
they learned that Starbucks had banned smoking outside their restaurants, but were
allowing people to carry guns inside, the Moms mounted a successful campaign to pressure Starbucks to change their gun policy.
they learned that Starbucks had banned smoking outside their restaurants, but were
allowing people to carry guns inside, the Moms mounted a successful campaign to pressure Starbucks to change their gun policy.
And
more recently, the Moms’ voices were heard by Facebook, which agreed to block postings of gun sales that don’t require a background check and to block minors
from seeing postings of gun sales.
more recently, the Moms’ voices were heard by Facebook, which agreed to block postings of gun sales that don’t require a background check and to block minors
from seeing postings of gun sales.
Shannon
says she isn’t out to take guns away from people; she supports the Second Amendment. But she is adamant that “with rights
come responsibilities.” There is an
“epidemic of gun violence in this country,” she says. The stark statistic is
that eight children and teens are shot and killed every single day. With this
in mind, her goal is to change easy and unregulated access to guns with common
sense laws.
says she isn’t out to take guns away from people; she supports the Second Amendment. But she is adamant that “with rights
come responsibilities.” There is an
“epidemic of gun violence in this country,” she says. The stark statistic is
that eight children and teens are shot and killed every single day. With this
in mind, her goal is to change easy and unregulated access to guns with common
sense laws.
But
it’s not just Shannon’s fervor and organizational skills that make her a hero
in my eyes. This woman and others in the organization have faced physical
intimidation by armed bullies at rallies and when meeting in restaurants. I guess you know you are making waves when
the opposition turns out toting AK47s and rifles to face you down—you with your
strollers and diaper bags.
it’s not just Shannon’s fervor and organizational skills that make her a hero
in my eyes. This woman and others in the organization have faced physical
intimidation by armed bullies at rallies and when meeting in restaurants. I guess you know you are making waves when
the opposition turns out toting AK47s and rifles to face you down—you with your
strollers and diaper bags.
For
one minute after the Sandy Hook tragedy I thought that maybe this country was
doomed. But now I know different.
Shannon Watts and more than a hundred and fifty thousand Moms have
decided they will not live in a country filled with gun violence. And they do
not plan to leave. They plan to make
change.
one minute after the Sandy Hook tragedy I thought that maybe this country was
doomed. But now I know different.
Shannon Watts and more than a hundred and fifty thousand Moms have
decided they will not live in a country filled with gun violence. And they do
not plan to leave. They plan to make
change.
Check
out Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America. If you are a Mom, you might
want to add your voice to theirs. And if you are not a Mom, but want common
sense gun laws and an end to the epidemic of gun violence in America, I’m
guessing they won’t turn you away.
out Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America. If you are a Mom, you might
want to add your voice to theirs. And if you are not a Mom, but want common
sense gun laws and an end to the epidemic of gun violence in America, I’m
guessing they won’t turn you away.
