Last week I had family visit me from Chicago, I was shocked to say the least, when my cousin told me that as of January 18th there were already 55 murders in 2013! I couldn’t believe my ears, in 18 days 55 people were killed; why didn’t I see this on CNN or Twitter? I saw a blog post a few weeks back that said “Black Men in Philadelphia More Likely to Get Shot, Than Get a Job.” As I read those words, my heart ached, what I was seeing was essentially the elimination of our young black men, a future without them and I knew, this had to end. Too many of our youth are not living to see their full potential, there has been a shift if morality and a focus on the wrong things.
When you see episodes play out like Newtown or the Aurora shootings, it seems more conversation is sparked on a national level, which is a good thing. But what we have to do is take action now on gun violence and gun laws, because truth be told, gun violence in black communities has been a problem for a very long time. President Obama has announced his plan to better protect our children and our communities by reducing gun violence in America. A host of celebrities and politicians are calling for an end to gun violence and gun law reform, check out how you can help now!
The President’s plan to
REDUCE GUN VIOLENCE
Most gun owners use their guns legally and responsibly, and the President strongly believes in an individual right to bear arms, but we need to take action to better protect our children and communities from tragic mass shootings like the one in Newtown, Connecticut.
THE PRESIDENT’S PLAN INCLUDES:
- Closing background check loopholes to keep guns out of dangerous hands
- Banning military-style assault weapons and high-capacity magazines and taking other common sense steps
- Making schools safer
- Increasing access to mental health services
HERE’S HOW YOU CAN HELP:
- Show your support for President Obama’s planAdd Your Name
- Make sure your senators and representative in Congress know you support the President’s planCall Your SenatorCall Your House Rep
- Let your friends and family know what the President and Vice President are doing to reduce gun violenceSpread the Word
For more on Obama’s Plan check out www.barackobama.com/gun-reform
