You’ve reached the activism portion of today’s show. Now that you’re informed and angry, here’s what you can do about it. Today’s activism: Ending the federal ban on gun-related violence.
With 89 people dying every day because of gun-related violence, experts now estimate that guns may soon pass vehicle accidents to become the country’s leading cause of death. The president has repeatedly urged Congress not to let this become “the new normal.”
The biggest impediment to finding viable solutions is the National Rifle Association sponsored Dickey Amendment — named for its author, Former Rep. Jay Dickey of Arkansas. For almost two decades, the Center for Disease Control has been prohibited from researching the effects of firearms ownership on public health.
Despite Dickey now publicly and repeatedly declaring, “I wish we had started the proper research and kept it going all this time,” the NRA is a major spender at election time— to pro-gun candidates in both parties. So, it’s hardly a surprise to continue hearing sentiments that echo former House Speaker John Boehner’s “a gun is not a disease” defense of the governmental research ban.
With the recent high profile mass shootings dominating news coverage right before Monday’s Sandyhook anniversary, a new effort to end the ban and find a way to end gun violence is being lead by Doctors For American and Everytown for Gun Safety.
The segment notes include the Doctors For America letter in support of reinstating research funding for you to pass on through your networks to ensure that as many medical professionals as possible can sign on. Then sign and share the public letter to the House and Senate telling them to #EndTheBan on gun violence research through Everytown's Change.org petition — also available at DrsForAmerica.Org/Act and Everytown.org. The update to the petition includes links to automatically tweet your support using the #EndGunViolence and #EndTheBan hashtags as well as to connect directly to your senators and tell them to take action.
TAKE ACTION:
SHARE: "Doctors and Public Health Professionals: End the CDC Gun Violence Research Ban” from Doctors For America
SIGN, Tweet, & Call your senators: #EndGunViolence, #EndTheBan via Everytown for Gun Safety
Sources/further reading:
"Gun violence research: History of the federal funding freeze”
"Congressman Whose Amendment Ended Federal Gun Research: 'I Have Regrets’” via Talking Points Memo
National Rifle Assoc Funding Stats via OpenSecrets.org
"Ex-Rep. Dickey Regrets Restrictive Law On Gun Violence Research” via NPR
"Physicians Demand End To 20-Year-Old Ban On Gun Violence Research” via ThinkProgress
"A Lot of People Are Telling Congress to Repeal Its Gag Order on Gun Violence Research” via MotherJones
"Over 2,000 Physicians Urge Congress to End the Ban on CDC and NIH Gun Violence Research” from Doctors For America
"Why So Few Scientists Are Studying the Causes of Gun Violence” via The Smithsonian Magazine
"In First Post-Charleston Gun Vote, Congress Preserves CDC Research Ban” via The Trace
Hear the segment in context:
Episode #976 ”Another day in America"
Written by BOTL social media/activism director Katie Klabusich
