Call to Arms
“If you haven’t been impacted by gun violence, great … [but] it’s coming to your community. No one is going to get out of this unscathed.”
Shannon Watts, gun violence activist and founder of Moms Demand Action
I was just about to post my July blog when news of the Highland Park, Illinois shooting showed up in my social media feeds.
The timing was profoundly ironic. I had written about the joys of returning to in-person gatherings, reflecting on how good it felt to be back in (small) crowds in which there was delight in the expected - and unexpected - moments.
After a mass shooting in which seven people died and 40 were injured, the idea of an unexpected turn of events all of a sudden carried a whole new meaning.
Especially in a town that’s just 14 miles away. One I go to frequently. A town with tight gun limits that includes a ban on semi-automatic weapons. A town in which I had considered making a stop in that day for an errand. The town where I was born.
So I will not be ruminating on the virtues of being together. At least not right now. Gathering in public places asks something different of us now. Now we think twice before walking into a school or a synagogue or a church or a mosque or a supermarket or concert. Now, a parade.
I am no expert on this subject, but I have faith in facts. So I am choosing to let some numbers tell the story and move you to act in a way that makes sense for you. I’m choosing to donate funds to the organizations listed at the end of this post.
The Numbers
100 -number of people killed by a gun every day
12 - number of children who die every day from gun violence
977 - school shootings since Sandy Hook
18-21 - peak ages for offenders with firearms
8 million - number of AR-15s in circulation
98 - percentage of mass shooters who are men
89 - percentage of gun owners who favor background checks
79 - percentage of murders that involved a firearm
less than 1 - percentage of people who defended themselves with a gun
Data reported by National Public Radio in May 2022.
I’ll leave you with these words from the founder of gun safety activist Shannon Watts:
“If arming more people meant that we would be safer, we would be the safest country on earth.”
Photo by Brian Cassella, The Chicago Tribune
Organizations Fighting for Gun Safety
The Coalition to Stop Gun Violence
Upcoming Events
A few spaces are still available for my “Writing In Place” workshop at The Clearing Folk School next month.
Join me on Friday, August 5 for a daylong workshop in a stunningly beautiful place.