The importance of bumper stickers and gun control

Dear concerned person,

We all woke up to the tragic news of the killing of at least 12 people and the wounding of many more at a late-night screening of the new Batman movie in Colorado.

Reports indicate that the disturbed individual who committed this horrifying act had a bulletproof vest, used some kind of gas canister, and had multiple guns when he opened fire in the crowded theater.¹ A three-month-old is among the injured.²

We are immeasurably sad for those who lost their lives, those wounded, and their families—and for all those who experienced the horror of those terrible moments. Let our thoughts and prayers go out to them today.

We're also so angry. From children's lives lost in school shootings, to Trayvon Martin, the Representative Gabrielle Giffords attack, and this latest slaughter of innocents, we are not safe from gun violence.

Mayors Against Illegal Guns has been campaigning to put a stop to senseless gun violence like this with commonsense measures, like fixing gun checks to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people. They've started a petition in SignOn.org to demand action on ending gun violence.

Sadly, it often takes moments like these to bring politicians to their senses about guns. And while signing a petition seems so inadequate in the face of what happened last night, it's important to do what we can. Today that means taking a small step toward preventing this kind of tragedy from happening again.

Sign the Mayors Against Illegal Guns petition to our leaders: "Join me in standing with the victims and families of the Aurora, Colorado shooting and pledge to end gun violence."

The people who died at the Colorado theater last night are only 12 of the 34 people statistics tell us will die from gun violence today—and among 190,000 murdered with guns since the attack on Representative Giffords in Tuscon.³

And yet today isn't about statistics. It's about the pain of human loss—the loss suffered by the community of Aurora, Colorado. And the losses to gun violence suffered today and every day by other communities, whose tragic stories won't be covered on the news.

It's in the power of Congress to greatly reduce these senseless shootings and make tragedies like today's far less possible. They can start by enacting commonsense measures, like fixing giant loopholes in gun checks, that are supported by the vast majority of Americans—including gun owners.⁴

Let our anger today help give them the courage to act tomorrow.

Sign the Mayors Against Illegal Guns petition to our leaders: "Join me in standing with the victims and families of the Aurora, Colorado shooting and pledge to end gun violence."

The strength and support we draw from our friends, families, and communities are never more important than on days like today.

Thanks. Bye for now.