Keep Your Thoughts & Prayers
What you do today could save your child's life or their child's life.
Addie Brue (16) and Madeline Lederman (17) are seen here yelling “Do something!” at Rep. Jeremy Faison, a man who fights daily to take away basic human rights from trans people and drag queens. Like most Tennessee lawmakers on the Republican side of the aisle, Jeremy walked quickly by and ignored the cries of the people he swore an oath to serve.
WE MUST DO SOMETHING.
As you know by now, on March 27, we lost Evelyn (9), William (9), Hallie (9), Mike (61), Katherine (60), and Cynthia (61) to another tragic school shooting in Nashville. This happened in a state that allows humans whose prefrontal cortexes aren’t even fully formed to carry around weapons of mass destruction without a permit. This happened in a state that allowed the mass murderer to purchase multiple weapons from multiple gun shops while receiving professional help for a variety of mental health issues.
WE MUST DO SOMETHING.
We are 90 days into 2023. 10,321 people have died by gun violence so far this year. 417 of these people were children. And we have had 131 mass shootings.
WE MUST DO SOMETHING.
If you know anything about me, you know that I am not one for empty words. I most definitely do not want your thought and prayers—especially if you refuse to lift a finger to fix the problem you’re praying about. Keep them. No one wants them. Not even God. Especially God.
WE MUST FUCKING DO SOMETHING.
I won’t go on and on about this horrible tragedy. You’re well aware of what’s going on in Tennessee and around the country.
So, let’s talk about action. Let’s get to work. Below, I’ve listed three simple ways and one not-so-simple way you can pitch in today.
— Contact your state representatives. If you don’t know who they are, find them here. Call them. Email them. Send them a letter. Show up at their office. Demand they take action on gun control now. And if they are already fighting for more gun control, ask that they do more and try harder.
— Support Moms Demand Action. Share their stuff on social media. Send them money. Tell everyone about them. They do great work and they’re incredibly effective. A couple of years ago, I interviewed their founder, Shannon Watts. Listen to the conversation here. She inspires me so much.
— Even if you’re not from Tennessee, follow Rep. Justin Jones from Nashville (Twitter / Instagram) and Rep. Gloria Johnson from Knoxville (Twitter / Instagram). They are fighting the good fight on a daily basis in the blood-stained halls of the Tennessee State Capitol.
— Lastly, have a couple of conversations with friends or family that don’t think it’s a problem that we have more guns than people in our country. Maybe they’re convinced we are safer because of them. Meet them for coffee or drinks. Ask questions. Find common ground. Share indisputable facts. Stand your ground and speak truth but don’t be an asshole.
If you don’t feel hopeful right now, I completely understand. I find it hard to feel hopeful in moments like these. But don’t forget what Dr. King told us: “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” And don’t forget that that we are witnessing the rise of millions of children all over the country who are fucking pissed and who aren’t going to be quiet. I wish they didn’t have to beg for their lives like this but I am glad they are boldly speaking up and marching forward.
Before I go, a quick reminder to not let anyone convince you that any of this is normal. It’s not. No other peer country on the planet deals with these horrific levels of senseless and preventable violence. We can create a better world for our children and their children and their children. WE MUST.
“We can decide we’re no longer willing to accept the violence. We can turn our pain into action. What you decide to do today can save a life — maybe your child's, maybe your own.” — Jennifer Rosen Heinz
That's all for this week. Thank you for reading. I'm truly grateful. Consider forward this email to a friend? Or send them this link so they can sign up! And you can always email me. We have so much work to do. Love y'all.
Keep giving a damn, my friends!