We haven't heard from my friend Cathi in awhile, so I asked her to fill us in about Moms Demand Action's current successes. So please take a minute to read, learn, and respond!
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I'm a mom, I have 3 small children, and that means that there are times that I need to eat and run, but not eat next to a gun! Recently, members of a gun extremist group brought semi-automatic, loaded military-style rifles into a Dallas-area Chipotle store (photos here). What if that had been my local Chipotle? Many Chipotles serve alcohol adding a potentially dangerous mix and not one I want to be around, especially with my children. And what if I had been this family in Utah? This is a risk I am not willing to take when it comes to the safety of my family. And as a member of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America it was easy to sign a petition asking them to prohibit guns in their stores. Within just a few hours the petition received more than 10,000 signatures.
In just 48 hours, we saw a positive response from Chipotle to their customers concerns.Moms Demand Action quickly thanked Chipotle for asking customers not to bring guns to their restaurants in response to a petition.
In a statement released to media, a spokesman for Chipotle said, “...we are respectfully asking that customers not bring guns into our restaurants, unless they are authorized law enforcement personnel.” The Chipotle statement went on to say that, “...because the display of firearms in our restaurants has now created an environment that is potentially intimidating or uncomfortable for many of our customers, we think it is time to make this request.”
"Moms are grateful to Chipotle for taking quick action today to stand up for the safety and security of our families,” said Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action. “Businesses have a duty to protect their employees and patrons – especially in states where no background checks or training are required to buy semi-automatic rifles and carry them openly in public. Chipotle’s statement that firearms are not welcome in their restaurants is bold and meaningful – it shows that you can support the Second Amendment while also taking reasonable measures to ensure that Americans are safe and secure in the places we take our children.”
Moms Demand Action previously launched petitions that garnered hundreds of thousands of signatures asking Starbucks, Facebook and Jack in the Box to reform the companies’ gun policies to make customers and communities safer. Starbucks announced that guns are no longer welcome in its stores and Jack in the Box announced that it would enforce a prohibition of guns in its stores as a result of the campaigns. Facebook and Instagram also announced changes to block illegal gun sales after 230,000 Americans signed a Moms Demand Action petition asking for stronger protections against illegal gun sales on the two social media platforms. Chili's and Sonic recently joined in the effort by prohibiting open carry firearms in their establishments.
So how do you balance a #GunSense high like that with the tragedy America witnessed in California on May 23rd? What played out in Isla Vista was a gruesome and frightening slice of the stark reality that is the daily toll of gun deaths in America. Every. Single. Day. 86 Americans die at the hands of a gun. This most recent mass shooting caused America to take a long hard look at the role that guns and gun violence plays against women. Many of our nation's 'mass shootings' are related to domestic violence – the role of guns in violence against women is deadly. Additionally, women speaking up against gun violence by fighting for laws that would protect their families and communities (through measures like background checks on all gun sales) have repeatedly had to face threatening and misogynistic behavior by gun-rights activists.
These female advocates and their families have been threatened, the memories of their loved ones sullied and, even at times, the death of their loved ones questioned. Mother Jones recently wrote about some of these appalling instances, and Erica Lafferty, whose mother was killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School, wrote this response to "Joe the Plumber's" callous remarks following the Isla Vista shooting. After Richard Martinez' son, Christopher, was killed in Isla Vista, he pledged "I'm going to ask every person I can find to send a postcard to every politician they can think of with three words on it: 'Not one more'. People are looking for something to do. I'm asking people to to stand up for something. Enough is enough."
Everytown for Gun Safety and Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America launched a #NotOneMore postcard campaign that makes it simple for Americans to automatically send postcards to their members of Congress and governor - available here. For every American who signs up, Everytown will send postcards to each individual's U.S House representative, two U.S. Senators and governor. And, what's the ultimate way to honor the victims of Isla Vista, and the 86 daily victims? Commit to casting your votes as a GUN SENSE VOTER, you can sign up and learn more here.
CATHI GEESLIN | REGIONAL MANAGER - DC, MD, TN, VA
703.239.4467 | CGEESLIN@MOMSDEMANDACTION.ORG
MOMS DEMAND ACTION FOR GUN SENSE IN AMERICA
MOMSDEMANDACTION.ORG | @MOMSDEMAND
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