Talking Points for Gun Violence Conversations With Friends and Relatives

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March 23rd, 2013 8:31 PM

Talking Points for Gun Violence Conversations With Friends and Relatives

*Murder has been around since Cain and Abel. We will never eliminate all murder, but we can DRASTICALLY reduce it (as they have in almost every other First World democracy) by passing some very simple laws: An assault weapons ban, a ban on high-capacity ammo magazines, background checks on everyone who buys a guy and more free mental health services.

*Over ONE MILLION Americans have been killed by guns (murder, suicide, accidents) since John Lennon was shot and killed on December 8th, 1980. This is appalling and shameful and must end.

*There are almost 100 million Americans who own guns – and 200 MILLION OF US WHO DON'T. There are 4 million members of the NRA – and 310 MILLION OF US WHO AREN'T. WE are the majority – and we should start acting like it. Most importantly, the politicians had better start treating us that way and IMMEDIATELY start responding to the will of the people.

*It should be noted that 99% of gun owners will never commit a violent act with their gun. Nobody wants to take everyone's guns away.

*57% of Americans want assault weapons banned. 91% want background checks on all gun purchases, including gun shows. Every single piece of proposed gun legislation has the MAJORITY support of the American people. There is no excuse for Congress not to pass these laws.

*It took Great Britain and Australia only one gun massacre with victims in the dozens for each country to have their legislatures pass strict gun laws. We have had almost 30 gun massacres just since Columbine – and zero gun laws. The total number of gun murders in Britain in 2010: 27. In Australia: 30. In Japan: 11 in 2008.

*We are better than this. We are Americans. For over 200 years people have chosen to come HERE to escape violence and oppression and to live a better, happier and safer life. We need to pause and examine why we use so much violence – and why it seems to be a matter of our government's policy (starting unnecessary wars, the death penalty and it took forever to pass a domestic violence act when every 15 seconds in this country a woman is assaulted).