August 19, 2019
“No more silence, end gun violence!”
Following the recent mass shootings in El Paso and Dayton, more than 200 people gathered yesterday afternoon in Foley Square to demand the government do something about it. Moms Demand Action called for nationwide ‘recess rallies’ to place Congress on notice that voters are deadly serious about this issue. Protest signs and speakers took aim at Senate Majority Leader McConnell who has refused to call a vote on House-passed legislation making background checks mandatory for all gun sales.
“Guns down, lives up!”
In an unfortunate coincidence for him, McConnell boasted last Spring that he’s the Grim Reaper on Capitol Hill, making sure that no Progressive bills become laws. Now, with more mass shootings than days so far in 2019, the Grim Reaper is blocking legislation that could make them less frequent. And if that wasn’t bad enough, he’s been nicknamed “Moscow Mitch” for a recent big investment in his home state of KY by a Russian oligarch.
“If guns made this country safe, we’d be the safest country on Earth.”
U.S. Representative Carolyn Maloney NY-12 addressed the rally. “If today’s a typical day, more than a hundred people will die at the barrel of a gun.” And “I don’t want to hear any more about prayer. We need action.” Trenelle Gabay, the widow of Gov. Andrew Cuomo‘s aide Carey Gabay who was killed in a Brooklyn crossfire, shared her story along with several others who lost a loved one to gun violence.
The crowd chanted, “Vote them out!”
According to a recent poll conducted by Fox News, support for background checks is high. Some 92% of Ds, 89% of Rs, and 93% of gun owning households favor them. With those lopsided numbers the pressure is on McConnell to bring the House passed bills to the Senate floor if he knows what’s good for him…as a demanding Mom might put it.