Ban Assault Weapans Now! MARCH AND RALLY FOR THE LAS VEGAS MASSACRE

JOIN GAYS against GUNS TONIGHT for our MARCH and RALLY from Union Square Park to the RED STAIRCASE at TKTS in TIMES SQUARE!

Gun violence is KILLING US. Gun violence is an EPIDEMIC. Gun violence is a PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS.

GUN VIOLENCE IS CURABLE!!!

We will gather in Union Square Park (across from Whole Foods on 14th Street) at 6:00pm and then we’ll march up Broadway at 6:30pm to arrive at the RED STAIRCASE at 7:00pm, where we’ll rally from 7:00pm-8:00pm.

It is NOT ACCEPTABLE that AMERICANS are getting slaughtered. If you agree, PLEASE JOIN US TONIGHT!

That was the call from Gays against Guns in response to news of the mass shooting in Las Vegas.

Getty Images

Concert-goers flee the Harvest Festival concert in Las Vegas during Sunday’s shooting.

"Its time-for-normal-gunowners-to-decide-where-their-loyalties-lie-with-the-nra-or-the-usa?" asked BrettArends. 

"How much longer are we going to put up with this?

How many more innocents have to die before we start standing up to the National Rifle Association? How many more concert-goers have to be massacred? How many more party-goers? How many more children? How many more kids on the street? How many more policemen?

The massacre in the Harvest Festival concert in Las Vegas is no isolated event. A staggering 30 Americans are murdered with guns every day.

Every. Single. Day.

That’s 11,000 a year. The equivalent of a 9/11 every 14 weeks.

And that’s not even counting the people who use a gun to commit suicide. That’s just the murders.

And yet we do nothing."

"Why is congress so afraid of the NRA?" I wrote after word about the mass murder. 

Gun control was a huge election issue last year. It probably lost Hillary the election.

But it wasn't always such a controversial issue.  

The Supreme Court has ruled over and over again that restrictions are fine for personal ownership of guns. 

"Well regulated" is the language in the second amendment of the constitution, implying we can restrict gun ownership and support the constitution. 

Olivier Strauch notes: "Also "militia," the word that comes immediately after those two, which means we can limit gun ownership to people in, basically, the national guard. But don't tell anyone [except the supreme court.]"

"Gun control before tax reform. Now is the time," noted my friend Laura.

"But if you restrict gun access you are going to see a hundred Wacos" noted Andy, standing in Union Square. 

"They are not even paid that well," noted Virginia, of GAG, holding a sign showing how much the NRA donates to politicians. 

"When I talked with voters last year," Caroline explained, reflecting on phone banking for sensible gun laws, "one woman said she would put a pistol in her babies pampers if there were holster.  They equate civil liberties with gun ownership."  She called for us to boycott states with weak gun laws.

"I'm not sure anything will ever change here" one observer noted in Union Square.

"I hope something will happen," noted Jay.

Without restrictions, today our policy is to allow mass killings. 

But some people are changing their minds.  

Caleb Keeter of the Josh Abbott Band performed in Las Vegas on Sunday.   He always said he had been a proponent of the second amendment. "Until the events of last night.... We need gun control right NOW," he wrote.  "My biggest regret is that I stubbornly  didn't realize it until my brothers on the road and myself were threatened by it." 

 While I applaud his change of mind, I wonder where he was after Columbine, Virginia Tech, Sandy Hook and Orlando?  Why does it take impacting someone individually before they can  look out for others.  Where was the empathy then?  Why do we lack of empathy in the US? Ted Cruz, of Texas, opposed storm relief aid after Sandy hit the East Coast. But now he wants aid for Texas.  The same thing could be repeated about any number of issues. 

But everyone can change. We can change.  Our laws can change. 

We've seen enough of this. We've passed gun controls before.  We can do it again.  But to do so, congress needs courage.

Living in the USA today, it feels like threats are everywhere.
The government doesn't care.
Instead we're dodging bullets every day. 

Jimmy Kimmel talked about the massacre on his show.  He:

...could barely get through his monologue last night as he addressed the massacre in his hometown. He also directed part of his remarks at the politicians who continuously vote to make gun laws more relaxed.
"With all due respect, your thoughts and your prayers are insufficient. and by the way, the House of Representatives will be voting on a piece of legislation this week. It's a bill to legalize the sale of silencers for guns. This is what they're working on. We have a major problem with gun violence in this country and I guess they don't care. If I'm wrong on that, fine, do something about it because I'm sick of it. And you know, I want this to be a comedy show. I hate talking about stuff like this. I just want to laugh about things every night, but that -- it seems to becoming increasingly difficult lately. It feels like someone has opened a window into hell. And what i'm talking about tonight isn't about gun control. It's about common sense. Common sense says no good will ever come from allowing a person to have weapons that can take down 527 Americans at a concert."

 

As always, Erik McGregor was at the action. He took some lovely shots.

 

"After Columbine they did nothing. After Virginia Tech they did nothing. After Sandy Hook they did nothing. After Orlando they did nothing. After Las Vegas... enough! Doing nothing is not an option! Demand Congress do it's job and ban assault weapons now -- sign with one click!"
BAN ASSAULT WEAPONS NOW