We have a gun problem in this country (4/23/23)

We are haunted by the senseless shooting of a 16-year-old who was attempting to pick up his younger brothers and ended up at the wrong address. Ralph Yarl could be any of our kids, nephews, or grandsons. He loves science, is a good student, and plays in his school band. How many of us have spent years shepherding our kids carrying clarinets or violins or saxophones to and from music lessons or band practice? How many doorbells have we rung to pick them up from playdates? How many of us have sent older siblings to gather their younger sisters and brothers from a practice, rehearsal, or a friend’s house they have never been to before? Close your eyes and Ralph is any one of our kids. But of course, Ralph Yarl is a Black teenager and his shooting comes in a long line of senseless tragedies where a young Black man was shot because he was walking down the wrong street, playing music too loudly, jogging, or knocking on the wrong door. 

We live in a country that is in love with its guns. Our problems don’t stop at ending mass shootings. We have too many guns in this country and too many people enthralled by the inordinate uses for them. As Nicholas Kristof wrote in the New York Times, we are deluded in thinking that guns in our homes will keep us safer. The very opposite is true. Our hope lies with the youth to end this epidemic in our country. Watch this video of Ralph Yarl's high school classmates walking out in support of him, demanding justice on his behalf. It is these kids that are going to save us because we’ve failed.

With Congress unable to pass any laws to protect our children and others from this epidemic of gun violence, state legislatures are our only hope for sane gun laws. This year the Markers For Democracy 2023 Giving Circle is focused on Virginia whose off-cycle state legislative elections will be held in November. Republicans are eyeing Virginia as their next trifecta. Indeed, Republican strategist Cleta Mitchell was caught on tape at a GOP donor event last weekend saying that "she is optimistic that the Virginia Senate will flip to Republican control this year," allowing for the Republican trifecta to eliminate early voting and same-day registration in the state. Republicans already have the Governorship and a majority in the House of Delegates and are three seats away from the majority in the Senate. A Republican trifecta in Virginia would be a disaster for so many rights of Virginians, including reproductive freedom, voting rights, and sensible gun laws. This session they have already introduced Carry HB 1393, a bill authorizing the carrying of concealed handguns without a permit within the Commonwealth of Virginia. Right now, it is the slim Democratic majority in the VA Senate that stands between that bill from becoming law or not. If we lose that majority in November and fail to flip the House of Delegates, extreme measures like this will become law. And note that we are up against the presidential ambitions and deep pockets of Governor Glenn Youngkin, who will want a Republican trifecta to launch his campaign for the oval office and will spend lavishly on Republican candidates to make it happen.

But we are not without our own resources. We have been at this for almost five years and we've learned a few things. As our friend Simon Rosenberg would say, we need to get louder about Virginia. That means each of us talking to our friends and family, explaining why Virginia is the critical election in 2023, and asking them to join our 2023 giving circle. We are halfway to our goal of $50,000 and any size donation is welcome. Join us and invite friends to join us on our postcarding Zooms where we are hosting several candidates over the next few weeks who are running in these hotly contested races in Virginia. See the guests visiting us in the next two weeks described below or check our save-the-date calendar.

Recognizing that they are losing the youth vote because of their extremist positions on abortion, guns, and climate, Republicans have made their intentions clear: They aim to shut down voting on college campuses, end same-day registration, and put up other obstacles to make it harder for younger people to vote. We have learned from John Della Volpe and Simon Rosenberg the critical importance of registering young voters and we are determined to help. If you are in NYC, join us at our May 2nd event with The Civics Center whose mission includes registering all high school seniors to vote. Details are below and RSVP here. 

We have a gun problem in this country. Let’s put our energy and hope into the next generation to make their voices heard where we have failed. Their vote is their voice, and we can help them shout by getting them registered and to the polls. Together we can make a difference.