End Gun Violence Now

In 2022, there have been 27 school shootings so far and over 200 mass shootings. When will enough be enough? Good Shepherd Services stands with the victims of gun violence and advocates for policy and legislative changes to tighten gun control.

Students at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas were only two days away from summer vacation — an exciting time of year when children go on adventures, spend more time with family, travel to new or familiar places, and explore interests with friends. Instead, a community is mourning the loss of 19 children and two teachers while hoping for the full recovery of at least 15 students left injured after another mass shooting.

Thoughts and prayers were never enough. People are continuing to lose their lives senselessly when there are clear policy solutions that can be taken to curb the ongoing violence that plagues our nation. While we are experiencing collective despair, we must transmute that despair into a call for action. In a democracy, the united voice of the people can turn the tide.

On the federal level, we encourage everyone to contact their senators to help push through the H.R. 8 and H.R. 1446 bills to strengthen gun sales regulations, including tightening the background check process.

In NY State, we have some of the strictest gun control laws in the country, but there is more to be done. In 2022, nearly 4,000 guns were seized by all NY law enforcement agencies. This week Governor Hochul has proposed additional state gun laws. We support her proposal to raise the age to purchase guns to 21 years old as one measure to reduce gun violence. Both shooters in the recent tragedies purchased their AR-15 rifles only days after turning 18 years old.

To learn more about what states are doing well with gun violence prevention legislation, click here:

• https://giffords.org/lawcenter/resources/scorecard/

Here are gun violence prevention organizations you can support:

• https://www.everytown.org/#hold-elected-officials-accountable
• https://www.sandyhookpromise.org/
• https://giffords.org/lawcenter/gun-laws/

Learn more about gun control ideas:

• https://indivisible.org/resource/how-states-can-prevent-gun-violence

Find out about actions you can take:

• Sign this petition by Everytown that sends a message to your federal senators.
• Call NY State Assembly and Senate representatives to demand they take action on tighter NYS gun control regulations.

In Dr. Joy Degruy’s prologue to Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome: America’s Legacy of Enduring Injury and Healing (2005), she quotes an excerpt from a speech by the Rev. Dr. Patrick T. O’Neill. He asserts, “I wonder how it might affect our consciousness of our own children’s welfare if in our culture we took to greeting each other with this same daily question: “And how are the children?” This powerful yet simple question is the standard greeting for the Maasai Tribe’s warriors in East Africa.

It is time we start asking ourselves every day, “And how are the children?” We must push ourselves to answer it with honesty, integrity, and accountability towards ensuring all of our children are well.