“I am here because I am a mom.” Shannon Watts, Founder, One Million Moms For Gun Control addresses the crowd at the “March On Washington For Gun Control” on January 26, 2013.
We have to confront the fact that guns, both illegally and legally obtained, are being used to hurt and kill on an epidemic scale in this country.
Katie Hurley, LCSW
It’s been nearly two months since the senseless shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School — the second deadliest school shooting in U.S. history, that claimed the lives of 20 children and six adults. As shock and overwhelming sadness touched millions of people from coast to coast, our nation stood united, for a moment, to demand answers. And yet, all we’ve managed to do, so far, is argue.
To hear the gun supporters tell it, guns don’t kill people — people kill people. Specifically the mentally ill. They have a right to bear arms, they say, and they intend to protect themselves from the viable threats lurking around each corner. They repeatedly reference the Second Amendment, conveniently leaving out the fact that the guns of today are far more sophisticated and deadly than the guns of the Second Amendment.
Arguing on Facebook and Twitter will not lead to change. As moms, we need to take action. Shannon Watts, a mother of five in Indiana, launched One Million Moms for Gun Control in response to the Sandy Hook shooting. An independent grassroots movement, One Million Moms for Gun Control fights for gun control legislation with the hope of preventing more moms from experiencing the pain and heartache of those moms who lost their children to gun violence. Moms can make a difference.
Read the entire story at allParenting.com
Katie Hurley, LCSW is a Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist and writer in Los Angeles, CA. She earned her BA in Psychology and Women’s Studies from Boston College and her MSW from the University of Pennsylvania. She divides her time between her family, her private practice and her writing. Passionate about helping parents enjoy the ride, she provides parent education and simple strategies to take the guesswork out of difficult parenting situations. She lives in the South Bay area of Los Angeles with her rock & roll husband and her two children, Riley and Liam. She believes in lattes, family time and the power of play.