Target: Governor Gina Raimondo of Rhode Island
Goal: Motivate governor to continue reforming gun laws in the Ocean State.
Rhode Island recently became the latest state to pass stronger gun safety laws in response to increasing mass shootings across the country. With majority support, now it’ll be illegal to own ¨bump stocks,¨ which are devices used to make semiautomatic weapons automatic. Owners will have 90 days to forfeit these accessories once the law goes into effect. Not doing so could result in up to 10-year prison terms or a $10,000 fine.
Another facet of the law involves a new and improved ¨red flag¨ policy that would permit firearms belonging to people of ¨imminent danger¨ to be confiscated. This way, police, family members, intimate partners and roommates can file for investigations into having guns seized from individuals deemed dangerous to themselves or others. False accusations would entail up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine.
These risk-based protection orders could prevent further tragedies across the nation where warning signs of imminent violence largely go ignored, such as the case of the Parkland High School shooting in Florida where the FBI failed to act upon tips about Nikolas Cruz’s potential to perform terrorism. Due to former ForceChange petitions, online activism is certainly playing its role in prompting political responses. Sign the petition to praise Governor Raimondo of Rhode Island for joining the nationwide campaign against gun violence while also encouraging her to keep pushing for regulations.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Governor Raimondo,
On Friday June 1, Rhode Island became the latest state to protect citizens from potential gun violence thanks to your efforts. As you’re well aware, mass shootings are becoming a problem of epidemic proportions. Since Colombine in 1999, over 215,000 students at more than 190 schools have experienced gun violence. So far in 2018, there has been at least one school shooting a week. While Americans stand divided on the Second Amendment, let us congratulate you for your achievement in banning bump stocks and enacting intervention measures – but your continual advocacy for progressive reform is still needed.
As your colleagues plan to introduce other bills to prohibit high-capacity ammunition magazines and semiautomatic weapons, please remember that there’s still much work to be done in areas like background checks and the variety of lethal firearms available on the market. Today politicians backed by the National Rifle Association (NRA) are attempting to sow confusion about the most important reason for gun violence. Gun violence isn’t exacerbated by mental health, backpacks, students prescribed Ritalin or lack of security – it’s availability. In memory of those who died in mass shootings, keep pursuing reformist ballots in Rhode Island to set positive examples for other states as the battle for a constitutional amendment continues.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo credit: Lorie Shaull
do we need guns? no.
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