Three islanders stood on the courthouse lawn on Mother’s Day Eve, May 13, adding their support to A Mother’s Day of Action organized by Mom’s Demand Action, and Students Demand Action.
“My father had a heart attack. At the time [heart health] was a big deal, it was a number one killer so reforms were made. People changed their diets. Gun violence is the number one killer of American youth today, and there is no response which is weird to me,” Event organizer and long-time islander Ken Crawbuck said. To him, Crawbuck explained, gun violence is a health issue.
Legislation was recently signed by Washington Gov. Jay Inslee banning such high-capacity weapons making it the 10th state with such a ban. Nonprofit Everytown for Gun Safety, is working toward the prevention of gun violence is calling for a nationwide ban. Both Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action are part of Everytown’s grassroots network. The May 13 included more than 200 events in 48 states and Washington D.C. According to the Everytown website, Mother’s Day marked one week since a reported white supremacist took the lives of approximately eight people, and wounded at least seven more, in Allen, Texas, and one year since a white supremacist took the lives of 10 people and wounded three people in a grocery store in Buffalo, New York. Ten days later, May 24, marked one year since 19 children and two teachers were killed in an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas. “All of these shooters, armed with hate and a firearm, used an assault weapon to commit these heinous tragedies,” the website stated.
Crawbuck was under no illusions Congress would pass any assault rifle ban this year, he did hope it becomes an election issue. Next year 33 Senate and 435 House seats are up for reelection, and Gallop polls taken in June of 2022 found over half of Americans support such a ban.
According to Crawbuck, the response from passers-by was positive with lots of car honking, waving and thumbs up. There may have only been three attendees, however, Crawbuck explained, the gathering was also organized last minute, and registering the event with EveryTown took time. “They are very energetic and seemed a little overwhelmed by all of the support,” Crawbuck said, adding here seemed to be an increase in interest. An Everytown protest is in the works for June. To find out more information visit https://www.everytown.org/.
