Feb. 19th – Tipping point

We’re going to put out a special gun protest call for Ventura activists later but let’s start with this.

“We’re children. You guys are the adults. You need to take some action and play a role.” (CNN)

There are two big student-led protests planned – March for our lives 3/24 and 4/20 as well as the Women’s March event on 3/14. The May 1st action has been cancelled in favor of the 4/20 version.  We believe that more is better and recognize that protests involving students are more complicated to plan and accomplish than those mainly populated with adults. We support them all and will be updating you on how we can become involved.

With the students of Parkland calling out the president and other NRA lackeys by name, we are at a tipping point. #NeverAgain #MarchForOurLives @AMarch4OurLives

Action: Encourage young people to take their commitment to the next step by liking and following this page https://www.facebook.com/menext2018/.

We are also looking into protests for the rest of us too…

We who have ever  worried about a recently-fired employee coming back and shooting us or a loved one.

We who have ever worried about whether a former boyfriend or husband might be dangerous. In the US, a woman is shot to death by an intimate partner at the rate of every one every 16 HOURS. More savage statistics here.

We who worry that the GOP will overthrow all the protections that our state has fought to put in place to satisfy their NRA obligations, starting with nationwide concealed-carry reciprocity.

Vigils have already taken place all over the country and students and their families stood outside the NRA headquarters in Fairfax, VA, last Friday. DC teens are now holding a lie-in at White House.

Warming up…

Make the NRA’s endorsement radioactive.

#NoNRAMoney features two petitions, one allowing candidates to publicly reject NRA support, and the other for voters to vow to oppose any candidate who takes NRA money. We can take the pledge, and ask candidates to take it, at https://www.nonramoney.org

Action #1: Sign this petition https://www.nonramoney.org

Action #2: Email this link to your senators and reps. Even those you know who support gun control.

Senator Harris, Senator Feinstein, Rep. Brownley (CA-26), Rep. Carbajal (CA-24):

If these aren’t your people, go here: http://www.phoneyourrep.com

Make legislators give their NRA money to gun violence protection groups.

In the wake of the Las Vegas tragedy, two representatives–Representatives Tim Ryan (Ohio) and Tim Walz (Minnesota)–have donated previous NRA contributions to gun violence protection groups. Our representatives and senators here Indivisible-Ventura territory are not recipients of NRA largess, but if you know people with GOP legislators across the country, contact them and ask them to click on this link, find out how much their leaders have gotten from the NRA, and ask them to start or continue the petition drive.

Here’s the overall California situation.

• Demand Representative Tom McClintock give back or donate $66,234 in NRA support. Sign the petition.
• Demand Representative Darrell Issa give back or donate $37,636 in NRA support. Sign the petition.
• Demand Representative Dana Rohrabacher give back or donate $34,817 in NRA support. Sign the petition.
• Demand Representative Jeff Denham give back or donate $46,861 in NRA support. Sign the petition.
• Representative Doug LaMalfa has received $9,590 in NRA support. No one has started a petition yet. Can you start a petition if this is your representative?
• Representative Paul Cook has received $7,000 in NRA support. No one has started a petition yet. Can you start a petition if this is your representative?
• Representative David Valadao has received $51,570 in NRA support. No one has started a petition yet. Can you start a petition if this is your representative?
• Representative Kevin McCarthy has received $33,940 in NRA support. No one has started a petition yet. Can you start a petition if this is your representative?
• Representative Steve Knight has received $13,487 in NRA support. No one has started a petition yet. Can you start a petition if this is your representative?
• Representative Ed Royce has received $38,800 in NRA support. No one has started a petition yet. Can you start a petition if this is your representative?
• Representative Ken Calvert has received $61,125 in NRA support. No one has started a petition yet. Can you start a petition if this is your representative?
• Representative Mimi Walters has received $4,000 in NRA support. No one has started a petition yet. Can you start a petition if this is your representative?
• Representative Duncan Hunter has received $13,000 in NRA support. No one has started a petition yet. Can you start a petition if this is your representative?

Repeat Friday’s actions. Rinse and repeat until this is done

Senators

Action: Call your Rep. and ask them to oppose this bill. How-to-call information at bottom.

Minimal Script: I’m calling from [zip code] to ask Sen. [___] to not only vote “HELL NO” on S.446 – Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2017, but to do whatever is necessary to get S.2095 – Assault Weapons Ban of 2017 passed.

More Script if you want it: Ask for these too!

• Closing the loophole that lets people buy guns at shows and through private sellers without background checks. Here are California gunshow laws and private sales laws.

• Instituting universal background checks for ammo and gun buyers, a measure 80% of gun owners support. Here are California laws
• Removing the Dickey Rider from the federal budget and finally allowing the CDC to research gun violence prevention
• Funding evidence-based community antiviolence programs, like Ceasefire, which have been shown to reduce shootings

Representatives

Action: Call your Rep. and tell them to press for our safety. How-to-call information at bottom.

Minimal Script: I’m calling from [zip code] to ask Rep. [___] to pass legislation to close the gun show/private owner loophole, to provide for universal background checks, to remove the Dickey rider preventing research and fund programs like Ceasefire.

More Script if you want it: Ask for these too!

• H.R.4268 – Gun Safety: Not Sorry Act of 2017 to provide for a 7-day waiting period before a semiautomatic firearm, a silencer, armor piercing ammunition, or a large capacity ammunition magazine may be transferred.
• H.R. 4168: Closing the Bump-Stock Loophole Act
• H.R. 3999: To amend title 18, United States Code, to prohibit the manufacture, possession, or transfer of any part or combination of parts that is designed and functions to increase the rate of fire of a semiautomatic rifle but does not convert the semia

Join us in voter registration and canvassing drives.

Indivisibleventura.org – check out the “Events” column

How to contact your legislators

Rep. Julia Brownley: (CA-26): DC (202) 225-5811, Oxnard (805) 379-1779, T.O. (805) 379-1779

or Rep. Salud Carbajal: (CA-24): DC (202) 225-3601, SB (805) 730-1710 SLO (805) 546-8348

Which one is yours?: http://www.phoneyourrep.com

Senator Feinstein: DC (202) 224-3841, LA (310) 914-7300, SF (415) 393-0707, SD (619) 231-9712, Fresno (559) 485-7430

and Senator Harris: DC (202) 224-3553, LA (213) 894-5000, SAC (916) 448-2787, Fresno (559) 497-5109, SF (415) 355-9041, SD (619) 239-3884

Other Rep./Senator Contacts: http://www.phoneyourrep.com

Readings:

Mentally ill people aren’t killers. Angry people are.