Quote by David Barnhart, Methodist Pastor
A fleet of 52 yellow school buses formed a mile-long procession to Sen. Ted Cruz’s house in Houston last Thursday morning — 4,368 empty seats to honor the number of children killed by gun violence since 2020.
The procession, dubbed the ‘NRA Children’s Museum,’ was set up by artist Manuel Oliver whose son, Joaquin, was shot and killed in the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School massacre in Parkland, Florida in 2018.
“It’s partially with the intention that some people will think this is truly an NRA museum,” Oliver told BuzzFeed News. The first bus carried items from school shooting victims and the top of every bus also lists the city and date of the site of mass shootings that took place in America since 2020.
Action #1 – Invite kids you know to get involved in the “Yellow Bus Project”
This letter was written in 2013 by Manuel Oliver’s then-12-year-old son Joaquin Oliver, who later lost his life in the Parkland shooting.
The Yellow Bus Project invites kids across America to demand stricter gun laws. The powerful visual of a school bus will become a vehicle for change everywhere in the country. Join us in the fight against gun violence at ChangeTheRef.org, which uses creativity to bring focus to the NRA’s corrupt maneuvers to buy lawmakers, while inspiring solutions which are essential to healing mass shooting victims’ families’ lifelong grief. Its ultimate goal is to give the young generation a disrupting voice to help lead the way to change — a more peaceful future.
In the meantime, contact the senators who are funded by the NRA.
- List of Senators and Career NRA Funding: here.
- Contact information for all senators here: https://whoismyrepresentative.com
Tweet to Ted Cruz here.
Action #2 – FEDERAL: Tell your legislators we expect substantive change.
“It’s a shame on us as a nation,” Oliver said. “We are at a point where any option is a miracle. The latest gun measures, we all know it was not enough. The guys that wrote it knew it was not enough. We think of ourselves as the most powerful nation in the world — and I hate that we’re OK with solutions that are clearly not enough.” Ted Cruz was chosen first, not only because he’s has received a total of $749,000 from the NRA, but also because of his pro-gun commentary after the Uvalde massacre, in which he repeated the organization’s talking points by suggesting the school might have avoided the shooting by having fewer doors. Others have received large amounts, as well and should expect the bus caravan outside their offices shortly.
Federal Contacts
- Rep. Julia Brownley (CA-26): email, DC (202) 225-5811, Oxnard (805) 379-1779, T.O. (805) 379-1779
- or Rep. Salud Carbajal (CA-24): email. DC (202) 225-3601, SB (805) 730-1710 SLO (805) 546-8348
- Senator Feinstein: email, DC (202) 224-3841, LA (310) 914-7300, SF (415) 393-0707, SD (619) 231-9712, Fresno (559) 485-7430
- and Senator Padilla: email, DC (202) 224-3553, LA (310) 231-4494, SAC (916) 448-2787, Fresno (559) 497-5109, SF (415) 981-9369, SD (619) 239-3884
- Who is my representative/senator?: https://whoismyrepresentative.com
Action #3 – STATE: Thank everyone involved for passing these Brady bills (UPDATE – ADD NEWSOM TO YOUR CALL LIST!)
Minimal call script to Governor Newsom: I’m a CA resident and I want to thank Governor Newsom for signing substantive bills to reduce gun violence into law. Thanks also to you for your hard work answering these calls. (Read more here.)
- NOW LAW! AB-1594 Firearms: Civil Suits. This bills allows the state, local governments and private Californians to sue gun makers. (Read more here and here.)
- NOW LAW! AB 2156 – Firearm Manufacturing –(Closes loopholes that currently allow individuals and corporations to manufacture large numbers of firearms without complying with standard manufacturer requirements.)
- NOW LAW! AB-1769 (STEVE BENNETT)– Firearms: prohibited places. Stops sales of firearm, firearm precursor part, or ammunition on the property or in the buildings that comprise the VENTURA COUNTY Fair and Event Center, in Ventura & Ventura county)
- NOW LAW! AB 2239 – 10-Year Gun Ban Expansion– This bill adds additional misdemeanors to the list of crimes for which the 10-year ban from owning or possessing firearms applies.
- NOW LAW! SB 915 – Prohibits the sale of firearms, firearm precursor parts and ammunition on state property, as specified.
- NOW LAW! AB-1621 – Firearms: unserialized firearms.
- NOW LAW! AB 228 – Requires the Department of Justice, beginning January 1, 2024, to conduct inspections of dealers at least every three years, except for a dealer whose place of business is located in a jurisdiction that has adopted an inspection program.
- NOW LAW! AB 311 by Assemblymember Christopher Ward (D-San Diego) – Prohibits the sale of firearm precursor parts on the property of the 22nd District Agricultural Association, the Del Mar Fairgrounds.
- NOW LAW! AB 1842 – Prohibits licensed firearms dealers from charging more than 5 percent of the purchase price of the firearm as a restocking or other return-related fee when the purchase of the firearm is canceled by the buyer within 10 days of the application, with an exception for special order firearms.
- NOW LAW! SB 906 – Requires local educational agencies to annually provide information to parents about California’s child access prevention laws and laws relating to the safe storage of firearms; requires school officials to report to law enforcement any threat or perceived threat of a homicidal act; and requires law enforcement or the school police to conduct an investigation and threat assessment, including a review of the Department of Justice’s firearm registry and a search of the school and/or student’s property by law enforcement or school police, if certain conditions are met.
- NOW LAW! SB 915 – Prohibits the sale of firearms, firearm precursor parts and ammunition on state property, as specified.
- NOW LAW! SB 1327 – Firearms: private rights of action. (Read more here.)
Make some “THANK YOU” calls to the legislators!
- Minimal call script to Assemblymember Steve Bennett: I’m calling from [zip code] and I want to thank Assemblymember Bennett for introducing AB1769 to remove gun shows for our local fairgrounds & coathoring SB915, which extends that prohibition to all state-owned property. Well done! Thanks also to you for your hard work answering these calls. (or send a postcard: 89 South California Street, Suite F, Ventura, CA 93001)
- Minimal call script to Senator Monique Limón: I’m calling from [zip code] and I want to thank Senator Limón for coauthoring SB915 and AB-1769, which remove gun shows for our local fairgrounds as well as form all state-owned property. Well done! Thanks also to you for your hard work answering these calls. (or send a postcard: 300 E. Esplanade Drive, Suite 430, Oxnard, CA 93036)
- Minimal call script to Senator David Min: I’m calling from [zip code] and I want to thank Senator Min for introducing SB915 and coauthoring AB-1769, which prohibits gun shows at all state-owned property. Thanks also to you for your hard work answering these calls. (Phone – (949) 223-5472, or send a postcard: 2151 Michelson Drive, Suite 258, Irvine, CA 92612)
- Minimal call script to Assemblymember Phillip Ting: I’m calling from [zip code] and I want to thank Assemblymember Ting for introducing AB-1594 which allows us to sue gun manufacturers! Thanks also to you for your hard work answering these calls.(phone here – (415) 557-2312 or send a postcard: 455 Golden Gate Avenue, Suite 14600, San Francisco, CA 94102)
State Contacts
- Governor Gavin Newsom: email, (916) 445-2841
- State Senator Monique Limón (SD-19): sd19.senate.ca.gov/contact, SAC (916) 651-4019, SB (805) 965-0862, OX (805)988-1940
- State Senator Henry Stern (SD-27): sd27.senate.ca.gov/contact, SAC (916) 651-2027, Calabasas (818) 876-3352
- State Assemblymember Steve Bennett: (CA-37): https://a37.asmdc.org/contact, SAC (916) 319-2037, SB (805) 564-1649, VTA (805) 641-370
- State Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin: (CA-44): https://a44.asmdc.org, SAC (916) 319-2044, CAM (805) 482-1904, OX (805) 483-4488
- Not your people? Which assemblymember/state senator is mine?:findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov.
Action #4: Program your phone. Help your friends and relatives in RED states program theirs. Commit to calling your legislators. Every damn day.
Why in the world would I do that? Indivisible has, since its inception, adopted the tactics of the Tea Party – the group of hyper-conservative voters who worked together to call their legislators every day. Like a form of water torture – short calls from constituents, over and over, make legislators, who just want to be reelected, very worried.
Calling legislators works! There are lots of quotes regarding their phone call tallies whenever a sticky issue comes up, like for this Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. (which just passed both houses, BTW.)
- Earlier, we pointed out that Wyoming Sen. Cynthia Loomis, recipient of a “lifetime A plus rating” from the National Rifle Association, had, due to her office being flooded with calls from constituents wanting legislation to stop the spate of mass shootings across the country, actually publicly stated interest in red flag laws, mental health programs, school security and opening juvenile criminal records to gun background checks. However, she now informs us that calls, undoubted organized by pro-GOP and NRA groups, have now turned “massively” against the pending deal.
- Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), who voted against advancing the deal Tuesday, summarized the message he has gotten from voters as: “Stand tall. … Don’t give up, don’t give any room on the Second Amendment.”
- Todd C. Young (R-Ind.) unopposed from a May 3 primary commented “The calls are about 10-to-1 in my office — 10 in favor of reasonable prohibitions.”
We can change their calls! Do a NAACP “Power of 5”-style phone campaign!:
- Reach out to five voters you know in RED states and teach them how to program their phones and call their legislators. Reach out an encourage them as they get used to making calls.
- Then ask each of them to do the same with five of their friends and relatives. Build a phone tree or resistance that rings the phones off GOP legislators’ desks.
Wait a minute…Why am I calling? My legislators are Democrats!
- Why do we need to call? Why do we need to call every day?”
- Answer: People who agree with your viewpoint are NOT the only ones calling. People who disagree with you will be calling every day too. Multiple times. Our legislators keep tallies of the calls. We want them to know what we think, and to tell their colleagues that they have a HUGE number of calls on a particular bill with our point of view. Being the majority is our super power. Plus, sometimes a “Democratic” legislator surprises us. (Cough, cough, Sinema) Never assume anything.
- “Why do I need to call? Why not emails, those nifty new fax services or those bot thingies?”
- Answer: Calls are answered by live people and their tally is immediate. Other methods require someone to read through your message and tally it. Later. Maybe. After face-to-face meetings and town halls, phone calls are our most powerful option.
- “Why just my own legislators? Why can’t I call all the GOP legislators who are voting for horrible bills?”
- Answer: There are two forms of power for politicians. Money and votes. Unless you can offer a substantial donation to their re-election campaigns, the only thing you’ve got is your vote. And if it’s not your own senator, you don’t even have that. Their interns on the phone will be very nice, but they will not tally your calls or email.
- “But our people aren’t on the committee that’s working on a bill I’m interested in. Logically, don’t those legislators who are on the committee have to represent us too?”
- Answer: No. No, they don’t. (Unless you are giving them a huge campaign donation. See above.) Try this thought experiment… Do you see Mitch McConnell really trying to fairly represent the wishes of progressive Californians while he sits in committees? No, neither do we. While the bill is being kicked around in the committee, start calling your own legislators to tell them what you’d like them to do if or when it hits the floor for a full vote.
- “So how do we reach those legislators in other areas?”
- Answer: Through your family and friends who live in their states. Help them program their phones with their 5 legislator contacts and teach them how to make fast calls. Keep in touch and make sure that they are confirmed to vote, especially in red states.
- OK, so what do I do? What do I say?
- We provide sample scripts with every call action. You only have to tell the intern who answers the phone what position you want the legislator to take. You don’t have to lecture or argue with them. They are just taking a tally. The formula is easy.
- 1. Be nice and say “hello.’ The interns who answer the phones have a hard job. We always try to find out their names, so we can greet them when we call again.
- 2. “I’m calling from [zip code] – this establishes that their boss is responsible to you.
- 3. “I would like Sen/Rep./Assemblymember/etc. [name] to vote [YES, NO] on [Bill name, number].”
- or “I would like Sen/Rep./Assemblymember/etc. [name] to vote [PASS, VOTE AGAINST] [describe
- legislation]”
- We provide sample scripts with every call action. You only have to tell the intern who answers the phone what position you want the legislator to take. You don’t have to lecture or argue with them. They are just taking a tally. The formula is easy.
- DONE! This usually only takes about 10 minutes to do a round of these phone calls. Try to talk to an actual person instead of leaving a message by trying different offices.
- More personal, more effort = more effect. Aside from in-person meetings at town halls and so forth, phone calls are the most effective form of communicating with your members of Congress. Phone calls can’t be ignored. Emails, and social-media posts, and petitions can be ignored. Letters – also a lot of effort, especially those with personal stories the legislator can share, are powerful tools as well. Feel free to write/email/post on social media, but only if you make a phone call as well.
Resources
- (NAACP) Gun Violence Prevention Issue Brief
- (Brady) The Brady Plan – A Comprehensive Approach to Prevent Gun Violence
- (MFOL) It Ends With Us – A Plan to Reinmagine Public Safety
- (DavidHogg) Mass shootings can be stopped only if we work together. Americans can stop the violence and it starts by joining one of 450 marches nationwide
- (Black2thefuture) Roadmap 2022 – A Black, Progressive Policy Brief
- (indivisibleventura) “‘No Way To Prevent This,’ Says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens.”
- (indivisibleventura) Gun violence is a national health emergency. Ask Biden and our legislators to treat it that way.
- Note to those who were wondering: Type C bus models — typically have a capacity of about 80 passengers. These capacities are calculated with three students per seat.
INDIVISIBLE VENTURA 