This is the official twitter for MFOL Iowa, a nonprofit dedicated to youth engagement and gun violence prevention. Text OUR POWER to 954-954!
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ALT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 2, 2021 CONTACT: PRESS@MarchForOurLives.com March For Our Lives Statement on Introduction of Universal Background Checks Bill in U.S. House of Representatives and Senate "For decades, our country has accepted tens of thousands of people dying by guns every year as a simple fact of life. Last year, that number was over 41,000 lives lost. This is shameful and embarrassing, and it represents cowardice from too many elected officials who refuse toto stand up to the corrupt gun lobby. The introduction of H.R. 8 in the U.S. House — a bipartisan bill that will require criminal background checks to purchase firearms legally — gives us a glimmer of hope that we haven’t felt since 2019, when a similar bill was introduced but failed to reach a vote in the Senate. Young people broke voting records in the 2018 midterm elections to make that possible the first time.
ALT This year, young and BIPOC voters who delivered the WH and the Senate expect swift passage of this bill into law. If POTUS truly wants to unify USA, he should lead on passing universal background checks, a solution that is supported by over 90% of Americans, regardless of party. We are grateful to the bill sponsors who are using their power to protect human life. But even with UBCs as law, we are nowhere close to declaring victory on gun violence in the US. This is a public health crisis, a natl epidemic, that must be addressed with a natl, unified plan. Until we are able to secure proper funding for research and data collection, & support for violence intervention programs in cities fighting everyday gun violence, we as a society will continue to have blood on our hands. UBCs are the bare minimum we could demand. Young people will never take the pressure off our leaders to adopt all solutions necessary to defeat gun violence. This is the fight of our lifetime and we will win.
ALT An image of a ribbon. 2.14.18
ALT Three years ago, Parkland and Coral Springs lost 17 lives. 17 goodbyes that loved ones didn’t know would be the last. An additional 17 people who were injured began the long journey of healing. And two more were ultimately lost due to the unbearable pain and trauma. We remember all 36 lives touched. Every day, we work with them in our hearts and in their honor to end the epidemic of gun violence in America.
