Even though Barb and I were visiting with family last week “down below,” we could not escape the headlines.  I am a former special education high school teacher from Aptos High School.   I loved teaching kids.  They are the future.   Right?

Once every couple of months, I dreaded to hear the words over the loudspeaker system: “This is a lock down test.  Everyone, go to your classrooms now.”  We were preparing for a crazed gunman walking onto our idyllic campus carrying weapons that could possibly end our lives.  I took this activity very seriously.  No one would be hurt on my watch.  I demanded that every student take this exercise seriously because their lives might depend upon following my instructions without question.   They understood that their lives mattered to me.

On Valentine’s Day exactly one week ago, the exercise that my students and I practiced became a reality in a high school in Broward County, Florida.  Seventeen lives were ended that day.

The young woman on the left is Emma Gonzalez, a senior at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School where this latest massacre took place.   She gave a heartfelt speech at a gun control rally in Fort Lauderdale over the weekend.  If you haven’t heard the speech, you can view the video and read the transcript here.

 

Emma is very angry.  She has just experienced an atrocity that no one should ever have to experience.   And yet, this tragic event marked the thirtieth mass shooting and eighteenth school shooting in 2018.

What can Indivisible Ferndale do to stop this madness?

The first action we can take is to call our elected officials in Washington and say “Stop the passage of H.R. 38, the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act.”    This act which was already passed in December by the House would require states to recognize other states’ standards governing the possession of concealed firearms in public.  This requirement is in direct opposition to California state law.

Read the Indivisible Project’s statement on HR 38 here.

Call: Rep. Huffman: D.C.: (202) 225-5161; Eureka: (707) 407-3585

The Script: Hello, I’m a constituent from Indivisible Ferndale, 95536.  I want to thank Congressman Huffman for voting against HR 38, the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act in December.  I’m also calling about the mass shooting in Florida.  I urge Congressman Huffman to not just condemn this act of terror, but to support responsible policies that help prevent these acts of gun violence.  Thank you.

Urge our Senators to vote against HR 38 when it arrives in the Senate

Call: Sen. Feinstein (D-CA): D.C. Office: (202) 224-3841 or SF: (415) 393-0707

Call: Sen. Harris (D-CA): D.C. Office: (202) 224-3553 or Sacramento: (916) 448-2787

The Script: Hello, I’m a constituent from Indivisible Ferndale, 95536 calling about the mass shooting in Florida. I urge the Senator to not just condemn this act of terror, but to support responsible policies that help prevent these acts of gun violence.  I’m disturbed that H.R. 38, the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act passed the House, and it’s essential that the Senate stop it from becoming law.  Thank you.

ENOUGH: National School Walkout

A second action that Indivisible Ferndale can take is to join the Women’s March movement in holding a nationwide protest:

• Date: Tuesday, March 14 (exactly one month after the tragedy in Florida)
• Time: 10 am across the country (17 minutes for each life lost)
• Location: TBD at our general meeting next Tuesday

According to the Women’s March website, “Women’s March Youth EMPOWER is calling for students, teachers, school administrators, parents and allies to take part in a #NationalSchoolWalkout for 17 minutes at 10am across every time zone on March 14, 2018 to protest Congress’ inaction to do more than tweet thoughts and prayers in response to the gun violence plaguing our schools and neighborhoods. We need action. Students and allies are organizing the national school walkout to demand Congress pass legislation to keep us safe from gun violence at our schools, on our streets and in our homes and places of worship.”

Together, We are Indivisible!