NEWTOWN ACTION ALLIANCE TO JOIN THE WOMEN’S MARCH ON WASHINGTON

For Immediate Release
January 19, 2017

Press contact:
John Kelley
917-679-6475
jkelley@newtownaction.org

NEWTOWN ACTION ALLIANCE TO JOIN THE WOMEN’S MARCH ON WASHINGTON

Newtown, CT.-Newtown Action Alliance is a proud partner of the Women’s March on Washington. On Donald Trump’s first day as President of the United States, over 200,000 women, men and children will be marching near the U.S. Capitol (Independence Avenue and Third Street NW) on January 21st and over 600 sister marches are being held in all 50 states and in nearly 60 countries around the globe with nearly 1.4 million participants.

 After Donald Trump was elected on November 8, 2016, the gun lobby ramped up its efforts to put guns everywhere.

-In Ohio, Governor John Kasich signed a bill to allow civilians to carry guns in airports (public areas), colleges, universities and day care facilities.

-In Florida, the state legislators proposed SB 140 to put guns on college campuses, at airport passenger terminals, schools, and legislative and local government meetings.

-In New Hampshire, the State Senate Judiciary Committee voted on party lines to pass SB 12, which seeks to repeal a 94 year old concealed carry licensing law that helps prevent dangerous people from being able to legally carry hidden, loaded weapons. 

 “Donald Trump has emboldened the corporate gun lobby and its allies in statehouses across the country and on Capitol Hill. We are in grave danger as the corporate gun lobby works relentlessly to put more guns everywhere. As an American women, man or child, we have the right to live without the fear of getting shot in our schools, malls, movie theaters, airports, nightclubs, places of worship, workplaces, in our streets and in our neighborhoods. Here in Newtown, we know firsthand that guns don’t make us safer. States with more guns and weaker gun laws have more gun deaths”, said Po Murray, Chair of Newtown Action Alliance.

 “Gun violence is a women’s issue. On average, 554 women are shot by their intimate partners every single year in America. We are marching with our mothers, daughters, sisters and friends to send a bold message to Donald Trump and our new government on their first day in office that women’s rights are human rights and we deserve to be safe in our towns and cities across the nation. Too many women are impacted by gun violence in America. With 100,000 Americans killed or injured by guns every year, there are 100,000 mothers, daughters, sisters or friends who are impacted by gun violence”, Murray continued.

 Dave Stowe, Vice Chair of the Newtown Action Alliance said, “After senseless tragedies, many elected members send their thoughts and prayers to the families and victims impacted by the senseless shootings but we need more than thoughts and prayers. Over 400,000 Americans have been killed or injured by guns since the Sandy Hook tragedy. We need the elected officials across the country to pass sensible gun violence prevention laws to reduce gun deaths and injuries across the nation.”

 “We are marching to ask our fellow Americans to stand with us to push their elected leaders to pass common sense gun laws to create a more safe and peaceful America”, Stowe continued

 The march is a true grassroots effort being organized by women across the nation. Over one thousand buses will be traveling to D.C. from nearly all states with 80 buses traveling to D.C. from Connecticut alone.

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The Newtown Action Alliance (www.newtownaction.org) is a grassroots organization formed after the tragic shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School.  It works to make America’s children, families, and all citizens safer through legislative and cultural change that will reduce gun violence in our nation.