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Kamala Harris Wins March for Our Lives' First-Ever Endorsement
"Kamala Harris has proven herself to be a thoughtful and forceful leader on gun violence, who has time and again listened to young people and fought for our lives."
Jul 24, 2024
March for Our Lives, which was launched six years ago after yet another U.S. mass shooting, announced its first-ever political endorsement on Wednesday, backing Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris' bid for the White House.
"The stakes couldn't be higher," said the group, which was founded in the wake of the February 2018 massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. "As one of the largest youth-led movements in the nation, we are clear-eyed about the challenge ahead and we believe that Kamala Harris is uniquely suited to meet this moment."
Warning of the threat posed by Republican former President Donald Trump—who just survived an assassination attempt—and his running mate, U.S. Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio), March for Our Lives said that "the country that young people will soon inherit stands at the precipice—on one side, authoritarianism that threatens our fundamental rights, including our right to live freely without fear of gun violence; on the other, a world where we can keep fighting to build the future that young people know we deserve."
"We need an ardent defender of democracy, a gun violence prevention champion, and a leader who will listen to young people, give us a seat at the table, and fight for our future. We believe that Kamala Harris is that candidate, and the right person to stand up for us and fight for the country we deserve," the organization continued, detailing how she has been "a forceful champion for gun safety and for young people" as vice president and a U.S. senator representing California.
"Young people are inheriting an increasingly precarious world," the group added, highlighting youth deaths from gun violence, Israel's war on the Gaza Strip, the escalating climate emergency, and far-right politicians pushing extremist policies. "We have been struggling to feel excited about voting in this election, and are increasingly pessimistic that change is possible. But we know that another Trump presidency is simply not an option that young people can afford—our lives are literally at stake."
Harris began seeking the Democratic nomination for November after President Joe Biden dropped out and endorsed her on Sunday. March for Our Lives said that "we call on her to run a campaign that fights for the policy solutions that young people want, like an assault weapons ban, action on climate change, a vigorous defense of abortion, court reform, and an immediate and lasting cease-fire in Gaza. Young people are savvy voters, who will see through empty promises and cynical horsetrading. We believe that Kamala will step above that and fight for a bold, progressive future—and we will hold her accountable for that."
Since Sunday, Parkland shooting survivor and March for Our Lives co-founder David Hogg has been fiercely supporting Harris, posting on his social media frequent updates about her historic fundraising successes over the past few days.
"Kamala Harris has proven herself to be a thoughtful and forceful leader on gun violence, who has time and again listened to young people and fought for our lives," Hogg said in a statement Wednesday. "Given her strong record on gun safety and prioritizing youth voices during her time in office, I'm proud that Kamala Harris will receive March for Our Lives' first-ever endorsement, and I'm so excited for our work to mobilize young people for her campaign."
Natalie Fall, the group's executive director, toldABC News—which first reported on the endorsement—that "we see a lot of energy around Vice President Harris in this election; there's no denying that. I think everybody's seeing it right now."
"I just think young people in particular didn't really see themselves represented or reflected in the Biden ticket in the way that they wanted. It's not to say that President Biden hasn't had great accomplishments," she explained. "But I think we need someone who can meet this moment and who is up to the challenge of taking Donald Trump to task and really defeating his effort to erode all of our institutions and our democracy."
March for Our Lives members plan to participate in this year's election through creative campaigns, door-knocking, and phone banks, Fall said. In a statement, she added that the group aims to elect not only Harris but also candidates "up and down the ballot" who support its priorities.
"March for Our Lives will work to mobilize young people across the country to support Vice President Harris and other down-ballot candidates, with a particular focus on the states and races where we can make up the margin of victory—in Arizona, New York, Michigan, and Florida," she pledged. "We are ready to double down on this commitment and elect the first woman, first Black woman, and the first person of South Asian descent to become our next president."
Welcoming the support, Harris' campaign manager, Julie Chávez Rodriguez, said that the vice president "is proud to earn this historic endorsement and she is committed to working closely with young people to end the epidemic of gun violence. Kamala Harris heads the first-ever White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, and she worked for years in the Senate and as a prosecutor to keep guns out of our schools and off our streets."
"In stark contrast, Donald Trump promises to weaken regulations on guns, sides with the NRA over our children's safety, and reduced funding for public safety in every single one of his budget proposals," she added, referring to the National Rifle Association. "No one is more experienced at or more committed to stopping this senseless violence than the vice president. With the support of March for Our Lives, a powerful organizing force that has mobilized millions of young voters, Vice President Kamala Harris will win in November so that everyone has the freedom to live safe from gun violence."
The gun violence prevention group's endorsement adds to Harris' mounting pile. Throughout the week, she has also received support from many Democratic governors and members of Congress as well as climate, labor, and reproductive rights groups.
As young people rally behind Harris, she is also seeing support from advocates for older Americans. Nancy Altman, president of Social Security Works, wrote in a Wednesday opinion piece for Common Dreams that "Joe Biden has been the best president for seniors in over half a century. Kamala Harris will be even better."
This post has been updated with comment from Vice President Kamala Harris' campaign.
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We Are Failing Our Most Innocent by Doing Nothing About Gun Violence
Polls consistently show that about 65% of Americans favor stricter gun control laws; if it’s true that majorities rule in democracies, then we’re apparently not a democracy.
Nov 02, 2023
The chamber of commerce photo of Lewiston, Maine, is a lovely image of a tidy American city of 37,000 beneath a canopy of resplendent autumn colors. It looks much like many of our own cities here in Wisconsin.
Sadly, the tragedy that unfolded in Lewiston last week could well have happened here. In fact, it has, and it will again. The victims were slaughtered in a bowling alley and a bar, businesses well-known in Wisconsin cities.
Eighteen dead in Lewiston. Many others injured. Thousands forever stained by the violent act of one man with an assault rifle. Predictably, some politicians rushed to tell us to pray. As though whatever God they want us to petition will forgive them on judgment day for failing to do something about this uniquely American carnage. So from this old bleeding-heart liberal I feel nothing but pity for those who could have made a difference but did not. If there is a hell, they’re going to be roasting for a long time.
For the rest of us, there are cold, hard facts:
- Polls consistently show that about 65% of Americans favor stricter gun control laws. If it’s true that majorities rule in democracies, then we’re apparently not a democracy. One is also left to wonder why the other 35% of our citizens don’t want to end this slaughter.
- This year, with two months left to unfold, has produced 565 mass shootings, defined as four or more shot excluding the shooter, according to the Gun Violence Archive, a nonprofit that provides information on gun violence but is not an advocacy group. For perspective, there are 3,164 counties or the equivalent in the U.S., so the mass shootings amount to one for every 5 1/2 counties.
- Overall deaths by firearms in general in 2022 were more than 35,000.
- The death toll for 2023 as of late last week was 246 children aged 0-11 and 1,157 teens aged 12-17, according to the group. Last year, 995 children 0-11 died by gunfire, and 5,157 teens died.
- That leads to perhaps the saddest statistic of all: Firearms have been the leading cause of death for U.S. children and teens since 2020, representing 19% of all deaths for children 18 years and younger in 2021, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Talk about slaughter of the innocents.
It’s telling that the last statistic comes from the CDC. Yes, gun violence is a disease in America.
Most Americans, including those who don’t own a firearm, are opposed to eliminating guns. And it’s never going to happen. I own one, though I haven’t dusted it off since my hunting buddy died a decade ago. Hunting is as sacrosanct in Maine as it is in Wisconsin. A buddy who moved here from Portland, Maine, 47 miles from Lewiston, texted me last week about a pal of his in lockdown back home:
Just talked to my friend Bob… He is sitting in his house 20 minutes away from where it happened with his hunting rifles loaded, just hoping the guy sticks his head up.
Fair enough, but we know by now that more guns are not the answer.
Look, nothing is going to change much of the violence in a nation that embraces it. Remove assault rifles, and people will still kill each other. Suicides and accidental shootings by handguns will continue at high numbers. But for God’s sake, to do nothing is to admit we have failed our most innocent, be they school children, congregants in places of worship, shoppers in malls and grocery stores, or people in any number of other venues.
Hope seems hard to come by, but I’m placing mine with the young people who have grown up amid this carnage. The Lewiston shootings led to outcry from young activists, including David Hogg and Trevon Bosley, co-founder and board chair, respectively, of the March for Our Lives organization. They are members of the youth-led gun control movement born out of the country’s deadliest high school mass shooting: the 2018 slaughter of 17 humans in Parkland, Florida, and they represent thousands of young Americans demanding change.
They go after politicians of both stripes for the hypocrisy they spin. They dispel false claims and push for meaningful change. Want to make a difference? Support them with a donation. I just did.
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Illinois Supreme Court Upholds Assault Weapons Ban Passed After Highland Park Shooting
"This is a significant victory for the movement for gun safety and getting semiautomatic rifles off our streets," said Parkland survivor and March for Our Lives co-founder David Hogg.
Aug 11, 2023
Gun control advocates and Illinois leaders on Friday celebrated the state Supreme Court upholding the Protect Illinois Communities Act, which banned the sale of assault weapons and high-capacity magazines after a 2022 massacre at an Independence Day parade in the Chicago suburbs.
"Weapons and accessories designed for the battlefield shouldn't have a place in our communities," declared Nick Suplina, senior vice president for law and public policy at Everytown for Gun Safety. "Communities across Illinois cannot afford another tragedy like Highland Park to occur and today's decision by the Illinois Supreme Court ensures that we can keep these deadly weapons of war off our streets."
March for Our Lives co-founder David Hogg—who survived the 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida—said that "this is a significant victory for the movement for gun safety and getting semi-automatic rifles off our streets."
As The Associated Pressdetailed: "The law bans dozens of specific brands or types of rifles and handguns, .50-caliber guns, attachments, and rapid-firing devices. No rifle is allowed to accommodate more than 10 rounds, with a 15-round limit for handguns. The most popular gun targeted is the AR-15 rifle."
Overturning a lower court's ruling, the justices found the law does not violate the equal protection or special legislation clauses of the Illinois Constitution. They also found that "plaintiffs expressly waived in the circuit court any independent claim that the restrictions impermissibly infringe" on the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
The decision came in a case brought by state Rep. Dan Caulkins (R-101), "part of a flurry of challenges to the constitutionality of the ban," as the Chicago Sun-Timesexplained. "Some of those challenges are still being fought in federal court."
The newspaper also noted that billionaire Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker "tapped his wealth last year to help boost two Democratic state Supreme Court justices who helped seal the majority Friday, as they did last month in upholding another key progressive measure backed by the billionaire governor: a provision promising to end cash bail next month."
Pritzker said Friday he was "pleased" with the court's 4-3 decision and that the contested measure, which he signed in January, "is a commonsense gun reform law to keep mass-killing machines off of our streets and out of our schools, malls, parks, and places of worship."
"Illinoisans deserve to feel safe in every corner of our state—whether they are attending a Fourth of July Parade or heading to work—and that's precisely what the Protect Illinois Communities Act accomplishes," he added. "This decision is a win for advocates, survivors, and families alike because it preserves this nation-leading legislation to combat gun violence and save countless lives."
The Highland Park shooting—in which seven people were killed and dozens more were injured—provoked calls for stricter state and federal gun laws. The suspect, Robert Crimo III, has been charged with 21 counts of first-degree murder, 48 counts of attempted murder, and 48 counts of aggravated battery with a firearm. He has pleaded not guilty and is awaiting trial.
"For years, moms, students, survivors of gun violence, and other community safety advocates fought hard to pass comprehensive gun safety legislation in Illinois," Moms Demand Action executive director Angela Ferrell-Zabala said Friday. "Today's decision by the Illinois Supreme Court is an incredible victory for our dedicated volunteers who were relentless in their advocacy to pass this lifesaving legislation, especially in the aftermath of the tragedy in Highland Park."
Sheri Williams, who co-leads the Illinois chapter of Moms Demand Action, also stressed that the law was the result of "tireless advocacy" by her group and Students Demand Action. Friday's ruling, she said, "put public safety over the gun lobby's agenda, and our families will all be safer because of it."
This post has been updated with additional details about the ruling.
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