Stand Up Against Gun Violence Tell Rob Portman to go fuck himself BY INDIVISIBLE OBERLIN COLLEGE CONTRIBUTING WRITER Tragically, 17 children were killed in Parkland, Florida this month. This horrific school shooting reminds us of the violence that has been terrorizing America for far too long. Even though most Americans support moderate gun control measures, a well-organized minority of gun rights activists have convinced the Republican party to accept their radically laissez-faire approach to gun ownership. Americans own more guns per capita than residents of any other country, and the innocent are paying the price. Homicide rates in the U.S. are about 25 times higher than rates in other high income country. This disparity largely exists because most of these countries have stronger gun control measures than America. This is to say two things. Firstly, gun violence is a uniquely American issue. Secondly, there are verified measures we can take to reduce gun violence. It will be difficult to respond to all of the causes at play in this crisis, but it can be done. A variety of gun control legislation has appeared, and then stalled, within Congress. In fact, certain Republicans and Democrats have come together to propose bipartisan gun control legislation aimed
at strengthening the U.S. background check system. Yet, the majority of Congressional Republicans refuse to compromises their stance. We must force our elected officials to act. These call scripts can be utilized every day until that happens. Keep these scripts in a place you can find them. Call every day. Remind your elected officials over and over again that they must take action. And when the time comes, vote those who refuse to act out of office.
Notes on calling 1. Elected officials only care about hearing from their constituents, or people who are registered to vote in the area that member of Congress represents. If you are not registered to vote in Ohio, adapt these call scripts for your actual member of Congress. If your district is only represented by Democrats, call them and thank them for voting in favor of gun control;
the support encourages them to stay strong on gun control when running for reelection. If you aren’t registered to vote, get registered. 2. Always be respectful; the staffer, no matter what their views are, isn’t responsible for the representative’s vote. 3. If you want more call scripts on other topics, go to 5calls.org For Senator Portman Ohio Sen. Portman (Republican) has a close relationship with the NRA, and thus opposes most gun control measures. However, he has expressed support for a recent gun control measure proposed by Republican Sen. John Cornyn, aiming to improve the U.S. background check system. But he must be convinced to do more. Script: Hello, my name is (your name) and I am a constituent from Oberlin, Ohio, zip code 44074. In the wake of the most recent mass shooting in Florida, I urge Sen. Rob Portman to vote in favor of legislation that would require a background check for individuals attempting to buy guns from private sellers. There are not enough precautions taken to prevent gun violence in this country, and bipartisan gun control measures must be enacted. Thank
you for your time answering the phones. For Congressman Jordan Our Congressman, Rep. Jim Jordan (Republican), is a hardline 2nd amendment supporter. When given the chance, Rep. Jordan votes to loosen gun control measures, not expand them. As moderate gun control measures gain favor with some leading Republicans, Rep. Jordan must be convinced to support these bipartisan efforts. Script: Hello, my name is (your name) and I am a constituent from Oberlin, Ohio, zip code 44074. In the wake of the most recent mass shooting in Florida, I urge Rep. Jim Jordan to vote in favor of legislation that would strengthen the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, such as the bill recently proposed by Sen. John Cornyn. There are not enough precautions taken to prevent gun violence in this country, and bipartisan gun control measures must be enacted. Thank you for your time answering the phones. EMMA GONZALEZ, A SENIOR AT MARJORY STONEMAN DOUGLAS HIGH SCHOOL, ADDRESSED A GUN CONTROL RALLY IN FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA, DAYS AFTER THE GUNMAN ENTERED HER SCHOOL IN NEARBY PARKLAND AND KILLED 17 PEOPLE.