“We lose eight children and teenagers to gun violence every day. If a mysterious virus suddenly started killing eight of our children every day, America would mobilize teams of doctors and public health officials. We would move heaven and earth until we found a way to protect our children. But not with gun violence.” IfsWayChildrenEarthAmericaMovingFoundHeavenLosesViolenceTeamProtectGunDoctorsOur ChildrenKillingEightMysteriousTeenagerOfficialsGun ControlVirusesHeaven And EarthPublic HealthGun ViolenceProtecting Children Book:A Fighting Chance Source: A Fighting Chance
“Homicide through gun violence is the leading cause of death among young African American males in the United States. If people look a certain way they have a higher tendency of dying, of having their lives taken away.” PeopleIfsWayLooksStatesYoungCertainCausesUnitedUnited StatesTakenViolenceDyingHigherGunMalesTendenciesAfrican AmericanGun ViolenceHomicideLeading Causes Author:Ryan Coogler
“Each and every child in this country is valuable because they are our future as a society. We cannot afford to lose a single child to ill-health, under-education, abuse, addiction, jail, or gun violence. America's highest goal should be for every child to grow up to be a successful young adult -- healthy, educated, free, secure, and a good citizen.” ShouldChildrenCountryAmericaYoungGrowsGoalLosesGrowing UpSuccessfulViolenceCitizensHealthyHighestGunAdultsAbuseAddictionYoung AdultIllValuableEducatedSecureJailOur FutureGun ViolenceGood CitizenIll HealthSingle Child Author:John F. Kerry
“Only with gun violence do we respond to repeated tragedies by saying that mourning is acceptable but discussing how to prevent more tragedies is not. But that's unacceptable. As others have observed, talking about how to stop mass shootings in the aftermath of a string of mass shootings isn't 'too soon.' It's much too late.” TalkingViolenceLateMassGunTragedyShootingMourningToo LateStringsAcceptableDiscussingAftermathGun ViolenceMass Shootings Author:Ezra Klein
“Making improvements to our background check system and cracking down on illegal gun trafficking are common-sense ways to prevent violence without punishing law abiding gun owners. We owe it to the American people to take real action to reduce gun violence in our communities.” PeopleWayRealActionLawCommunityCommonViolenceGunImprovementBackgroundsChecksCommon SenseOwnersIllegalAbidingOur CommunityGun ViolenceTraffickingGun OwnersBackground ChecksIllegal Guns Author:Martin Heinrich
“We have to go to war against the people who enable the gun violence, the people who stop us from keeping guns out of the hands of mentally unstable people, of felons, and that means the NRA leadership.” PeopleMeanWarHandsViolenceGunUnstableGun ViolenceNraFelons Author:Jerrold Nadler
“The number of Americans killed since 9/11 by terrorism, it's less than 100. If you look at the number that have been killed by gun violence, it's in the tens of thousands. And for us not to be able to resolve that issue has been something that is distressing.” IfsLooksHas BeensAbleNumbersIssuesViolenceGunTerrorismResolveGun ViolenceDistressing Author:Barack Obama
“I do not accept that we cannot find a common sense way to preserve our traditions, including our basic second amendment freedoms and the rights of law abiding gun owners, while at the same time reducing the gun violence that unleashes so much mayhem on a regular basis.” WayLawPoliticsJusticeCommonAcceptingRightsViolencePolicyEthicsGunTraditionBasesConstitutionPropertyIncludingHuman RightsCommon SenseIdeologyPreservesOwnersAmendmentsCivilityReducingAbidingSecond AmendmentGun ViolenceMayhemGun Owners Author:Barack Obama
“I'm so sick and tired of all this violence, this gun violence. And how could I speak on it - you know - being one who has advocated violence and gun violence? The only way I could do it was through a song that spoke from the heart.” KnowsWayHeartWisdomRealitySongPoliticsSpeakCommunityLeadershipJusticeHistoryViolenceGenerationsHuman NaturePolicyEthicsGunSickStrategyTiredUnityHuman RightsIndividualitySocial MediaIdeologySpokesFree SpeechCivilityDisobedienceCivil DisobedienceGun ViolenceSo Sick Author:Snoop Dogg
“Good genre movies are a little bit like trying to write a haiku. There are certain things that you have to do to fulfill the audience's expectations, but inside that, you have complete freedom to talk about whatever you want. Who wants to see a movie about gun violence in America and class? But, if you set it in this terrifying, fun, roller coaster ride of a movie, you can talk about whatever you want. That's been the game that genre movies play, when they do it well.” IfsWantWritingTryingWellsLittlesPlayAmericaCertainGamesFunBitsClassAudienceViolenceLittle BitExpectationsGunGenreHaikuRoller CoasterGun ViolenceCoastersComplete FreedomRoller Coaster Rides Author:Ethan Hawke
“Moments ago, the U.S. Senate decided to do the unthinkable about gun violence - nothing at all. Over two years ago, when I was shot point-blank in the head, the U.S. Senate chose to do nothing. Four months ago, 20 first-graders lost their lives in a brutal attack on their school, and the U.S. Senate chose to do nothing. It's clear to me that if members of the U.S. Senate refuse to change the laws to reduce gun violence, then we need to change the members of the U.S. Senate.” IfsNeedsYearsFirstsTwoMomentsSchoolLawLostClearFourViolenceMonthsMembersGunShotsYears AgoDecidedRefuseTwo YearsSenateBrutalBlankNeed A ChangeUnthinkableGun ViolenceTwo Years Ago Author:Gabrielle Giffords
“[T]he enshrinement of constitutional rights necessarily takes certain policy choices off the table.... Undoubtedly some think that the Second Amendment is outmoded in a society where our standing army is the pride of our Nation, where well-trained police forces provide personal security, and where gun violence is a serious problem. That is perhaps debatable, but what is not debatable is that it is not the role of this Court to pronounce the Second Amendment extinct.” ThinkingWellsProblemCertainChoicesForceNationsRolesRightsViolenceSecurityPolicySeriousPrideGunStandingArmyPoliceTablesCourtAmendmentsSupreme CourtMeltingSecond AmendmentGun ViolenceConstitutional RightsPolice ForceSupreme Court JusticeCourt JusticePersonal Security Author:Antonin Scalia
“There's no more personal issue than gun violence; every one of these stories is a life lost, i'm hoping that over the long term, as I tell these stories, that it will help to open people's eyes.” PeopleLifeLongHelpingStoriesEyeLostTermIssuesViolenceGunLong TermGun ViolencePersonal Issues Author:Chris Murphy
“There are no free and democratic and wealthy countries in the world that have US rate of gun violence. We have to worry about loners and alienated people. We have to do better on mental health.” PeopleWorldCountryWorryViolenceGunMental HealthDemocraticRateWealthyLonerGun Violence Author:David Brooks
“If you outlaw guns, only outlaws will have guns. The first people who are going to be in line to turn in their guns are law-abiding citizens. Criminals are going to be left with guns. I believe that concealed carry is a way of reducing gun violence.” PeopleIfsWayFirstsBelieveLawTurnsLeftI BelieveLinesViolenceCitizensGunCriminalsReducingAbidingConcealedOutlawGun ViolenceLaw Abiding CitizenConcealed Carry Author:Gary Johnson
“The ban on assault weapons has decreased gun violence in Baltimore not one iota. That's because few, if any, of the shootings were done with assault weapons.” IfsDoneViolenceWeaponsGunShootingAssaultBansGun ViolenceBaltimoreAssault Weapons Author:Gregory Kane
“We will not make inroads into the gun-violence problem until we acknowledge the underlying causes of youth behavior today, compared to yesterday. ... we must come to the realization that laws and regulations alone cannot produce a civilized society. It's morality that is society's first line of defense against uncivilized behavior.” FirstsProblemTodayLawCausesLinesViolenceYouthProduceMoralityBehaviorGunDefenseYesterdayRealizationAcknowledgeCivilizedRegulationGun ViolenceCivilized SocietyUncivilized Author:Walter E. Williams
“I've pretty much always used my positions as a bully pulpit. What that means is strongly advocating for the things I feel are really important. Gun violence, to me, is the highest-priority public-health issue, and I have to make sure Congress is aware of it, the American people are aware of it, the president is aware of it, and that we all begin together to develop policies to exterminate the disease - the epidemic, really - of gun violence.” PeopleFeelsMeanImportantTogetherUsedPresidentIssuesViolencePolicyPositionDiseaseHighestGunCongressPrioritiesBullyEpidemicsPublic HealthAdvocatingPulpitGun ViolenceHealth Issues Author:Joycelyn Elders
“We know that there are several predisposing factors to gun violence: poverty, lack of education, lack of good parenting, lack of jobs, living in an environment where violence is seen every day, all the time. And children being born to children are likely to have all of these predisposing factors.” KnowsChildrenJobsBornPovertyEnvironmentViolenceGunFactorsGun ViolenceGood ParentLack Of EducationGood Parenting Author:Joycelyn Elders
“[We must] deal with all of the contributing factors to gun violence as a whole, because it's like a leaky bucket - if you've got a bucket with six holes shot through it, [and] you plug up five, you've still got a leaky bucket.” IfsStillsWholeDealsFiveViolenceSixGunShotsHolesFactorsContributingBucketsPlugsGun Violence Author:Joycelyn Elders
“We must all take care to resist the tendency to focus too much attention on the role that criminals and prior offenders play in gun violence.” PlayCareAttentionRolesToo MuchFocusViolenceGunTake CareCriminalsTendenciesGun ViolenceOffenders Author:James Florio
“A new report shows that, in Virginia, gun violence has fallen as the sale of firearms has soared to a new record. In other news, a recent study shows that most criminals don't like getting shot at.” ShowsStudyRecordsViolenceNewsGunShotsCriminalsFallenReportsVirginiaFirearmsGun Violence Author:Fred Thompson
“We know we can't stop every act of violence, every act of evil in the world, but maybe we could try to stop one act of evil, one act of violence.” KnowsWorldTryingEvilViolenceGun ControlGun ViolenceActs Of ViolenceGun CultureActs Of Evil Author:Barack Obama
“Terrifying mass shooting and high-profile officer-involved incidents have dominated the national conversation on gun violence in recent years. But most deaths by gun are not headline-grabbing massacres. They`re more private, more intimate, and perhaps in that way, even more horrifying. Domestic violence, make no mistake, domestic violence is a gun issue.” WayYearsMistakeIssuesViolenceInvolvedConversationMassGunShootingIntimateOfficersDomestic ViolenceIncidentsHeadlinesProfileGun ViolenceMassacresGrabbingHigh ProfileMass Shootings Author:Melissa Harris-Perry
“The world is filled with violence. Because criminals carry guns, we decent law-abiding citizens should also have guns. Otherwise, they will win and the decent people will lose.” PeopleWorldShouldLawWinningViolenceCitizensGunFilledCriminalsDecentGun ControlAbidingRight To Bear ArmsGun ViolenceBearing ArmsPro GunFounding Fathers GunAnti GunLaw Abiding CitizenGun LawPro Gun ControlShooting GunsCarrying GunsAbiding Love Author:James Earl Jones
“You know, my goal is not to convince you that I'm right or that you're wrong. About homophobia. Gun violence. Racism. Whatever the issue. I'm really trying hard with you - and others - to have a respectful discussion, debate about these issues.” KnowsTryingHardGoalIssuesViolenceRacismGunDebateDiscussionConvinceRespectfulHomophobiaGun ViolenceTrying Hard Author:Steven Petrow
“In 1990, when we started the Black Community Crusade for Children, we were always talking about all children, but we paid particular attention to children who were not white, who were poor, who were disabled, and who were the most vulnerable.Parents didn't think their children would live to adulthood, and the children didn't think they were going to live to adulthood. That's when we started our first gun-violence campaign. We've lost 17 times more young black people to gun violence since 1968 than we lost in all the lynching in slavery.” PeopleThinkingFirstsChildrenYoungLostParentBlackCommunityWhitePoorAttentionTalkingViolenceParticularGunPaidSlaveryCampaignsVulnerableBlack PeopleAdulthoodDisabledCrusadesGun ViolenceLynchingBlack Community Author:Marian Wright Edelman
“I am certainly vulnerable when I sit down with parents who have lost their children to gun violence. The emotion that they experience is so foreign to me that I find it very hard to say the right things.” ChildrenHardLostParentEmotionViolenceGunVulnerableRight ThingGun Violence Author:Michael Skolnik
“Hillary Clinton has said numerous times in this campaign, "If Congress doesn't act to end the plague of gun violence in America," that she will do so by executive action. Now, what is she going to do?” IfsSaidEndsActionAmericaViolenceGunClintonCongressCampaignsExecutivesPlagueGun Violence Author:Rush Limbaugh
“Gun violence is almost promoted onscreen in these huge blockbusters and then sex is still so shocking. But I also can understand that people find it uncomfortable, which I think is cool.” PeopleThinkingStillsSexViolenceHugeGunUncomfortableShockingGun ViolenceBlockbuster Author:Morgan Saylor
“We have to tackle the plague of gun violence, which is a big contributor to a lot of the problems that we're seeing today.” ProblemBigsTodayViolenceSeeingGunPlagueGun ViolenceContributors Author:Hillary Clinton
“Gun violence is real. People don't come back.” PeopleRealViolenceGunGun Violence Author:Stevie Wonder
“I will take on the epidemics of gun violence and campus sexual assault, so that everyone in America is safe and respected, no matter who they are, where they live, or who they love.” MatterAmericaViolenceSafeGunAssaultEpidemicsCampusSexual AssaultGun Violence Author:Hillary Clinton
“There is a problem here in America when it comes to police violence and gun violence, that I believe is being ignored by not giving the proper resources to communities.” GivingBelieveProblemAmericaI BelieveCommunityViolenceGunResourcesPoliceIgnoredGun ViolenceBeing IgnoredPolice Violence Author:Jumaane Williams
“The anti-gun-violence movement was essentially asleep from 1994 to 2012, and during that time, the gun lobby built up enormous political power.” PoliticalViolenceMovementGunBuiltEnormousPolitical PowerGun ViolenceAnti Gun Author:Chris Murphy
“If we have a president who asked for a mandate on combating gun violence, as Hillary Clinton is requesting, that's going to be really impactful. I will certainly defer to her when it comes to the exact pace and content of legislative action, but I expect it will be at the top of her agenda. It will certainly be at the top of mine.” IfsActionPresidentViolenceMinesGunClintonAgendasPaceMandatesGun Violence Author:Chris Murphy
“It would be devastating for America if Donald Trump won, and it would be devastating for the anti-gun-violence movement. But we would be on a long list of progressive causes that would be shattered by a Trump win.” IfsLongWould BeAmericaWinningCausesViolenceMovementTrumpGunListsProgressiveShatteredGun ViolenceAnti Gun Author:Chris Murphy
“Gun violence is not something that appears just in a bad neighborhood or in another part of the world. It appears right here, right outside your door.” WorldViolenceDoorsGunNeighborhoodGun Violence Author:Stephen Young