United States- Following the tragic school massacre in Texas earlier this week, Democrats Abroad, the Democratic Party’s official organization for US residents living abroad, is pushing Americans in other countries to take action to enact tighter gun legislation.
In response to the shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde (Texas) on Tuesday, when an 18-year-old fatally shot 19 students and two teachers with weapons he acquired legally, Democrats Abroad urged the over six million Americans outside the US to vote to change the country’s gun laws.
DA International Chair Candice Kerestan mentioned in the statement, “We extend our deepest sympathy to all those impacted by these tragic events and resolve to fight every day for a country where everyone feels safe. However, it is not enough to be horrified by these events. We must act. Enough is enough.”
There have been 17 mass shootings in the United States in the last ten days, with 43 people murdered and 79 wounded. Two of them garnered international news in Buffalo, New York, and Uvalde, Texas. Kerestan emphasized that the 18-year-old accused obtained assault guns lawfully in both situations.
The Democrats Abroad organization deplores “Republican lawmakers’ failure” to enact legislation that would protect people. “Why do we continue to allow opponents of gun control to stand in the way of legislation that would prevent innocent lives from being taken during their daily routines?”
In the United States, there have been 274 mass shootings since 2009, with 1536 people killed and 983 injured. Furthermore, since 1966, 77 percent of all mass shooters in the United States have utilized lawfully obtained guns.
“Americans need to break that cycle – and legislators who will prioritize our children’s lives over money from the gun lobby. It is time we acknowledge that what we are doing is not working,” said Kerestan.
She stressed that the six million Americans outside the US “can do more than offering heartache, thoughts and prayers,” as they “can be the margin of victory” and vote to elect “Democrats who will stand up for the American people, against the gun lobby, and for sensible gun legislation.”
Furthermore, Kerestan also outlined that American citizens abroad can still call their Congressional Representatives as well as US Senators to demand they take action on guns and gun violence.
