Gun Safety, It's Up to US

Ron Pinciaro -- CT Against Gun Violence (CAGV)
Nancy Lefkowitz, The Brady Campaign, Asking Saves Kids
Andy Pelosi, Keep Guns Off Campus / Gun Free Kids
Brent Peterkin, Project Longevity
Mark Glaze, Campaign2Unload
Matt McDermott, CONECT
Good Evening.
I’m Melissa Kane, and I am very happy to be able to welcome you to this evening’s program - Gun Safety: It’s Up To Us - A panel & community discussion led by some of the foremost experts in the field of gun violence prevention.
16 years ago this month, Mother’s Day 2000, I went with my then 1 year old son, and my husband, to Washington DC, to participate in the Million Mom March.
I couldn’t imagine my son growing up in a society where gun violence was so prevalent, where needless deaths were mourned and held up as examples but nothing was done to prevent them.
Since then, like so many of you here tonight, I’ve given money, signed petitions, written legislators, attended rallies, and - as a member of the Westport RTM - written and co-sponsored local legislation requesting that common sense gun control laws be championed by our state and national representatives.
As you know, CT has acted, but not much has changed nationally.
In fact, in some ways, things are worse than ever.
One day this fall, while driving home from Hartford with Amy Pines, I was feeling a great deal of frustration and sadness about this. We had been at an event where Senators Blumenthal & Murphy, and Congresswoman Esty announced co-sponsorship of “The Background Check Completion Act” bill, a bill which would close the “Default to Proceed“ loophole that - illogically - allows people to buy guns - no questions asked - if their background checks take longer than 72 hours to complete. A bill that, sadly, hasn’t ever made it to the House or Senate floor for debate.
So Amy and I began to discuss the urgency of getting information to parents, to communities - to our community- that could help us figure out what WE could do to effect change in the face of national gridlock on this subject. And Amy - a tireless board member of Connecticut Against Gun Violence - was ON it. She said: I can get great speakers!
And when we took the idea to the Democratic Women of Westport - led by Becky Martin & Jen Gorin - they were on it. They said: We absolutely want to have a discussion about ways each of us can make a difference - let’s put an event together!
And Celeste LaCroix and the Westport League of Women Voters,
and Rabbi Jeremy Weiderhorn and the Interfaith Clergy Association of Westport and Weston were on it. They said: Yes! We want our names associated with this important subject. We want to help save lives.
And Karen Driscoll, our PR guru, was on it. She said: Yes! let me help get the word out so we can have the largest possible impact.
Thanks to all of them, especially Amy - who did get us every one of our panelists - we’re sitting here tonight.
And it is with deep gratitude and a renewed sense of hope that I introduce the awesome panelists seated before you:
• Nancy Lefkowitz from The Brady Campaign & Asking Saves Kids
• Andy Pelosi from Keep Guns Off Campus and Gun Free Kids
• Brent Peterkin from Project Longevity
• Mark Glaze from Campaign2Unload
• And Matt McDermott from CONECT
And, of course, our moderator, Ron Pinciaro.
Ron is the Executive Director of CT Against Gun Violence.
Since 1993, CAGV has worked statewide - and nationwide - to reduce gun violence through education and legislative advocacy.
CAGV was instrumental in the passage of Connecticut’s 2013 comprehensive gun violence prevention bill that strengthened our state’s assault weapons ban, banned large capacity ammunition magazines, instituted universal background checks on all firearm sales, including private sales, and required licenses for the purchase of ammunition.
He joined the Board of Directors of CAGV in late 2000, and became Executive Director in 2001.
Ron has said that, “Communities must be involved in understanding the roots of gun violence in order to come together to change the conversation”
That is certainly what we aim to do tonight.
Ron, welcome! And thank you so much for being our moderator.
Sponsored by:
Democratic Women of Westport
Westport League of Women Voters
The Interfaith Clergy Association of Westport and Weston
Westport CT 5-19-16