1 00:00:00,280 --> 00:00:04,880 Speaker 1: Hi, everyone, Sophia Bush here. Welcome to Work in Progress, 2 00:00:05,400 --> 00:00:08,240 Speaker 1: where I talked to people who inspire me about how 3 00:00:08,280 --> 00:00:10,160 Speaker 1: they got to where they are and where they think 4 00:00:10,160 --> 00:00:25,079 Speaker 1: they're still going. My whip smart listeners. Today's guest is 5 00:00:25,120 --> 00:00:29,400 Speaker 1: an actual superhero who's here to make us all smarter. 6 00:00:30,040 --> 00:00:33,040 Speaker 1: Shannon Watts is a mother of five who started Mom's 7 00:00:33,080 --> 00:00:36,760 Speaker 1: Demand Action the day after the Sandy Hook shooting. Shannon 8 00:00:36,800 --> 00:00:40,080 Speaker 1: started a Facebook group with the message that all Americans 9 00:00:40,120 --> 00:00:44,320 Speaker 1: can and should do more to reduce gun violence. Since then, 10 00:00:44,360 --> 00:00:47,839 Speaker 1: the movement has grown to nearly six million supporters, with 11 00:00:47,920 --> 00:00:51,199 Speaker 1: a chapter in every state. Shannon has made it her 12 00:00:51,200 --> 00:00:54,120 Speaker 1: mission to help pass stronger gun laws, close the loopholes 13 00:00:54,120 --> 00:00:57,600 Speaker 1: that jeopardize our safety, and work with communities and business 14 00:00:57,680 --> 00:01:01,600 Speaker 1: leaders to develop a culture of risks sponsible gun ownership. 15 00:01:02,480 --> 00:01:04,440 Speaker 1: I was so honored to have Shannon stopped by Work 16 00:01:04,440 --> 00:01:07,160 Speaker 1: in Progress to talk about the work she's doing and 17 00:01:07,319 --> 00:01:10,360 Speaker 1: her book Fight Like a Mother, How a grassroots movement 18 00:01:10,440 --> 00:01:12,800 Speaker 1: took on the gun lobby, and why women will change 19 00:01:12,840 --> 00:01:16,440 Speaker 1: the world. I hope that after listening, no matter where 20 00:01:16,480 --> 00:01:20,479 Speaker 1: you fall on this political debate, you'll realize that we're 21 00:01:20,520 --> 00:01:23,000 Speaker 1: all on the same team. And you'll be inspired to 22 00:01:23,080 --> 00:01:25,479 Speaker 1: join in and help in whatever way you can. Here's 23 00:01:25,480 --> 00:01:31,360 Speaker 1: Shannon Watts. I have to say just thank you so 24 00:01:31,480 --> 00:01:34,920 Speaker 1: much for coming. Thank you so much for always amplifying 25 00:01:34,920 --> 00:01:37,800 Speaker 1: our work. It's so important and it is so helpful, 26 00:01:37,840 --> 00:01:40,600 Speaker 1: it really is, and it means a lot to our 27 00:01:40,680 --> 00:01:44,200 Speaker 1: volunteers and gun violence severs. Yeah, I mean, I thank 28 00:01:44,240 --> 00:01:46,399 Speaker 1: you so much. That's really it's kind and it's humbling 29 00:01:46,400 --> 00:01:50,040 Speaker 1: because sometimes you don't we all, I think, worry that 30 00:01:50,120 --> 00:01:53,120 Speaker 1: in whatever way or avenue we've chosen to work in 31 00:01:53,320 --> 00:01:55,840 Speaker 1: or or work on, that maybe we're not doing enough. 32 00:01:56,560 --> 00:01:59,840 Speaker 1: And so that I really do appreciate a huge difference 33 00:02:00,000 --> 00:02:03,160 Speaker 1: and I and I am just so thankful for all 34 00:02:03,240 --> 00:02:08,600 Speaker 1: you do. I think I straddle a very interesting line, 35 00:02:09,280 --> 00:02:11,640 Speaker 1: perhaps because of my upbringing and also things that have 36 00:02:11,720 --> 00:02:15,200 Speaker 1: made me curious in my life. My my dad is 37 00:02:15,240 --> 00:02:19,600 Speaker 1: from Canada and spent every summer on a farm. And 38 00:02:20,000 --> 00:02:24,320 Speaker 1: when I was twelve, my dad and I started shooting 39 00:02:24,520 --> 00:02:26,920 Speaker 1: twenty two rifles together, like he would take me to 40 00:02:26,960 --> 00:02:29,040 Speaker 1: the range and it was the thing that he'd done 41 00:02:29,080 --> 00:02:32,519 Speaker 1: with his his dad. And you know, I'm the only child, 42 00:02:32,560 --> 00:02:34,680 Speaker 1: so I'm the son and the daughter all wrapped into one. 43 00:02:35,120 --> 00:02:37,360 Speaker 1: Not that you necessarily have to have a sort of 44 00:02:37,400 --> 00:02:39,639 Speaker 1: gendered hobby, but you know, so I have all these 45 00:02:39,639 --> 00:02:44,680 Speaker 1: wonderful memories of that experience, and and because I enjoyed 46 00:02:45,040 --> 00:02:47,679 Speaker 1: all of that so much, I became a version of 47 00:02:47,720 --> 00:02:53,040 Speaker 1: a hobbyist. I have always loved the challenge of a 48 00:02:53,160 --> 00:02:56,360 Speaker 1: range day, and I then went on to work on 49 00:02:56,960 --> 00:02:59,520 Speaker 1: you know, movies and TV shows where I trained, and 50 00:02:59,600 --> 00:03:02,720 Speaker 1: I've now been through training with multiple SWAT teams in 51 00:03:02,800 --> 00:03:06,600 Speaker 1: you know, Illinois and in Los Angeles, and I've really 52 00:03:06,680 --> 00:03:11,799 Speaker 1: quite enjoyed it, and I still enjoy it, and yet 53 00:03:11,880 --> 00:03:16,760 Speaker 1: I'm so stricken by what's happening in this country with 54 00:03:17,000 --> 00:03:20,520 Speaker 1: access to guns and with gun violence. And so often 55 00:03:20,960 --> 00:03:23,119 Speaker 1: because I work in entertainment, people will say, well, you're 56 00:03:23,120 --> 00:03:26,000 Speaker 1: just mean left calls liberal who doesn't know anything about guns, 57 00:03:26,000 --> 00:03:27,840 Speaker 1: And I'm like, yeah, I challenge you to a range day. 58 00:03:27,840 --> 00:03:29,320 Speaker 1: You want to see what my pattern looks like, because 59 00:03:29,320 --> 00:03:32,320 Speaker 1: I bet it's better than yours. And people are so shocked, 60 00:03:32,520 --> 00:03:34,680 Speaker 1: and people are shocked when they hear that I was 61 00:03:34,880 --> 00:03:36,720 Speaker 1: doing a training day with my buddies that are green 62 00:03:36,760 --> 00:03:39,800 Speaker 1: Berets three days before Parkland shooting, A R fifteens at 63 00:03:39,800 --> 00:03:44,960 Speaker 1: the range. But I think having those kinds of relationships 64 00:03:45,000 --> 00:03:49,240 Speaker 1: with law enforcement military healthy respect for that space. I 65 00:03:49,280 --> 00:03:52,600 Speaker 1: also understand that that those are weapons that we're not 66 00:03:52,640 --> 00:03:55,360 Speaker 1: supposed to take them home. I don't need one of 67 00:03:55,400 --> 00:03:58,760 Speaker 1: those in my house. And you know, no offense to 68 00:03:58,800 --> 00:04:00,800 Speaker 1: anyone who's a hunter out there, Like if you need 69 00:04:00,880 --> 00:04:02,880 Speaker 1: an a R to hit a deer, you're real bad 70 00:04:03,000 --> 00:04:06,720 Speaker 1: at your hobby, you know. I think there's this missing 71 00:04:06,920 --> 00:04:09,960 Speaker 1: kind of rationale where we can sit down and have 72 00:04:10,080 --> 00:04:14,320 Speaker 1: conversations across these quote sides. There shouldn't be sides when 73 00:04:14,320 --> 00:04:18,120 Speaker 1: it comes to kids and families and mothers and siblings. 74 00:04:18,760 --> 00:04:23,919 Speaker 1: It feels like it's reached this point of insanity. And 75 00:04:24,120 --> 00:04:31,640 Speaker 1: you and Mom's demand you come in as this real, beautiful, ferocious, 76 00:04:32,080 --> 00:04:36,640 Speaker 1: passionate voice of reason and you are so respectful to people, 77 00:04:36,640 --> 00:04:39,320 Speaker 1: but you also take no ship and I love it. 78 00:04:39,360 --> 00:04:43,919 Speaker 1: I'm like, let her go, and I just I would 79 00:04:43,920 --> 00:04:47,080 Speaker 1: love for you for any listeners out there who maybe 80 00:04:47,160 --> 00:04:50,480 Speaker 1: don't know your story, can you kind of walk us 81 00:04:50,480 --> 00:04:53,839 Speaker 1: through this and how you came to be the advocate 82 00:04:53,880 --> 00:04:56,240 Speaker 1: that you are, and and and where you sort of 83 00:04:57,400 --> 00:05:00,640 Speaker 1: sit in all of this. Yeah, and you raise a 84 00:05:00,680 --> 00:05:04,760 Speaker 1: really important point that there are four million guns in 85 00:05:04,760 --> 00:05:08,040 Speaker 1: this country. Many of our volunteers are gun owners, or 86 00:05:08,080 --> 00:05:10,520 Speaker 1: they're married to gun owners. We even have a group 87 00:05:10,640 --> 00:05:13,400 Speaker 1: of volunteers in the Midwest who call themselves Camma Moms. 88 00:05:13,600 --> 00:05:17,560 Speaker 1: They hunt together. This is not about undoing the Second Amendment. 89 00:05:17,640 --> 00:05:21,839 Speaker 1: This is not about taking away anyone's guns. This is 90 00:05:21,880 --> 00:05:25,280 Speaker 1: about restoring the responsibilities that go along with gun rights. 91 00:05:25,880 --> 00:05:27,839 Speaker 1: You mean that whole thing from to a which is 92 00:05:27,880 --> 00:05:30,839 Speaker 1: a well regulated That's the part they always forget, and 93 00:05:31,200 --> 00:05:35,200 Speaker 1: they just remember the shall not be infringed part. I 94 00:05:35,279 --> 00:05:39,680 Speaker 1: actually grew up with grandparents who were World War Two 95 00:05:39,760 --> 00:05:45,920 Speaker 1: veterans who both hunted. Both my grandfather's hunted and my 96 00:05:46,000 --> 00:05:48,680 Speaker 1: dad owned rifles. I grew up in Upstate New York, 97 00:05:48,720 --> 00:05:54,520 Speaker 1: a pretty conservative area, and I watched, like so many Americans, 98 00:05:54,800 --> 00:05:57,760 Speaker 1: mass shooting after mass shooting in this country, especially as 99 00:05:57,760 --> 00:06:00,120 Speaker 1: I became an adult. You know, I lived in Texas 100 00:06:00,160 --> 00:06:02,760 Speaker 1: in the nineties when the Luby's massacre happened, so many 101 00:06:02,760 --> 00:06:05,480 Speaker 1: people were shot and killed in a restaurant there in Texas, 102 00:06:06,160 --> 00:06:10,640 Speaker 1: and then Columbine and Virginia Tech and the Gabby Giffert 103 00:06:10,680 --> 00:06:13,320 Speaker 1: shooting and on and on and so for me. When 104 00:06:13,520 --> 00:06:17,800 Speaker 1: the Sandy Hook School tragedy happened, I was a stay 105 00:06:17,839 --> 00:06:21,560 Speaker 1: at home mom in Indiana, and pundits were on my 106 00:06:21,600 --> 00:06:24,400 Speaker 1: television just hours later saying the solution was more guns, 107 00:06:25,160 --> 00:06:27,800 Speaker 1: and I knew that wasn't right. I didn't know anything 108 00:06:27,839 --> 00:06:30,520 Speaker 1: about gun policy. I was not politically active. I had 109 00:06:30,560 --> 00:06:34,440 Speaker 1: never been involved in organizing. But I knew that the 110 00:06:34,680 --> 00:06:38,960 Speaker 1: end to the gun gun lobbies yang was American moms. 111 00:06:39,800 --> 00:06:44,159 Speaker 1: Eighty million of us, whether the Republicans or Democrats, none 112 00:06:44,160 --> 00:06:46,120 Speaker 1: of us want to lose our children to gun violence. 113 00:06:47,240 --> 00:06:49,400 Speaker 1: So I thought, okay, I want to join something like 114 00:06:49,600 --> 00:06:52,680 Speaker 1: mom Mothers against Drunk driving, but for gun safety. And 115 00:06:52,720 --> 00:06:54,880 Speaker 1: I went online. I couldn't find anything. All I could 116 00:06:54,920 --> 00:06:57,680 Speaker 1: find were mail run think tanks in d C or 117 00:06:57,920 --> 00:07:01,080 Speaker 1: one off state organizations. I wanted to be part of 118 00:07:01,080 --> 00:07:05,279 Speaker 1: a badass army of women across the country, so I 119 00:07:05,360 --> 00:07:08,360 Speaker 1: have started a Facebook page. I was not a social 120 00:07:08,360 --> 00:07:11,040 Speaker 1: media feenalm. I had about seventy five Facebook friends. I 121 00:07:11,040 --> 00:07:15,480 Speaker 1: did not have an active Twitter handle. But because women 122 00:07:15,560 --> 00:07:20,320 Speaker 1: are so amazing, these type of women started following this page, 123 00:07:20,520 --> 00:07:23,200 Speaker 1: and they started googling me and getting my personal information 124 00:07:23,280 --> 00:07:25,680 Speaker 1: and calling me and emailing me and saying I'm ready 125 00:07:25,680 --> 00:07:27,120 Speaker 1: to get up the sidelines. I want to do this 126 00:07:27,160 --> 00:07:29,680 Speaker 1: where I live. Not really knowing what this was at 127 00:07:29,680 --> 00:07:33,320 Speaker 1: the time, and what I thought would be an online 128 00:07:33,320 --> 00:07:36,880 Speaker 1: conversation became the largest grassroots movement in the country. And 129 00:07:36,920 --> 00:07:40,840 Speaker 1: you guys are passing bills nationwide. I mean, you are 130 00:07:40,920 --> 00:07:47,120 Speaker 1: making sweeping change. And what might be most impressive to 131 00:07:47,160 --> 00:07:51,600 Speaker 1: me is helping to educate people about what responsible gun 132 00:07:51,680 --> 00:07:55,040 Speaker 1: laws mean, because we have to take this sort of 133 00:07:55,080 --> 00:07:58,800 Speaker 1: extreme hysteria out of the conversation and and this idea 134 00:07:58,920 --> 00:08:02,040 Speaker 1: that people who do have as your family did and 135 00:08:02,080 --> 00:08:04,960 Speaker 1: my family did, and so many families do, these cultural 136 00:08:05,160 --> 00:08:12,920 Speaker 1: relationships to hunting an outdoorsmanship. We have to figure out 137 00:08:13,120 --> 00:08:15,840 Speaker 1: a way for that to be properly regulated. You know. 138 00:08:16,600 --> 00:08:18,920 Speaker 1: One of the things that I so often talk to 139 00:08:18,920 --> 00:08:21,560 Speaker 1: people about is why if you can't buy a plane ticket, 140 00:08:21,600 --> 00:08:24,520 Speaker 1: can you buy a gun? And people will say, well, 141 00:08:24,560 --> 00:08:28,440 Speaker 1: that's not possible, but it is. And then we'll talk 142 00:08:28,440 --> 00:08:30,400 Speaker 1: about background checks and people will say, well, there are 143 00:08:30,440 --> 00:08:35,160 Speaker 1: background checks, but not nationwide. There's no nationwide database to 144 00:08:35,320 --> 00:08:37,600 Speaker 1: make sure that people who shouldn't have guns don't get 145 00:08:37,640 --> 00:08:41,120 Speaker 1: access to them. You know when we talk about um 146 00:08:41,200 --> 00:08:44,440 Speaker 1: even self defense, I understand the argument, but I also 147 00:08:44,480 --> 00:08:46,640 Speaker 1: am very aware, as a woman who knows what women 148 00:08:46,640 --> 00:08:48,920 Speaker 1: go through in the world, that a woman is five 149 00:08:49,000 --> 00:08:51,840 Speaker 1: times more likely to die in a domestic situation if 150 00:08:51,840 --> 00:08:54,640 Speaker 1: there's a gun in the house. There there is an 151 00:08:54,640 --> 00:08:58,360 Speaker 1: ease of escalation when a gun is present in a 152 00:08:58,440 --> 00:09:02,880 Speaker 1: dangerous situation that we just shouldn't have access to. And 153 00:09:02,920 --> 00:09:06,719 Speaker 1: so if a spouse is abusive, their guns should be 154 00:09:06,760 --> 00:09:09,280 Speaker 1: taken away so that the spouse whom they abuse is 155 00:09:09,320 --> 00:09:13,520 Speaker 1: protected from that escalating rage. And we don't have a 156 00:09:13,559 --> 00:09:16,439 Speaker 1: system of that either. And I think that those truths 157 00:09:16,520 --> 00:09:22,640 Speaker 1: are shocking to people. And I guess I'm curious for 158 00:09:22,679 --> 00:09:25,160 Speaker 1: people who want to get involved but aren't as far 159 00:09:25,200 --> 00:09:28,080 Speaker 1: along in the process as you are. Where would you 160 00:09:28,200 --> 00:09:31,400 Speaker 1: encourage them to start? Just to go back to some 161 00:09:31,440 --> 00:09:33,400 Speaker 1: of the points you made, which I think are so important. 162 00:09:33,600 --> 00:09:37,800 Speaker 1: You know, every nation is home to misogynists, to domestic abusers, 163 00:09:38,360 --> 00:09:44,680 Speaker 1: to racists, to homophobes, to bigots. Only America gives them 164 00:09:44,679 --> 00:09:48,200 Speaker 1: easy access to an arsenal and ammunition. It's why we 165 00:09:48,280 --> 00:09:52,040 Speaker 1: have a times higher gun homicide rate than any other country, 166 00:09:52,120 --> 00:10:00,000 Speaker 1: not than any other pure nation. Women in this country 167 00:10:00,200 --> 00:10:02,680 Speaker 1: are twenty times more likely to be shot and killed 168 00:10:02,880 --> 00:10:07,319 Speaker 1: than women in pure countries. This is a crisis. And 169 00:10:08,320 --> 00:10:10,520 Speaker 1: when we look at states that have stronger gun laws, 170 00:10:10,760 --> 00:10:14,440 Speaker 1: we see that fewer dangerous people get guns and they're 171 00:10:14,480 --> 00:10:17,319 Speaker 1: fewer gun deaths. We have the data and the research 172 00:10:17,400 --> 00:10:20,440 Speaker 1: to back that up, and and everything we do is 173 00:10:20,440 --> 00:10:22,760 Speaker 1: based on research and data which laws will save the 174 00:10:22,800 --> 00:10:26,240 Speaker 1: most lives. It's why we have worked in twenty eight 175 00:10:26,280 --> 00:10:27,760 Speaker 1: states to keep guns out of the hands of the 176 00:10:27,800 --> 00:10:30,559 Speaker 1: domestic abusers and pass laws there to do that. That's 177 00:10:30,559 --> 00:10:33,000 Speaker 1: why we've closed the background check loophole now in twenty 178 00:10:33,040 --> 00:10:36,360 Speaker 1: one states, and also something called the red flag law, 179 00:10:36,440 --> 00:10:39,800 Speaker 1: which has received a lot of bipartisan support, especially since 180 00:10:39,880 --> 00:10:43,240 Speaker 1: the tragedy in Parkland, Florida. A red flag law essentially 181 00:10:43,280 --> 00:10:46,720 Speaker 1: allows police or family to petition a judge to remove 182 00:10:46,760 --> 00:10:48,440 Speaker 1: the guns from someone who seems to be a danger 183 00:10:48,480 --> 00:10:51,760 Speaker 1: to themselves or others, which can prevent both gun suicides 184 00:10:51,840 --> 00:10:55,400 Speaker 1: and gun homicides. So we've passed that. Now it'll be 185 00:10:55,600 --> 00:10:57,640 Speaker 1: fifteen states and where it's on the desk of two 186 00:10:57,640 --> 00:11:01,320 Speaker 1: different governors. All of this work. All of these laws 187 00:11:01,520 --> 00:11:05,200 Speaker 1: are life saving and they seem like common sense, but 188 00:11:05,320 --> 00:11:09,160 Speaker 1: because we're fighting this intractable gun lobby, it does take 189 00:11:09,400 --> 00:11:11,640 Speaker 1: several election cycles to get some of this work done. 190 00:11:12,200 --> 00:11:15,360 Speaker 1: In terms of the polarization of the issue, it's important 191 00:11:15,360 --> 00:11:19,120 Speaker 1: to remember that Americans support us and stronger gun laws 192 00:11:19,720 --> 00:11:22,280 Speaker 1: of gun owners, only one in ten of whom belonged 193 00:11:22,320 --> 00:11:26,319 Speaker 1: to the n r A and r A members. This 194 00:11:26,400 --> 00:11:30,840 Speaker 1: isn't about Americans disagreeing with one another. This is about 195 00:11:30,880 --> 00:11:34,240 Speaker 1: the vast majority of Americans versus the gun lobby leadership 196 00:11:34,800 --> 00:11:38,600 Speaker 1: and some of the lawmakers who are beholden to them. 197 00:11:38,640 --> 00:11:44,960 Speaker 1: Because they have built this very loud minority, a very 198 00:11:45,040 --> 00:11:47,960 Speaker 1: vocal minority, it can feel like it's a polarizing issue 199 00:11:48,679 --> 00:11:51,880 Speaker 1: and it can keep people from getting involved. I'm happy 200 00:11:51,960 --> 00:11:53,800 Speaker 1: to serve as the tip of the spear on this 201 00:11:53,880 --> 00:11:57,839 Speaker 1: issue because there are death threats and threats of sexual 202 00:11:57,880 --> 00:12:01,000 Speaker 1: violence that come along with this kind of activist them. 203 00:12:01,000 --> 00:12:04,720 Speaker 1: But people can get involved in their communities where they live. 204 00:12:05,640 --> 00:12:07,719 Speaker 1: You can do work in your state houses, in your 205 00:12:07,720 --> 00:12:11,720 Speaker 1: city councils. You can talk to business owners where you 206 00:12:11,760 --> 00:12:13,719 Speaker 1: live and see what their gun policies are. Make them 207 00:12:13,720 --> 00:12:17,280 Speaker 1: part of your coalition. We have very much prioritized creating 208 00:12:17,320 --> 00:12:20,920 Speaker 1: partnerships with community groups wherever we go to make sure 209 00:12:20,960 --> 00:12:22,800 Speaker 1: that when we are going to state houses to oppose 210 00:12:22,880 --> 00:12:26,319 Speaker 1: bad bills or support good bills, we're doing it with educators, 211 00:12:26,320 --> 00:12:30,040 Speaker 1: police officers, business leaders. All of it matters, and they 212 00:12:30,080 --> 00:12:33,680 Speaker 1: all need to be present. So getting involved can be 213 00:12:33,840 --> 00:12:36,560 Speaker 1: as small as taking action when your kids are taking 214 00:12:36,679 --> 00:12:39,320 Speaker 1: a nap, which we call naptivism, or it can be 215 00:12:39,360 --> 00:12:42,280 Speaker 1: as big as joining us and taking on a leadership 216 00:12:42,280 --> 00:12:45,480 Speaker 1: position where you live as a volunteer. But because we're 217 00:12:45,480 --> 00:12:47,800 Speaker 1: type A moms, we will make the best use of 218 00:12:47,840 --> 00:12:51,600 Speaker 1: your time. I love that sufficient we are so efficient, 219 00:12:51,679 --> 00:12:54,760 Speaker 1: and I think it's a beautiful thing to encourage people 220 00:12:54,800 --> 00:12:58,120 Speaker 1: to do what they can because a lot of people 221 00:12:58,160 --> 00:13:00,480 Speaker 1: feel like they can't make a difference. Know, I don't 222 00:13:00,480 --> 00:13:03,240 Speaker 1: have the time, or or I'm not sure where to start. 223 00:13:03,280 --> 00:13:06,559 Speaker 1: And you saying that if there is a mom, a parent, 224 00:13:06,640 --> 00:13:10,320 Speaker 1: a person out there who just has the window of 225 00:13:10,320 --> 00:13:13,559 Speaker 1: a nap maybe twenty three minutes, ten three minutes in 226 00:13:13,600 --> 00:13:15,559 Speaker 1: a day, they can make a difference in their community. 227 00:13:16,080 --> 00:13:18,920 Speaker 1: I think that's really important for people to know. And 228 00:13:18,960 --> 00:13:21,600 Speaker 1: just to give you an example, So we have gone 229 00:13:21,640 --> 00:13:24,920 Speaker 1: after companies that allow something called open carry inside their stores. 230 00:13:25,040 --> 00:13:26,760 Speaker 1: This is legal and forty five states where you can 231 00:13:26,800 --> 00:13:29,440 Speaker 1: take a semi automatic rifle or a gun loosely in 232 00:13:29,480 --> 00:13:33,520 Speaker 1: your pocket or your purse into restaurants and retailers if 233 00:13:33,520 --> 00:13:37,880 Speaker 1: they allow it. And it started for us with Starbucks, 234 00:13:38,080 --> 00:13:40,600 Speaker 1: but there were other companies as well that we're allowing this. 235 00:13:40,800 --> 00:13:43,240 Speaker 1: And it only took us three days to get Chipotle 236 00:13:43,920 --> 00:13:46,600 Speaker 1: to stop allowing open carrying their stores using the hashtag 237 00:13:46,640 --> 00:13:50,520 Speaker 1: burritosnot bullets. That was all online. So there are different 238 00:13:50,520 --> 00:13:52,920 Speaker 1: ways to get involved, and it can be as easy 239 00:13:52,960 --> 00:13:55,320 Speaker 1: as sending an email or using hashtag or making a 240 00:13:55,320 --> 00:13:58,559 Speaker 1: phone call. But you may also want to move on 241 00:13:58,600 --> 00:14:01,800 Speaker 1: to meeting with your lawmakers. Are in a perfect world 242 00:14:01,960 --> 00:14:04,960 Speaker 1: thinking about running for office yourself? That's so exciting. So 243 00:14:05,000 --> 00:14:09,080 Speaker 1: obviously we're having this conversation. You're this enormous national movement 244 00:14:09,200 --> 00:14:12,240 Speaker 1: and you have this incredible army of moms and parents 245 00:14:12,280 --> 00:14:15,960 Speaker 1: and volunteers working with you. How did how did it 246 00:14:16,120 --> 00:14:18,720 Speaker 1: start to pick up steam? Because you say that you 247 00:14:18,720 --> 00:14:23,080 Speaker 1: you know, you started with seventy Facebook friends. How did 248 00:14:23,320 --> 00:14:26,280 Speaker 1: how did you build this? What? What were the big 249 00:14:26,320 --> 00:14:29,880 Speaker 1: milestones that you saw as sort of your steps to 250 00:14:30,040 --> 00:14:35,480 Speaker 1: organizing first, it was really all public and private Facebook pages, 251 00:14:35,680 --> 00:14:38,040 Speaker 1: and that's how we would get to know one another 252 00:14:38,080 --> 00:14:40,440 Speaker 1: across the country. And what year did this all start. 253 00:14:40,640 --> 00:14:42,680 Speaker 1: It started the day after the Sandy Hook school shooting, 254 00:14:42,720 --> 00:14:44,920 Speaker 1: which was in the very end of two thousand twelve, 255 00:14:45,040 --> 00:14:46,520 Speaker 1: and so a lot of the work we were doing 256 00:14:46,560 --> 00:14:51,080 Speaker 1: around organizing happened. And we were just doing that work, 257 00:14:51,120 --> 00:14:53,880 Speaker 1: sort of beginning to get Facebook pages up off the 258 00:14:53,880 --> 00:14:56,600 Speaker 1: ground and getting people involved where they lived in their states. 259 00:14:56,640 --> 00:14:58,120 Speaker 1: And then suddenly we got a call from the White 260 00:14:58,160 --> 00:15:00,680 Speaker 1: House and they said, we have been waiting for women 261 00:15:00,680 --> 00:15:03,800 Speaker 1: and mothers to organize across the country on this will 262 00:15:03,840 --> 00:15:06,520 Speaker 1: you help us support the Mansion Too Me bill? And 263 00:15:06,560 --> 00:15:09,080 Speaker 1: that was a bill that was put forward in the 264 00:15:09,120 --> 00:15:11,680 Speaker 1: aftermath of Sandy Hook that would have required a background 265 00:15:11,720 --> 00:15:14,520 Speaker 1: check on every gun sale. Right now, you only have 266 00:15:14,560 --> 00:15:16,280 Speaker 1: to have a background check if it's a licensed sale, 267 00:15:16,640 --> 00:15:18,760 Speaker 1: not an unlicensed sale, for example at a gun show 268 00:15:18,880 --> 00:15:23,080 Speaker 1: or online. And we just started organizing around that bill. 269 00:15:23,280 --> 00:15:25,360 Speaker 1: We were showing up in Washington, d C. We were 270 00:15:25,360 --> 00:15:27,440 Speaker 1: meeting with our senators in district where we lived. We 271 00:15:27,440 --> 00:15:30,120 Speaker 1: were doing all these sort of mom things like craft 272 00:15:30,160 --> 00:15:33,160 Speaker 1: projects to get the attention of our lawmakers and to 273 00:15:33,200 --> 00:15:36,440 Speaker 1: get other Americans off the sidelines, and we worked really 274 00:15:36,480 --> 00:15:38,880 Speaker 1: hard for several months, and then in April of two 275 00:15:38,880 --> 00:15:41,880 Speaker 1: thousand thirteen, that bill failed by just a handful of votes, 276 00:15:42,800 --> 00:15:47,360 Speaker 1: some of them Democratic senators, for example Heidi hi Camp 277 00:15:48,160 --> 00:15:51,960 Speaker 1: North Dakota Democratic Senator, who said she voted no because 278 00:15:51,960 --> 00:15:54,320 Speaker 1: she had heard more from the other side. Even though 279 00:15:54,320 --> 00:15:57,520 Speaker 1: she was a mom, a woman, a Democrat, she voted no. 280 00:15:58,440 --> 00:16:01,200 Speaker 1: And we really vowed then and there that that would 281 00:16:01,200 --> 00:16:03,640 Speaker 1: be the last time a lawmaker could say that that 282 00:16:03,720 --> 00:16:09,040 Speaker 1: we would build such a loud majority, we would no 283 00:16:09,080 --> 00:16:11,960 Speaker 1: longer be a silent majority, that no lawmaker could ever 284 00:16:12,040 --> 00:16:15,400 Speaker 1: use that as an excuse again. And we also realized 285 00:16:15,400 --> 00:16:18,240 Speaker 1: then that this work ends in Congress, it's not where 286 00:16:18,240 --> 00:16:22,560 Speaker 1: it begins. And our volunteers intuitively pivoted and started doing 287 00:16:22,560 --> 00:16:24,800 Speaker 1: this work in their statehouses and boardrooms where they lived. 288 00:16:26,000 --> 00:16:29,120 Speaker 1: And along the way, we realized this isn't just about 289 00:16:29,120 --> 00:16:32,040 Speaker 1: mass shootings or school shootings. This is the daily gun violence, 290 00:16:32,120 --> 00:16:35,040 Speaker 1: the gun homicides and city centers, the gun suicides and 291 00:16:35,120 --> 00:16:38,880 Speaker 1: rural communities, the unintentional shootings all over the country, and 292 00:16:38,920 --> 00:16:41,360 Speaker 1: we have to care about all of it. Yes, we 293 00:16:41,440 --> 00:16:44,440 Speaker 1: have to address all of it, and we just began 294 00:16:44,480 --> 00:16:49,240 Speaker 1: growing exponentially, and then, in fact, after the tragedy in Parkland, Florida, 295 00:16:49,480 --> 00:16:52,600 Speaker 1: we tripled in size. But because we'd built this machinery 296 00:16:52,640 --> 00:16:56,600 Speaker 1: on the ground, we could absorb all of these new volunteers. 297 00:16:56,600 --> 00:17:03,840 Speaker 1: You were ready for it. You had the infrastructure, pay listeners. 298 00:17:03,880 --> 00:17:05,879 Speaker 1: I'm going to talk to you about our sponsors, but 299 00:17:06,040 --> 00:17:09,680 Speaker 1: first I want to clarify for all the people when 300 00:17:09,680 --> 00:17:13,800 Speaker 1: you started all of this, what was the reaction from 301 00:17:13,840 --> 00:17:18,000 Speaker 1: your friends and your family, Because, as you say, you 302 00:17:18,000 --> 00:17:21,440 Speaker 1: you are a you know, to use a common phrase, 303 00:17:21,840 --> 00:17:24,600 Speaker 1: poster child for this movement, and so that puts a 304 00:17:24,800 --> 00:17:28,639 Speaker 1: lot of eyeballs on you, and that comes with a 305 00:17:28,720 --> 00:17:33,960 Speaker 1: lot of terrible backlash and sort of side effects which 306 00:17:33,960 --> 00:17:37,520 Speaker 1: I imagine are only made manageable because of all the 307 00:17:37,520 --> 00:17:41,480 Speaker 1: good you're doing. But how how did your community and 308 00:17:41,520 --> 00:17:44,960 Speaker 1: your family react? How have they supported you? How how 309 00:17:45,000 --> 00:17:49,120 Speaker 1: have you done this well? I think I was naive 310 00:17:49,520 --> 00:17:51,960 Speaker 1: and that helped in a way because I didn't know 311 00:17:52,160 --> 00:17:54,639 Speaker 1: the blowback I would get. I honestly didn't. I just 312 00:17:54,680 --> 00:17:58,080 Speaker 1: didn't realize this underbelly of America existed where I would 313 00:17:58,119 --> 00:18:01,159 Speaker 1: immediately be getting death threats, threat of sexual violence to me, 314 00:18:01,240 --> 00:18:04,520 Speaker 1: to my daughter's people, getting my phone over, texting me, 315 00:18:04,600 --> 00:18:08,199 Speaker 1: calling me, direct messaging me, driving by my house, sending 316 00:18:08,200 --> 00:18:13,160 Speaker 1: me letters at my home, and a couple of months 317 00:18:13,240 --> 00:18:15,360 Speaker 1: in I called the police just to say like, could 318 00:18:15,400 --> 00:18:19,080 Speaker 1: you keep an eye on the house, and his response was, well, 319 00:18:19,119 --> 00:18:22,440 Speaker 1: that's what happens when you mess with the Second Amendment, ma'am. 320 00:18:22,440 --> 00:18:26,280 Speaker 1: And I realized then that I either needed to accept 321 00:18:26,280 --> 00:18:27,439 Speaker 1: that this was going to be part of it or 322 00:18:27,600 --> 00:18:29,280 Speaker 1: make a decision that I wasn't going to do it. 323 00:18:29,359 --> 00:18:31,719 Speaker 1: And it has become white noise to me. I'm just 324 00:18:31,800 --> 00:18:34,560 Speaker 1: not going to be silenced or intimidated. The n r 325 00:18:34,600 --> 00:18:38,879 Speaker 1: A even ramped up their attacks on me um. They 326 00:18:38,960 --> 00:18:43,120 Speaker 1: started tagging me and posts and purposely sending trolls after 327 00:18:43,200 --> 00:18:47,879 Speaker 1: me to send horrific threats. But again, what's the alternative 328 00:18:47,960 --> 00:18:50,480 Speaker 1: that we do nothing, that we allow one Americans to 329 00:18:50,520 --> 00:18:52,679 Speaker 1: die from gun violence every day? I mean, this is 330 00:18:52,680 --> 00:18:55,720 Speaker 1: not sustainable. This issue is not going away. And I 331 00:18:55,720 --> 00:18:57,600 Speaker 1: also think the n r A is trying to distract 332 00:18:57,680 --> 00:19:00,600 Speaker 1: because they are under such investigation and right now for 333 00:19:00,600 --> 00:19:04,640 Speaker 1: their ties to Russia from misspending members dollars, so they 334 00:19:04,640 --> 00:19:07,440 Speaker 1: have to try to distract well, paying their CEO five 335 00:19:07,480 --> 00:19:09,959 Speaker 1: million a year and paying for luxury yachts and cars 336 00:19:10,000 --> 00:19:12,800 Speaker 1: in private plane. Don't forget the Italian suits. I mean, 337 00:19:12,840 --> 00:19:17,320 Speaker 1: it's an utterly insane thing to do. And when I 338 00:19:17,359 --> 00:19:19,439 Speaker 1: see what they do to you online, I worry for 339 00:19:19,480 --> 00:19:23,440 Speaker 1: you because I know that not only are they fomenting 340 00:19:23,480 --> 00:19:28,119 Speaker 1: a their own base that has been made hysterical because 341 00:19:28,160 --> 00:19:30,639 Speaker 1: of the lies the n r A is pushing, but 342 00:19:30,720 --> 00:19:34,280 Speaker 1: I also know that they're sending those Russian troll farms 343 00:19:34,320 --> 00:19:38,560 Speaker 1: after you that are just insufferable. You know, I in 344 00:19:38,640 --> 00:19:41,080 Speaker 1: my own space, I get caught up in that sometimes 345 00:19:41,160 --> 00:19:45,920 Speaker 1: when I'm going after the insane policies of the Trump administration, 346 00:19:46,000 --> 00:19:50,800 Speaker 1: and if the wrong group picks up on just the 347 00:19:50,840 --> 00:19:54,520 Speaker 1: factual truth that I'm spelling out on Twitter, the bot 348 00:19:54,600 --> 00:19:59,280 Speaker 1: attacks will start. And well, I guess I only share 349 00:19:59,280 --> 00:20:01,920 Speaker 1: that to say I have such deep sympathy for you 350 00:20:02,240 --> 00:20:05,320 Speaker 1: because I know logically, like in my brain, I know 351 00:20:06,040 --> 00:20:09,159 Speaker 1: that's a bot that's not real. But to be on 352 00:20:09,280 --> 00:20:12,719 Speaker 1: the receiving end of rape and death and maiming and 353 00:20:12,840 --> 00:20:18,640 Speaker 1: torture threats is horrific for your psyche. And I don't 354 00:20:18,760 --> 00:20:23,840 Speaker 1: think that people know that that's the price that's paid, 355 00:20:24,240 --> 00:20:28,640 Speaker 1: and for you, I know that it is exponentially worse 356 00:20:29,160 --> 00:20:32,960 Speaker 1: because you have an entire organization mobilizing against your movement. 357 00:20:33,920 --> 00:20:39,359 Speaker 1: And it makes me curious this relationship between the n 358 00:20:39,480 --> 00:20:43,240 Speaker 1: r A and women. Their messaging often implies that women 359 00:20:43,240 --> 00:20:46,320 Speaker 1: should not be believed, or that you know you are 360 00:20:47,680 --> 00:20:50,720 Speaker 1: making a big deal out of something that isn't a problem, 361 00:20:50,840 --> 00:20:53,800 Speaker 1: or or that you're saying we need to solve something unsolvable, 362 00:20:53,800 --> 00:20:56,240 Speaker 1: which I find to be ridiculous because every other country 363 00:20:56,280 --> 00:20:58,840 Speaker 1: has figured out how to solve it, so it's clearly solvable. 364 00:20:59,040 --> 00:21:02,040 Speaker 1: Data doesn't lie. But then on the flip side, they'll 365 00:21:02,080 --> 00:21:06,719 Speaker 1: say you're disarming women, you're making things unsafe for women, 366 00:21:06,920 --> 00:21:10,520 Speaker 1: conveniently ignoring that stat about a woman being five times 367 00:21:10,560 --> 00:21:12,320 Speaker 1: where I likely to die in a situation where I 368 00:21:12,400 --> 00:21:18,720 Speaker 1: got as present. So how as a woman, how are 369 00:21:18,720 --> 00:21:21,879 Speaker 1: you making sense of all of that? The n r 370 00:21:21,920 --> 00:21:24,600 Speaker 1: A has such a marketing dilemma because on one hand, 371 00:21:24,680 --> 00:21:29,639 Speaker 1: they sell guns by using misogyny, and we've seen them 372 00:21:29,640 --> 00:21:31,560 Speaker 1: employ this again and again. I mean, for God's sake, 373 00:21:31,600 --> 00:21:34,280 Speaker 1: ted nugents on their board, the things he said about 374 00:21:34,280 --> 00:21:39,800 Speaker 1: women and politicians who are women in particular, are disgustingly. 375 00:21:40,119 --> 00:21:44,879 Speaker 1: Even after the UCSB shooting in California, one of their 376 00:21:44,880 --> 00:21:47,639 Speaker 1: spokespeople got on TV there, you know, n r A 377 00:21:47,720 --> 00:21:50,879 Speaker 1: TV channel and was comparing a woman's body to an 378 00:21:50,880 --> 00:21:54,200 Speaker 1: air of fifteen. And They've gone after me personally saying, 379 00:21:54,240 --> 00:21:56,800 Speaker 1: I'm not a real estate at home mom. I'm They 380 00:21:56,800 --> 00:21:59,719 Speaker 1: called me a Bloomberg wore because Mike Bloomberg was one 381 00:21:59,760 --> 00:22:04,520 Speaker 1: of our early supporters and donors. And on the other hand, 382 00:22:04,680 --> 00:22:08,120 Speaker 1: they have to sell guns to women or in order 383 00:22:08,160 --> 00:22:11,280 Speaker 1: to protect the profit margins of gun manufacturers. Right the 384 00:22:11,400 --> 00:22:14,080 Speaker 1: n r A, the gun lobby. Gun manufacturers are selling 385 00:22:14,119 --> 00:22:18,080 Speaker 1: more guns to fewer people. They've convinced basically a white 386 00:22:18,080 --> 00:22:19,919 Speaker 1: man over the age of sixty that they need an 387 00:22:20,000 --> 00:22:24,800 Speaker 1: arsenal that is not sustainable. They have to broaden their 388 00:22:24,880 --> 00:22:26,960 Speaker 1: their base of people who will buy guns. And how 389 00:22:26,960 --> 00:22:30,480 Speaker 1: do they do that. They tell you need yoga pants 390 00:22:30,520 --> 00:22:34,640 Speaker 1: that include a gun hole star. They tell who needs 391 00:22:34,640 --> 00:22:39,320 Speaker 1: to take a gun to a yoga class? Well, rational 392 00:22:39,440 --> 00:22:42,040 Speaker 1: for one minute, you know, but sadly there was a 393 00:22:42,080 --> 00:22:45,159 Speaker 1: shooting right you know, at the yoga studio. So but 394 00:22:45,320 --> 00:22:47,560 Speaker 1: that again has to do with misogyny, right, and we 395 00:22:47,600 --> 00:22:50,480 Speaker 1: need to disarm misogynists. But the n A wants us 396 00:22:50,520 --> 00:22:52,440 Speaker 1: to believe we actually all need to be armed when 397 00:22:52,480 --> 00:22:54,840 Speaker 1: we go anywhere, except for the fact that we see 398 00:22:54,880 --> 00:22:58,040 Speaker 1: these horrific things happen. You know, you saw that that 399 00:22:58,640 --> 00:23:02,399 Speaker 1: incredible man, the body guard in Chicago who stopped to 400 00:23:02,440 --> 00:23:05,239 Speaker 1: shooting and then was killed by the police because they 401 00:23:05,240 --> 00:23:07,119 Speaker 1: saw a man with a gun and the crowd was 402 00:23:07,160 --> 00:23:09,960 Speaker 1: screaming he's the bodyguard, he's a good guy, and they 403 00:23:09,960 --> 00:23:13,600 Speaker 1: shot him anyway, And so this idea that by somehow 404 00:23:13,680 --> 00:23:17,520 Speaker 1: just arming everyone will survive, all that happens is more 405 00:23:17,640 --> 00:23:20,119 Speaker 1: more people holding guns lead to more people getting shot, right. 406 00:23:20,119 --> 00:23:22,560 Speaker 1: It's why road rage with guns has more than doubled 407 00:23:22,560 --> 00:23:25,320 Speaker 1: in the last five years. They're all these different crises 408 00:23:25,320 --> 00:23:29,800 Speaker 1: that have been started by this idea of guns for anyone, anytime, anywhere, 409 00:23:29,880 --> 00:23:33,480 Speaker 1: no questions asked. That's that's the gun lobby's agenda. But 410 00:23:34,560 --> 00:23:37,040 Speaker 1: I don't believe women are buying with the n A 411 00:23:37,119 --> 00:23:40,000 Speaker 1: is selling. In fact, the percentage of women who are 412 00:23:40,040 --> 00:23:43,000 Speaker 1: buying guns are becoming gun owners really has remained unchanged 413 00:23:43,080 --> 00:23:45,359 Speaker 1: about twelve and it stayed there for a long time. 414 00:23:46,400 --> 00:23:48,159 Speaker 1: But that that spells trouble for the n r A. 415 00:23:48,440 --> 00:23:51,280 Speaker 1: And I guess what bothers me about it is that 416 00:23:51,359 --> 00:23:53,840 Speaker 1: when you say it spells trouble for them, it spells 417 00:23:53,840 --> 00:23:57,879 Speaker 1: trouble for their profit margin. And they're putting profits over people. 418 00:23:58,840 --> 00:24:04,040 Speaker 1: And that's just something that I can't understand. And when 419 00:24:04,280 --> 00:24:06,600 Speaker 1: when people when we talk about a hundred gun deaths 420 00:24:06,600 --> 00:24:10,399 Speaker 1: a day, a lot of people want to say, you 421 00:24:10,520 --> 00:24:14,800 Speaker 1: have that includes suicide, And I'm very aware, but there 422 00:24:14,840 --> 00:24:18,280 Speaker 1: are people who will take their life by gun, who 423 00:24:18,400 --> 00:24:20,960 Speaker 1: won't take their life in another way, who feel too 424 00:24:21,000 --> 00:24:26,720 Speaker 1: scared so or they try a method that isn't as deadly. Yes, certainly, 425 00:24:27,080 --> 00:24:30,000 Speaker 1: and I understand that some people aren't going to be 426 00:24:30,000 --> 00:24:33,280 Speaker 1: stopped and that's devastating. And yes, we need to address 427 00:24:33,359 --> 00:24:37,159 Speaker 1: mental health and support systems for people. But I always 428 00:24:37,200 --> 00:24:39,280 Speaker 1: ask when someone points that out, I say, what if 429 00:24:39,320 --> 00:24:42,359 Speaker 1: you could stop five of those deaths a day, if 430 00:24:42,400 --> 00:24:45,560 Speaker 1: those people couldn't get a gun, wouldn't that be meaningful? 431 00:24:45,800 --> 00:24:51,480 Speaker 1: Wouldn't that be worth something? And I think for me 432 00:24:51,640 --> 00:24:56,920 Speaker 1: it's been really hard that Sandy Hook didn't change this. 433 00:24:57,840 --> 00:25:01,840 Speaker 1: You know that people could try to capitalize on that 434 00:25:01,840 --> 00:25:05,640 Speaker 1: that someone like an Alex Jones could start a movement, 435 00:25:06,080 --> 00:25:08,280 Speaker 1: which then in court he admitted he knew was a lie, 436 00:25:08,880 --> 00:25:12,040 Speaker 1: but he did it for ratings, and that those families 437 00:25:12,080 --> 00:25:16,320 Speaker 1: would be traumatized over and over again because of this 438 00:25:16,640 --> 00:25:21,000 Speaker 1: rabid obsession that he unleashed on them. I wonder how 439 00:25:21,080 --> 00:25:26,800 Speaker 1: we've gotten so lost that we aren't registering the horror 440 00:25:26,880 --> 00:25:30,639 Speaker 1: that is happening to people. Because I remember being in school. 441 00:25:30,800 --> 00:25:33,320 Speaker 1: I remember being in Mr Hallman's biology class when we 442 00:25:33,359 --> 00:25:37,040 Speaker 1: heard about Columbine and one of my best friends from 443 00:25:37,040 --> 00:25:40,760 Speaker 1: my childhood had moved to Colorado, and you know, there 444 00:25:40,840 --> 00:25:43,400 Speaker 1: was no social media, there's no nothing back then, so 445 00:25:43,560 --> 00:25:46,960 Speaker 1: I didn't know what her school was called. And until 446 00:25:47,000 --> 00:25:49,240 Speaker 1: eight o'clock that night, I didn't know if my friend 447 00:25:49,280 --> 00:25:53,720 Speaker 1: had died. And I remember my school shutting down. I 448 00:25:53,720 --> 00:25:56,480 Speaker 1: mean they just stopped. They brought everybody into the auditorium. 449 00:25:56,480 --> 00:25:59,399 Speaker 1: They had teachers coming to speak to us, asking us 450 00:25:59,400 --> 00:26:01,280 Speaker 1: if we needed anything, did we want to go home? 451 00:26:01,320 --> 00:26:06,480 Speaker 1: They would call our parents. It was a game over moment. 452 00:26:07,640 --> 00:26:12,720 Speaker 1: And now these shootings happen and the news has moved on, 453 00:26:13,000 --> 00:26:16,879 Speaker 1: and it moves on in less than twelve hours. People 454 00:26:17,040 --> 00:26:19,200 Speaker 1: people say, well, wait, what, there was a shooting last week? 455 00:26:19,240 --> 00:26:23,080 Speaker 1: Where was it? And I just don't know how we're 456 00:26:23,119 --> 00:26:27,840 Speaker 1: not addressing gun violence as a public health crisis because 457 00:26:27,920 --> 00:26:32,160 Speaker 1: it is, This is an epidemic. And again, I say 458 00:26:32,200 --> 00:26:35,159 Speaker 1: this as a sharpshooter, I say this as a gun owner. 459 00:26:35,840 --> 00:26:37,520 Speaker 1: I say this as a person who goes to the 460 00:26:37,640 --> 00:26:41,040 Speaker 1: range on a Sunday afternoon. On no planet do I 461 00:26:41,080 --> 00:26:43,119 Speaker 1: feel like I need to have an arsenal of weapons 462 00:26:43,160 --> 00:26:46,359 Speaker 1: in my home. Like this isn't the Walking Dead, you know, 463 00:26:47,760 --> 00:26:55,000 Speaker 1: it just it just isn't. And I I am hopeful 464 00:26:55,520 --> 00:27:00,879 Speaker 1: that organizations like yours will help to bring some of 465 00:27:00,920 --> 00:27:04,520 Speaker 1: that reality back into the conversation. Yeah, you know, this 466 00:27:04,640 --> 00:27:07,320 Speaker 1: is really about greed, and it's no different than any 467 00:27:07,320 --> 00:27:09,399 Speaker 1: other special interests we've seen in this country. It's no 468 00:27:09,480 --> 00:27:13,440 Speaker 1: different than like pharmaceutical industries pushing drugs that are bad 469 00:27:13,440 --> 00:27:15,400 Speaker 1: for people drunk driving. Back in the eighties, a lot 470 00:27:15,400 --> 00:27:19,119 Speaker 1: of the same argument arguments were used tobacco industry. But 471 00:27:19,520 --> 00:27:23,360 Speaker 1: the n r A they said two things, we don't 472 00:27:23,400 --> 00:27:25,119 Speaker 1: believe there should be guns in any schools, and we 473 00:27:25,160 --> 00:27:27,439 Speaker 1: support a background check on every gun sale, and then 474 00:27:27,920 --> 00:27:31,399 Speaker 1: said that they did. Wayne Lapierre said that then what 475 00:27:31,520 --> 00:27:35,760 Speaker 1: happened was the demographic shift of selling more guns but 476 00:27:35,840 --> 00:27:40,280 Speaker 1: to fewer people. And they're a lobbying organization, so of 477 00:27:40,320 --> 00:27:44,640 Speaker 1: course they have to protect their special interests. And that 478 00:27:44,840 --> 00:27:46,480 Speaker 1: is really what this is about at the end of 479 00:27:46,480 --> 00:27:48,800 Speaker 1: the day. It is about a lobbying organization that has 480 00:27:48,800 --> 00:27:52,840 Speaker 1: been able to take over some state legislatures, some of 481 00:27:52,840 --> 00:27:56,520 Speaker 1: our members of Congress and really have their way with 482 00:27:57,359 --> 00:28:01,880 Speaker 1: our laws, a bully pulpit. Really yeah, and and America 483 00:28:01,960 --> 00:28:03,840 Speaker 1: has changed that. In the past, they've taken on special 484 00:28:03,840 --> 00:28:06,679 Speaker 1: interests and they won and this is no different. You know, 485 00:28:06,760 --> 00:28:09,600 Speaker 1: after the Virginia Beach shooting, I was so dismayed because 486 00:28:09,600 --> 00:28:12,600 Speaker 1: there were so many politicians and pundits saying this is 487 00:28:12,600 --> 00:28:14,760 Speaker 1: never going to change. Americans don't have the will to 488 00:28:14,840 --> 00:28:18,920 Speaker 1: take this on or even speculating about causes of gun 489 00:28:19,000 --> 00:28:23,160 Speaker 1: violence that are absolutely not germane or or research supported, 490 00:28:23,640 --> 00:28:26,720 Speaker 1: like video games or polar station. Country in the world 491 00:28:26,720 --> 00:28:29,960 Speaker 1: has videos and movies and all of it. What America 492 00:28:30,040 --> 00:28:32,600 Speaker 1: has is easy access to guns. But it is so 493 00:28:32,640 --> 00:28:34,720 Speaker 1: important to remember that we are winning. You know, last 494 00:28:34,760 --> 00:28:37,400 Speaker 1: year we passed stronger gun laws in twenty states. Nine 495 00:28:37,400 --> 00:28:40,680 Speaker 1: were signed by Republican governors in the midterm elections, we 496 00:28:40,720 --> 00:28:44,640 Speaker 1: outspent and outmaneuvered the n r A, and we go 497 00:28:44,680 --> 00:28:47,400 Speaker 1: into and their hands are tied behind their back. They 498 00:28:47,440 --> 00:28:50,719 Speaker 1: are in disarray, they're broke, and we are stronger than 499 00:28:50,760 --> 00:28:53,240 Speaker 1: we've ever been as a movement. And I'm I'm incredibly 500 00:28:53,280 --> 00:28:56,360 Speaker 1: hopeful that this will only take a few election cycles. 501 00:28:57,960 --> 00:29:02,360 Speaker 1: Can you walk me through something as you in the book, 502 00:29:02,400 --> 00:29:07,800 Speaker 1: you write about the main gun violence myths, and I'm 503 00:29:07,840 --> 00:29:09,800 Speaker 1: hoping that we can just go through some and you 504 00:29:09,840 --> 00:29:14,280 Speaker 1: can probably. I think that they're so helpful. One of 505 00:29:14,280 --> 00:29:16,000 Speaker 1: the things that drives me crazy about this, and that 506 00:29:16,120 --> 00:29:19,480 Speaker 1: I got to see firsthand working with the Chicago Police 507 00:29:19,600 --> 00:29:22,120 Speaker 1: on a job there for four years, is everyone always 508 00:29:22,200 --> 00:29:25,000 Speaker 1: uses Chicago and the gang violence and the and the 509 00:29:25,040 --> 00:29:27,240 Speaker 1: gun depths. There is the example. They're like, well, Illinois 510 00:29:27,240 --> 00:29:29,560 Speaker 1: has some of the strictest laws. It's because all guns 511 00:29:29,560 --> 00:29:32,320 Speaker 1: in Chicago come from Indiana. The majority of crime guns 512 00:29:32,320 --> 00:29:34,640 Speaker 1: in Chicago come from Indiana, which is just a bicycle 513 00:29:34,720 --> 00:29:36,920 Speaker 1: right away, and they have some of the most lax 514 00:29:37,400 --> 00:29:40,000 Speaker 1: gun laws in the country. So they're bought there, they're 515 00:29:40,040 --> 00:29:43,520 Speaker 1: traded there, and then they're just driven into Chicago. And 516 00:29:43,560 --> 00:29:46,160 Speaker 1: this is why it's so important to talk about passing 517 00:29:46,680 --> 00:29:49,520 Speaker 1: laws and background checks and why we need federal laws 518 00:29:49,600 --> 00:29:53,240 Speaker 1: on a federal level. Yes, I just it makes me 519 00:29:53,320 --> 00:29:55,680 Speaker 1: not anyway. Everyone who's on the other side always wants 520 00:29:55,720 --> 00:29:57,360 Speaker 1: to yell at me about Chicago. They're like, you should 521 00:29:57,400 --> 00:29:59,760 Speaker 1: know when I actually lived there, And I do know. 522 00:30:00,000 --> 00:30:02,680 Speaker 1: It's the groundhogs day of questions. I lived in Indiana, 523 00:30:02,800 --> 00:30:06,400 Speaker 1: so you and me, sister. Yes, yes, there is a 524 00:30:06,480 --> 00:30:09,720 Speaker 1: myth more guns mean less crime. Data absolutely does not 525 00:30:09,760 --> 00:30:13,400 Speaker 1: prove that, at least credible data. Um, there's a researcher 526 00:30:13,480 --> 00:30:15,240 Speaker 1: that the n r A often refers to who is 527 00:30:15,280 --> 00:30:19,400 Speaker 1: completely non incredible in the research community. When you look 528 00:30:19,520 --> 00:30:21,840 Speaker 1: at the data, what it shows us is that stronger 529 00:30:21,880 --> 00:30:25,840 Speaker 1: gun laws reduced gun deaths full stop. It is so 530 00:30:25,880 --> 00:30:29,240 Speaker 1: important that we make our country's laws and our policies 531 00:30:29,280 --> 00:30:32,080 Speaker 1: based on data and not anecdotes, and certainly not gun 532 00:30:32,120 --> 00:30:35,880 Speaker 1: lobby data. Yeah, that would be like making health laws 533 00:30:35,880 --> 00:30:39,400 Speaker 1: based on data funded by Pepsi or Coca Cola exactly. 534 00:30:39,520 --> 00:30:42,920 Speaker 1: Like nobody's doing that because we know it's a joke. 535 00:30:43,800 --> 00:30:46,440 Speaker 1: So there is the myth, and I know we've touched 536 00:30:46,480 --> 00:30:48,840 Speaker 1: on it. But just to clarify, there's a myth out 537 00:30:48,880 --> 00:30:51,680 Speaker 1: there that Mom's Demand Action wants to take your guns away. 538 00:30:51,720 --> 00:30:54,240 Speaker 1: That is not true, absolutely not. Do you know, it's 539 00:30:54,240 --> 00:30:56,760 Speaker 1: so important to remember in this country that we do 540 00:30:56,880 --> 00:30:59,520 Speaker 1: have a second Amendment and that there are four million 541 00:30:59,520 --> 00:31:02,959 Speaker 1: guns and billion hands. This is not about the right 542 00:31:03,000 --> 00:31:05,760 Speaker 1: of self defense, which people have. This is about restoring 543 00:31:05,760 --> 00:31:08,680 Speaker 1: the responsibilities that go along with those rights, and they 544 00:31:08,720 --> 00:31:11,520 Speaker 1: have been eroded by the gun lobby for decades. There's 545 00:31:11,560 --> 00:31:14,080 Speaker 1: a myth that criminals will always find their way to 546 00:31:14,080 --> 00:31:16,440 Speaker 1: get their hands on a gun. Yeah. I love when 547 00:31:16,520 --> 00:31:21,200 Speaker 1: lawmakers say laws don't work. These are the same like, 548 00:31:21,240 --> 00:31:22,920 Speaker 1: then why are you trying to pass them for everything 549 00:31:22,920 --> 00:31:27,320 Speaker 1: else about women's body? Like laws don't work? Okay, the 550 00:31:27,360 --> 00:31:30,600 Speaker 1: same lawmakers who are saying that laws will stop abortion 551 00:31:30,760 --> 00:31:33,600 Speaker 1: say that gun laws will not stop gun violence. It's 552 00:31:33,640 --> 00:31:36,800 Speaker 1: completely counterintuitive and it is certainly not backed up by data. 553 00:31:37,240 --> 00:31:39,720 Speaker 1: So there's a myth that says you already have to 554 00:31:39,720 --> 00:31:41,640 Speaker 1: get a background check, so what more could you need 555 00:31:41,760 --> 00:31:43,480 Speaker 1: a lot of people really do believe you have to 556 00:31:43,480 --> 00:31:45,600 Speaker 1: have a background check on every gun sale. If you 557 00:31:45,680 --> 00:31:50,560 Speaker 1: buy from an unlicensed dealer in now what twenty nine states, 558 00:31:50,960 --> 00:31:53,200 Speaker 1: you do not have to go through a background check 559 00:31:53,440 --> 00:31:55,160 Speaker 1: or at a gun show. So if you're at a 560 00:31:55,200 --> 00:31:58,040 Speaker 1: gun show, you can buy a gun online. It is 561 00:31:58,080 --> 00:32:02,320 Speaker 1: a very large, commerce, very regular way that people access 562 00:32:02,360 --> 00:32:03,680 Speaker 1: guns in this country. And all you have to do 563 00:32:03,760 --> 00:32:06,080 Speaker 1: is meet that person in person, and if it's in 564 00:32:06,080 --> 00:32:08,680 Speaker 1: a state that does not require background check, you simply 565 00:32:08,960 --> 00:32:13,600 Speaker 1: sell it to the person, no questions asked. And when 566 00:32:13,640 --> 00:32:18,600 Speaker 1: they made the laws in nineteen nineties about requiring background checks, 567 00:32:18,640 --> 00:32:21,440 Speaker 1: no one imagined there would be this huge online marketplace 568 00:32:21,480 --> 00:32:24,560 Speaker 1: to sell guns. So, for example, arms list dot Com. 569 00:32:24,600 --> 00:32:26,880 Speaker 1: I mean, it's just become one of the largest gun 570 00:32:26,920 --> 00:32:30,200 Speaker 1: marketplaces in the country. I actually got to ask President 571 00:32:30,200 --> 00:32:33,200 Speaker 1: Clinton about that recently, and I said, you know, the 572 00:32:33,200 --> 00:32:36,320 Speaker 1: Brady Bill and all these incredible laws that you passed, 573 00:32:36,320 --> 00:32:38,000 Speaker 1: and the time that you took to go into these 574 00:32:38,000 --> 00:32:40,640 Speaker 1: communities like your own and you know, rural Arkansas and 575 00:32:41,040 --> 00:32:43,320 Speaker 1: speak to hunters and speak to parents who you know, 576 00:32:43,360 --> 00:32:45,800 Speaker 1: have these traditions with their kids. You made it very 577 00:32:45,800 --> 00:32:50,520 Speaker 1: clear that you weren't coming for people's livelihood or hobbies, 578 00:32:50,560 --> 00:32:55,600 Speaker 1: but you were making sure to prevent irrational ownership and 579 00:32:55,760 --> 00:33:00,400 Speaker 1: senseless death, you know, banning assault rifles and popping these 580 00:33:00,400 --> 00:33:03,360 Speaker 1: extended magazines and all this insanity, and he said, yeah, 581 00:33:03,400 --> 00:33:05,960 Speaker 1: but I'm devastated that we didn't know what the internet 582 00:33:06,000 --> 00:33:10,800 Speaker 1: was going to be. Because the argument for allowing that 583 00:33:10,800 --> 00:33:14,040 Speaker 1: that small loophole was more about, like, well, what if 584 00:33:14,080 --> 00:33:16,720 Speaker 1: I want to buy a rifle from my neighbor, you know, 585 00:33:16,800 --> 00:33:19,680 Speaker 1: we know each other, and and where are we going 586 00:33:19,720 --> 00:33:22,400 Speaker 1: to get a background check? And that made sense in 587 00:33:22,440 --> 00:33:27,120 Speaker 1: the early nineties, and then everything changed. And that's what 588 00:33:27,240 --> 00:33:29,959 Speaker 1: fascinates me when people are unwilling to have this conversation 589 00:33:30,080 --> 00:33:33,520 Speaker 1: is they're not taking into account the advances in technology 590 00:33:33,520 --> 00:33:37,600 Speaker 1: and the change in culture that has so clearly happened 591 00:33:37,680 --> 00:33:41,040 Speaker 1: since that amendment was written. You know the amendment was written. 592 00:33:41,080 --> 00:33:44,480 Speaker 1: When we're talking about a single load musket that takes 593 00:33:44,560 --> 00:33:48,800 Speaker 1: two minutes to reload a pellet bullet, it's it's just 594 00:33:48,920 --> 00:33:52,800 Speaker 1: such a different animal now. And it seems to me 595 00:33:52,880 --> 00:33:58,080 Speaker 1: that we have to be sensible about evolving with the 596 00:33:58,200 --> 00:34:01,280 Speaker 1: times and the technology. We do on pretty much every 597 00:34:01,280 --> 00:34:03,200 Speaker 1: other issue in this country. But because we have a 598 00:34:03,200 --> 00:34:05,800 Speaker 1: gun lobby, they haven't applied it to guns yet. And 599 00:34:05,840 --> 00:34:07,760 Speaker 1: what nobody seems to be talking about is that these 600 00:34:07,800 --> 00:34:11,680 Speaker 1: lobbies are basically like these pr beasts. They create these 601 00:34:11,719 --> 00:34:16,480 Speaker 1: sort of mythical public relations campaigns to convince people of 602 00:34:16,560 --> 00:34:18,920 Speaker 1: things that aren't based in fact. Well, for example, you 603 00:34:18,960 --> 00:34:21,239 Speaker 1: know the n r A has been trying to deregulate silencers, 604 00:34:21,280 --> 00:34:23,359 Speaker 1: and how do they do that by trying to pass 605 00:34:23,400 --> 00:34:26,200 Speaker 1: something called the Hearing Protection Act. It has nothing to 606 00:34:26,200 --> 00:34:29,120 Speaker 1: do with hearing. It has to do with being a 607 00:34:29,200 --> 00:34:32,399 Speaker 1: cash cow, an accessories cash cow for the gun manufacturers. 608 00:34:32,480 --> 00:34:37,000 Speaker 1: That terrifies me. So there is a myth that arming 609 00:34:37,080 --> 00:34:40,400 Speaker 1: teachers will make kids safer, and I really want to 610 00:34:40,440 --> 00:34:42,720 Speaker 1: talk to you about the data on that. Data shows 611 00:34:43,000 --> 00:34:45,200 Speaker 1: that arming teachers does not make kids safer. When you 612 00:34:45,239 --> 00:34:47,759 Speaker 1: look at police officers and their ability to hit moving 613 00:34:47,800 --> 00:34:50,480 Speaker 1: targets about thirty percent of the time, the idea that 614 00:34:50,480 --> 00:34:53,960 Speaker 1: we're going to turn the average teacher into a sharpshooter 615 00:34:54,200 --> 00:34:57,600 Speaker 1: is absurd. It's obscene, and educators don't want to be armed. 616 00:34:57,640 --> 00:34:59,520 Speaker 1: If you look at the polling data, the vast majority 617 00:34:59,560 --> 00:35:02,799 Speaker 1: of them. I want no part of having to take 618 00:35:02,800 --> 00:35:07,200 Speaker 1: down active shooters. Police don't agree with arming teachers, And 619 00:35:07,239 --> 00:35:09,600 Speaker 1: we have all these constituencies and statehouses that we have 620 00:35:09,640 --> 00:35:12,239 Speaker 1: to bring together to say that. And for a long time, 621 00:35:12,320 --> 00:35:16,760 Speaker 1: lawmakers wouldn't listen. They thought anecdotally that this would save lives. 622 00:35:17,400 --> 00:35:19,919 Speaker 1: And the other peace to remember is when you look 623 00:35:19,960 --> 00:35:24,320 Speaker 1: at who is disproportionately disciplined in school, it's kids of color. 624 00:35:24,680 --> 00:35:27,680 Speaker 1: And then you put guns into that mix and you 625 00:35:27,719 --> 00:35:31,920 Speaker 1: are endangering kids of color. So there's so many different 626 00:35:31,960 --> 00:35:35,880 Speaker 1: reasons the teachers shouldn't be armed, and we act like, 627 00:35:36,120 --> 00:35:38,839 Speaker 1: you know, these school shootings are acts of nature, when 628 00:35:38,880 --> 00:35:41,440 Speaker 1: in fact they're man made acts of cowardice. God, that's 629 00:35:41,440 --> 00:35:44,200 Speaker 1: a great way to put that, man made acts of cowardice. 630 00:35:44,280 --> 00:35:47,120 Speaker 1: It's true we should be disarming dangerous people instead of 631 00:35:47,200 --> 00:35:50,000 Speaker 1: arming teachers. And to your point, the joke that a 632 00:35:50,080 --> 00:35:55,239 Speaker 1: teacher would be able to hit a moving target which 633 00:35:55,360 --> 00:35:57,600 Speaker 1: might be their student, by the way, yes, I mean 634 00:35:57,640 --> 00:36:01,120 Speaker 1: it's it's absurd, and I think, truly, I think about 635 00:36:01,760 --> 00:36:03,600 Speaker 1: so much of the media that people see. You know 636 00:36:03,719 --> 00:36:06,600 Speaker 1: that we've been watching action movies forever, and we watch 637 00:36:07,000 --> 00:36:10,279 Speaker 1: cop shows and we think, because it's made to look 638 00:36:10,320 --> 00:36:13,680 Speaker 1: that way on camera and high like pop meat kettle 639 00:36:13,760 --> 00:36:16,440 Speaker 1: pointing at myself, I played a cop on TV. Like it. 640 00:36:16,719 --> 00:36:20,680 Speaker 1: We make it look easy, but it's not easy. To 641 00:36:20,920 --> 00:36:25,479 Speaker 1: your point, police hit their targets less than of the time. 642 00:36:26,160 --> 00:36:29,200 Speaker 1: Then those are people who are training constantly, who are 643 00:36:29,239 --> 00:36:35,080 Speaker 1: in these active drills constantly. It's incredibly difficult, and for 644 00:36:35,160 --> 00:36:40,040 Speaker 1: some reason, the the argument seems to be made that 645 00:36:40,239 --> 00:36:42,399 Speaker 1: it'll just be like a Western movie and everything will 646 00:36:42,400 --> 00:36:45,239 Speaker 1: be clean and work out, and that's not how it goes. No. 647 00:36:45,719 --> 00:36:47,919 Speaker 1: Usually what happens is a teacher will leave their loaded 648 00:36:47,920 --> 00:36:50,759 Speaker 1: gun in a restroom or in the classroom unsecured. But 649 00:36:50,840 --> 00:36:53,560 Speaker 1: what makes me so angry is that the majority of 650 00:36:53,560 --> 00:36:57,400 Speaker 1: teachers in this country are women, and it's the lawmakers, 651 00:36:57,440 --> 00:36:59,960 Speaker 1: the vast majority of whom are men or school official 652 00:37:00,080 --> 00:37:03,400 Speaker 1: is also the vast majority of Horman making these decisions. 653 00:37:03,640 --> 00:37:06,440 Speaker 1: While these teachers are saying, I don't write, I do 654 00:37:06,520 --> 00:37:08,520 Speaker 1: not want to do that. Indiana is even trying to 655 00:37:08,520 --> 00:37:10,360 Speaker 1: pass a law that allows teachers to be shot with 656 00:37:10,440 --> 00:37:12,840 Speaker 1: rubber bullets so they feel the urgency and what a 657 00:37:12,840 --> 00:37:18,040 Speaker 1: mass shooting situation would be like. And that's what these 658 00:37:18,040 --> 00:37:22,840 Speaker 1: active shooters drills do. They traumatize kids. I'm very curious 659 00:37:22,840 --> 00:37:25,880 Speaker 1: about that. What role do you think that active shooter 660 00:37:25,960 --> 00:37:29,040 Speaker 1: drills are playing in this whole scenario and why do 661 00:37:29,120 --> 00:37:31,440 Speaker 1: you think we're normalizing them? Well, again, I think it 662 00:37:31,480 --> 00:37:34,759 Speaker 1: goes back to who who's making our laws and our policies, 663 00:37:34,760 --> 00:37:39,000 Speaker 1: our school policies. These drills have not been shown to 664 00:37:39,520 --> 00:37:43,040 Speaker 1: make a difference during active shootings, but they have shown 665 00:37:43,280 --> 00:37:45,960 Speaker 1: been shown to cause depression and anxiety and children. And 666 00:37:46,040 --> 00:37:48,720 Speaker 1: so our recommendation is that these drills are done with adults, 667 00:37:48,719 --> 00:37:57,840 Speaker 1: and they're done with teachers and not children. Do you 668 00:37:58,000 --> 00:38:03,279 Speaker 1: think that we have m desensitized to gun violence, I 669 00:38:03,360 --> 00:38:07,000 Speaker 1: actually don't. I think that lawmakers don't want to talk 670 00:38:07,040 --> 00:38:10,279 Speaker 1: about it after it happens. The lawmakers are at least 671 00:38:10,280 --> 00:38:13,200 Speaker 1: too who oppose stronger gun laws, so they say, you know, 672 00:38:13,239 --> 00:38:18,319 Speaker 1: this is too early to politicize, as though it's not 673 00:38:18,360 --> 00:38:23,879 Speaker 1: already political. And then you have media who have run 674 00:38:23,880 --> 00:38:27,760 Speaker 1: out of ways to tell these stories, or maybe they're afraid, 675 00:38:27,800 --> 00:38:29,799 Speaker 1: maybe they don't have the courage to talk about what's 676 00:38:29,840 --> 00:38:32,040 Speaker 1: really causing gun violence in this country, and so they 677 00:38:32,080 --> 00:38:34,440 Speaker 1: have to speculate about all different kinds of reasons, and 678 00:38:34,480 --> 00:38:37,680 Speaker 1: they won't focus on what the real problem is. But 679 00:38:38,200 --> 00:38:41,000 Speaker 1: the fact that so many Americans get off the sidelines 680 00:38:41,160 --> 00:38:45,000 Speaker 1: again and again after national shooting tragedies, the fact that 681 00:38:45,040 --> 00:38:47,960 Speaker 1: we're the largest grassroots movement in the country, that we 682 00:38:48,040 --> 00:38:51,000 Speaker 1: are winning in state houses and in boardrooms, and we're 683 00:38:51,040 --> 00:38:54,759 Speaker 1: playing defense really well at a federal level. All of 684 00:38:54,800 --> 00:38:57,040 Speaker 1: that shows me that this is a marathon, not a sprint. 685 00:38:57,120 --> 00:38:59,560 Speaker 1: It's not going to happen overnight, but it is going 686 00:38:59,600 --> 00:39:03,359 Speaker 1: to happen. It may take several election cycles, but I 687 00:39:03,440 --> 00:39:06,959 Speaker 1: don't believe Americans are desensitized to a hundred gun dusts 688 00:39:06,960 --> 00:39:09,279 Speaker 1: every day. And I know parents are mad as hell. 689 00:39:09,560 --> 00:39:11,879 Speaker 1: It's devastating to imagine that your kid could walk out 690 00:39:11,880 --> 00:39:13,120 Speaker 1: the door and that could be the last time you 691 00:39:13,160 --> 00:39:16,319 Speaker 1: see them. I can't imagine what that must be like 692 00:39:16,640 --> 00:39:18,520 Speaker 1: for you as a parent, or for any other parent 693 00:39:18,600 --> 00:39:23,920 Speaker 1: out there. It is unimaginable. And I think that something 694 00:39:23,960 --> 00:39:26,600 Speaker 1: that does give me hope is seeing the connectivity that 695 00:39:26,680 --> 00:39:29,759 Speaker 1: you just mentioned on social media, seeing the way the 696 00:39:29,800 --> 00:39:33,600 Speaker 1: movement grows for a grassroots movement, to be doing what 697 00:39:33,640 --> 00:39:36,560 Speaker 1: you guys are doing too, to be learning so quickly 698 00:39:36,600 --> 00:39:38,560 Speaker 1: and to be so nimble, and to be organizing the 699 00:39:38,560 --> 00:39:42,919 Speaker 1: way you are, it's really incredible. And I know there's 700 00:39:42,920 --> 00:39:45,239 Speaker 1: a lot of people on the other side, well not 701 00:39:45,280 --> 00:39:47,400 Speaker 1: a lot, but the few people on the other side 702 00:39:47,480 --> 00:39:49,920 Speaker 1: think there's no way they could be doing this organically. 703 00:39:49,960 --> 00:39:52,239 Speaker 1: They must be you know, getting some crazy funding or 704 00:39:52,280 --> 00:39:56,120 Speaker 1: some persons running it. I know, yeah, Soorrols Bloomberg. It's like, 705 00:39:56,120 --> 00:39:59,520 Speaker 1: come on the conspiracy theories. And I always think to myself, 706 00:39:59,640 --> 00:40:03,279 Speaker 1: of worst, there this well organized. Their mom's like, my 707 00:40:03,360 --> 00:40:06,040 Speaker 1: mom is a superhero. The amount of stuff she manages 708 00:40:06,080 --> 00:40:09,440 Speaker 1: to do every day blows my mind. And one of 709 00:40:09,480 --> 00:40:11,400 Speaker 1: my best friends had a baby a year ago and 710 00:40:11,480 --> 00:40:13,880 Speaker 1: she's now a superhero. She was I thought she was 711 00:40:13,880 --> 00:40:15,680 Speaker 1: a superhero before and now I look at her and 712 00:40:15,680 --> 00:40:18,680 Speaker 1: I'm like, I don't understand how you managed to do 713 00:40:18,880 --> 00:40:21,399 Speaker 1: more with a baby on your hip than you were 714 00:40:21,400 --> 00:40:24,480 Speaker 1: doing before you had a kid. There there's this magical 715 00:40:24,520 --> 00:40:28,640 Speaker 1: mom power that I'm so in awe of, and I'm 716 00:40:28,760 --> 00:40:33,640 Speaker 1: very grateful that you guys are using it for this 717 00:40:34,520 --> 00:40:37,680 Speaker 1: and when we take the spreading of it via all 718 00:40:37,719 --> 00:40:41,719 Speaker 1: these social channels together. Obviously, social media has played a 719 00:40:41,800 --> 00:40:44,560 Speaker 1: huge role in getting you guys off the ground, but 720 00:40:44,680 --> 00:40:49,240 Speaker 1: it also plays a huge role in implementing change. And 721 00:40:49,480 --> 00:40:52,600 Speaker 1: I'm wondering if you can tell everybody listening what some 722 00:40:52,719 --> 00:40:56,799 Speaker 1: of your most successful digital campaigns have been. You know, 723 00:40:56,880 --> 00:41:00,719 Speaker 1: what you've been able to start online that because ums 724 00:41:00,719 --> 00:41:03,879 Speaker 1: a bill passing or a law changing. So a lot 725 00:41:03,920 --> 00:41:06,520 Speaker 1: of the corporate work has started for us online, whether 726 00:41:06,560 --> 00:41:11,040 Speaker 1: it's the hashtag burritos not bullets or skip Starbucks Saturdays. UM. 727 00:41:11,080 --> 00:41:14,040 Speaker 1: We went after Target and a whole variety of restaurants 728 00:41:14,080 --> 00:41:17,560 Speaker 1: and retailers that change their policy simply because we were 729 00:41:17,600 --> 00:41:20,560 Speaker 1: applying online pressure. We can do the same thing at 730 00:41:20,560 --> 00:41:23,680 Speaker 1: the state level. So when we message our lawmakers and 731 00:41:23,719 --> 00:41:26,479 Speaker 1: ask them to support bills, sometimes they'll tweet back and say, 732 00:41:27,560 --> 00:41:29,919 Speaker 1: you know, this is something I'm definitely thinking about, and 733 00:41:29,920 --> 00:41:34,480 Speaker 1: and applying that pressure. Showing how many people would support them, 734 00:41:34,560 --> 00:41:36,040 Speaker 1: have their back if they do the right thing, but 735 00:41:36,160 --> 00:41:40,280 Speaker 1: have their job if they don't. Is a different way 736 00:41:40,400 --> 00:41:42,399 Speaker 1: to be an activist in this country, and it really 737 00:41:42,680 --> 00:41:44,879 Speaker 1: we do see that it works. I would also say 738 00:41:44,880 --> 00:41:47,520 Speaker 1: the defense that we've played at a federal level, social 739 00:41:47,560 --> 00:41:49,439 Speaker 1: media played a huge role in that when we were 740 00:41:49,520 --> 00:41:53,040 Speaker 1: fighting the n ray's efforts to deregulate silencers or to 741 00:41:53,120 --> 00:41:56,400 Speaker 1: pass something called concealed carry reciprocity, which would make the 742 00:41:56,520 --> 00:42:00,279 Speaker 1: least stringent law for permitting in a state the law 743 00:42:00,280 --> 00:42:02,520 Speaker 1: of the land. If you got a permit, for example, 744 00:42:02,520 --> 00:42:05,520 Speaker 1: in a state like Alabama. You could then take it 745 00:42:05,760 --> 00:42:10,600 Speaker 1: to San Francisco or to New York City. Yes, concealed caresturprosity. 746 00:42:10,640 --> 00:42:11,919 Speaker 1: The n r A has tried to pass it several 747 00:42:11,960 --> 00:42:16,000 Speaker 1: times and they failed. But social media plays a role 748 00:42:16,040 --> 00:42:17,319 Speaker 1: in all of it. And then we saw it again 749 00:42:17,360 --> 00:42:20,360 Speaker 1: this weekend. We just had what we call wear Orange Weekend, 750 00:42:20,960 --> 00:42:23,760 Speaker 1: and it's a really important way to talk about this crisis, 751 00:42:23,800 --> 00:42:25,840 Speaker 1: the gun violence crisis in this country, but also to 752 00:42:26,040 --> 00:42:31,840 Speaker 1: acknowledge gun violence survivors, victims and hundreds of thousands of 753 00:42:31,880 --> 00:42:35,799 Speaker 1: tweets we trended for seven hours. We showed pictures of 754 00:42:35,880 --> 00:42:39,040 Speaker 1: what does it look like when communities wear orange, which 755 00:42:39,080 --> 00:42:41,080 Speaker 1: is the colors hunters were in the woods to say, 756 00:42:41,120 --> 00:42:44,040 Speaker 1: don't shoot me. And it was a color we adopted 757 00:42:44,160 --> 00:42:47,719 Speaker 1: after idea. Pendleton was shot and killed in Chicago and 758 00:42:47,800 --> 00:42:50,600 Speaker 1: her friends rallied around. She was just fifteen years old 759 00:42:50,880 --> 00:42:53,200 Speaker 1: and they started wearing the color orange. And it's something 760 00:42:53,200 --> 00:42:56,759 Speaker 1: we've all adopted and for everyone to band together on 761 00:42:56,840 --> 00:43:01,880 Speaker 1: social media that weekend in June every year, including nineteen 762 00:43:01,920 --> 00:43:04,920 Speaker 1: presidential candidates who wore orange or talked about where orange 763 00:43:05,000 --> 00:43:08,680 Speaker 1: on online. I don't know how moving for her mom 764 00:43:09,040 --> 00:43:11,480 Speaker 1: I'm sure I think about her, Yes, I do too, 765 00:43:11,840 --> 00:43:14,839 Speaker 1: But imagine mother skins stroke driving in the eighties. How 766 00:43:14,840 --> 00:43:17,520 Speaker 1: did they do this without social media? You know, it 767 00:43:17,600 --> 00:43:19,560 Speaker 1: did take them ten years to pass the laws they 768 00:43:19,560 --> 00:43:21,319 Speaker 1: needed to pass. But I always think, you know, did 769 00:43:21,360 --> 00:43:23,960 Speaker 1: they drive over to each other's homes? Did they send letters? 770 00:43:24,040 --> 00:43:27,200 Speaker 1: Were knocking? And the calls and the meet ups? Social 771 00:43:27,239 --> 00:43:31,600 Speaker 1: media just turbo charges all of it. That's incredible. What 772 00:43:31,680 --> 00:43:34,280 Speaker 1: does life look like? Because we're we're talking about these 773 00:43:35,040 --> 00:43:39,359 Speaker 1: huge winds and and the movement and the legislation and 774 00:43:39,400 --> 00:43:43,120 Speaker 1: the work, and I imagine so many people because they 775 00:43:43,160 --> 00:43:45,080 Speaker 1: look at you as as the tip of the spear 776 00:43:45,080 --> 00:43:47,799 Speaker 1: of this organization, always want to talk about what to 777 00:43:47,840 --> 00:43:49,839 Speaker 1: do and how to do it, and what's the next law, 778 00:43:49,880 --> 00:43:52,040 Speaker 1: and what's the next hill that we march up? And 779 00:43:52,040 --> 00:43:55,520 Speaker 1: where do we go? What is life for you? Like, 780 00:43:55,800 --> 00:44:02,200 Speaker 1: what's what is Shannon's life outside of mom's demand? What 781 00:44:02,239 --> 00:44:04,839 Speaker 1: do you do to relax? How do you take care 782 00:44:04,880 --> 00:44:07,319 Speaker 1: of your mental health and the midst of all of this. 783 00:44:07,960 --> 00:44:10,120 Speaker 1: It's a really important question. And I talk a lot 784 00:44:10,120 --> 00:44:13,239 Speaker 1: about self care in my book because as Americans, we 785 00:44:13,280 --> 00:44:15,680 Speaker 1: all deal with second hand trauma, even if we haven't 786 00:44:15,680 --> 00:44:18,480 Speaker 1: been impacted by gun violence because we're constantly seeing it 787 00:44:18,560 --> 00:44:20,839 Speaker 1: and talking about it and worrying about it and and 788 00:44:20,880 --> 00:44:24,960 Speaker 1: fighting against it. And it really is important to take 789 00:44:25,000 --> 00:44:28,600 Speaker 1: a break and to prioritize the well being of yourself 790 00:44:28,640 --> 00:44:31,640 Speaker 1: and your family. I talked in my book about how 791 00:44:31,800 --> 00:44:34,320 Speaker 1: I have a daughter who developed an eating disorder in college, 792 00:44:34,440 --> 00:44:36,479 Speaker 1: right in the middle of all my mom's den action work, 793 00:44:37,239 --> 00:44:39,160 Speaker 1: and that took priority. There would be times I would 794 00:44:39,160 --> 00:44:40,840 Speaker 1: be on my way to the airport and say, I 795 00:44:40,880 --> 00:44:43,279 Speaker 1: can't make this visit. I've got to stay here and 796 00:44:43,320 --> 00:44:46,360 Speaker 1: be here for my daughter, and that was my priority. 797 00:44:46,560 --> 00:44:48,760 Speaker 1: And I talk a lot about how this is a marathon, 798 00:44:48,840 --> 00:44:51,360 Speaker 1: not a sprint, because it is going to take a while, 799 00:44:51,400 --> 00:44:53,120 Speaker 1: but at the same time, it's a relay race, and 800 00:44:53,160 --> 00:44:54,960 Speaker 1: we have to be able to hand each other the 801 00:44:55,000 --> 00:44:58,880 Speaker 1: baton when things get really tough, and to sit that 802 00:44:59,120 --> 00:45:01,080 Speaker 1: that other women will have your back and that you 803 00:45:01,080 --> 00:45:04,279 Speaker 1: don't have to do everything. That's an Oprah moment, it 804 00:45:04,520 --> 00:45:08,479 Speaker 1: is that's such a beautiful piece of wisdom, that it's 805 00:45:08,480 --> 00:45:11,960 Speaker 1: a really race. It is you cannot do this all yourself. 806 00:45:12,400 --> 00:45:15,480 Speaker 1: And I think women have this quality about them where 807 00:45:15,520 --> 00:45:18,319 Speaker 1: they either feel guilt about giving away the work they've 808 00:45:18,320 --> 00:45:21,719 Speaker 1: taken on, or they feel their perfectionists and they feel 809 00:45:21,760 --> 00:45:24,960 Speaker 1: like they can do it best. And that isn't going 810 00:45:25,040 --> 00:45:27,480 Speaker 1: to help you in the long term with your ability 811 00:45:27,560 --> 00:45:30,120 Speaker 1: to take care of yourself. If you don't invest in 812 00:45:30,160 --> 00:45:32,360 Speaker 1: self care, you aren't going to make it to the 813 00:45:32,400 --> 00:45:35,799 Speaker 1: end of this marathon. And we need every American to 814 00:45:35,880 --> 00:45:39,160 Speaker 1: be involved in this work. So we encourage self care 815 00:45:39,239 --> 00:45:41,960 Speaker 1: and talk a lot about it in our organization. So 816 00:45:42,680 --> 00:45:46,439 Speaker 1: obviously being with your family feels like self care to you. Yeah, 817 00:45:46,520 --> 00:45:49,000 Speaker 1: I go hiking, I take a bath every night. I 818 00:45:49,120 --> 00:45:51,600 Speaker 1: was gonna ask I love bubble, I have been. And 819 00:45:51,719 --> 00:45:56,000 Speaker 1: actually a guy friend of mine who is a really 820 00:45:56,320 --> 00:45:59,520 Speaker 1: beautiful meditation teacher and a life coach, was like, do 821 00:45:59,600 --> 00:46:01,560 Speaker 1: you have this time? And I was like, literally what 822 00:46:01,920 --> 00:46:04,400 Speaker 1: l a woo woo, what what are you talking about? 823 00:46:04,800 --> 00:46:06,360 Speaker 1: You know, I was teasing him and he was like, 824 00:46:06,400 --> 00:46:08,680 Speaker 1: first of all, you're from here. I was like, I understand, 825 00:46:08,719 --> 00:46:10,480 Speaker 1: but I don't know what god is time is and 826 00:46:10,520 --> 00:46:12,680 Speaker 1: he said to me, he goes, no, I'm serious, he said. 827 00:46:12,680 --> 00:46:15,359 Speaker 1: As a woman, when you're out there working, you're you're 828 00:46:15,360 --> 00:46:18,840 Speaker 1: in the doing, but you also are expected to receive 829 00:46:19,000 --> 00:46:21,959 Speaker 1: and then do with what you receive. And he said, 830 00:46:22,320 --> 00:46:25,680 Speaker 1: I need for you to really think about your holistic 831 00:46:26,160 --> 00:46:31,840 Speaker 1: experience with yourself and do you take time for yourself? 832 00:46:31,880 --> 00:46:34,319 Speaker 1: And he said, what I try to encourage all the 833 00:46:34,320 --> 00:46:36,320 Speaker 1: women in my life to do is take a twenty 834 00:46:36,400 --> 00:46:39,120 Speaker 1: minute bath because you guys don't shut off. And he said, 835 00:46:39,120 --> 00:46:41,320 Speaker 1: you're not allowed to take your phone if you really 836 00:46:41,440 --> 00:46:45,319 Speaker 1: have like such terrible distraction issues that you can't be 837 00:46:45,360 --> 00:46:48,800 Speaker 1: in there alone and just sit take a book, but nothing, 838 00:46:48,880 --> 00:46:51,880 Speaker 1: nothing electronic. And I was like, this feels this feels 839 00:46:51,920 --> 00:46:55,480 Speaker 1: like really hard homework. And I don't do it every day, 840 00:46:55,520 --> 00:47:00,520 Speaker 1: but instituting baths into my life has actually made me 841 00:47:00,600 --> 00:47:04,160 Speaker 1: so much gentler with myself. And I'm never interesting. I 842 00:47:04,320 --> 00:47:07,319 Speaker 1: am such a bath fanatic. Oh I love that it 843 00:47:07,480 --> 00:47:10,480 Speaker 1: is so important to me. Every night, two at nine o'clock, 844 00:47:10,560 --> 00:47:13,120 Speaker 1: take a break and get in the bathtub. And there's 845 00:47:13,160 --> 00:47:15,920 Speaker 1: just something about it that is regenerative. You don't have 846 00:47:16,040 --> 00:47:19,600 Speaker 1: to like go do a long vacation necessarily, like even 847 00:47:19,640 --> 00:47:22,680 Speaker 1: if you just have that half hour, it is alone time. 848 00:47:23,480 --> 00:47:26,719 Speaker 1: And you know, I have a vacation coming up in July, 849 00:47:26,800 --> 00:47:28,359 Speaker 1: and I can't wait. And I am going to try 850 00:47:28,400 --> 00:47:31,160 Speaker 1: to disconnect and really focus on, you know, being with 851 00:47:31,160 --> 00:47:35,239 Speaker 1: my husband. And it's just so important to remember that 852 00:47:35,280 --> 00:47:38,160 Speaker 1: there are other things that are important in your life 853 00:47:38,200 --> 00:47:40,560 Speaker 1: and the reason you're doing this work right it is 854 00:47:40,560 --> 00:47:43,759 Speaker 1: to protect my family and and it's important to touch 855 00:47:43,800 --> 00:47:46,239 Speaker 1: base with them and just remember that how old are 856 00:47:46,280 --> 00:47:49,080 Speaker 1: your kids now? It's so crazy because when I started 857 00:47:49,120 --> 00:47:51,080 Speaker 1: this work, they were all the way from elementary school 858 00:47:51,080 --> 00:47:57,040 Speaker 1: through college and now my youngest just graduated from high school. Ah, 859 00:47:57,080 --> 00:48:00,759 Speaker 1: and he's so tall, he's six eight. It's so crazy. 860 00:48:00,960 --> 00:48:03,400 Speaker 1: I love seeing his photos because he's just like this 861 00:48:03,560 --> 00:48:06,400 Speaker 1: beaming bean pole of a boy, and he looks like 862 00:48:06,440 --> 00:48:10,319 Speaker 1: a baby's got a baby face, but like it's it's 863 00:48:10,400 --> 00:48:14,319 Speaker 1: really it's so incredible. It must be so cool to 864 00:48:14,400 --> 00:48:19,040 Speaker 1: just watch them grow. And do they also have kind 865 00:48:19,120 --> 00:48:22,840 Speaker 1: of aspirations as they're as activists themselves, Do they have 866 00:48:22,920 --> 00:48:25,799 Speaker 1: different issues? Are they on board with this issue? First 867 00:48:25,800 --> 00:48:28,160 Speaker 1: of all, they're also incredibly supportive of my work and 868 00:48:28,200 --> 00:48:31,600 Speaker 1: they show up at every event they can, which feels great. 869 00:48:32,200 --> 00:48:35,160 Speaker 1: But you know, they're five kids, they're all super different. 870 00:48:35,640 --> 00:48:37,440 Speaker 1: But I do have a daughter who takes after me, 871 00:48:37,840 --> 00:48:42,000 Speaker 1: My daughter Emma, who is in college and is gay 872 00:48:42,040 --> 00:48:46,400 Speaker 1: and is very active in her community and all of 873 00:48:46,400 --> 00:48:50,480 Speaker 1: the different kinds of lgbt Q efforts and being a 874 00:48:50,480 --> 00:48:54,239 Speaker 1: part of Pride right now, and I think is sort 875 00:48:54,280 --> 00:48:56,239 Speaker 1: of emulating me and wants to be in the thick 876 00:48:56,280 --> 00:48:59,640 Speaker 1: of things. I think she finds it really rewarding. Yeah, 877 00:49:00,320 --> 00:49:03,160 Speaker 1: the purpose that you find when you fight for others, 878 00:49:03,239 --> 00:49:06,960 Speaker 1: I think is so immense. It is, and I do 879 00:49:07,080 --> 00:49:09,479 Speaker 1: think it's it's healing. And this is the same daughter 880 00:49:09,640 --> 00:49:12,040 Speaker 1: I was talking about who had or struggling with an 881 00:49:12,080 --> 00:49:15,360 Speaker 1: eating disorder, which I think is a lifetime struggle. But 882 00:49:15,880 --> 00:49:18,319 Speaker 1: when you are able to focus on other people, I 883 00:49:18,360 --> 00:49:20,200 Speaker 1: do think it also takes you out of your own 884 00:49:20,200 --> 00:49:23,279 Speaker 1: mindset of focusing on yourself and whether that's to serve 885 00:49:23,320 --> 00:49:27,000 Speaker 1: as a distraction or just a way to channel your energy, 886 00:49:27,400 --> 00:49:30,719 Speaker 1: I think and and her physician team has even said 887 00:49:30,760 --> 00:49:32,719 Speaker 1: this like that is where a lot of healing can 888 00:49:32,760 --> 00:49:37,719 Speaker 1: take place when you are focused on other things, other people. Yeah, 889 00:49:37,719 --> 00:49:40,680 Speaker 1: it can really put your struggle or your fears, or 890 00:49:41,680 --> 00:49:46,920 Speaker 1: your feelings into perspective so quickly. And I think in 891 00:49:46,960 --> 00:49:50,440 Speaker 1: whatever space you find your community, to find a community 892 00:49:50,440 --> 00:49:54,319 Speaker 1: of people who are also seeking answers and looking for 893 00:49:54,360 --> 00:49:57,800 Speaker 1: their purpose. It just gives you a place, it's outside 894 00:49:57,840 --> 00:50:00,279 Speaker 1: of yourself. I think purpose is so important. You know, 895 00:50:00,360 --> 00:50:03,719 Speaker 1: I was a communications executive for over a decade before 896 00:50:03,760 --> 00:50:07,000 Speaker 1: I started Moms to Me in Action, and I was 897 00:50:07,040 --> 00:50:11,040 Speaker 1: never fulfilled selling widgets or promoting projects and products. You know, 898 00:50:11,200 --> 00:50:14,919 Speaker 1: it really was working with other people as a volunteer. 899 00:50:15,280 --> 00:50:18,799 Speaker 1: That has been the most fulfilling, albeit busiest job I've 900 00:50:18,800 --> 00:50:21,400 Speaker 1: ever had. You write in your book, actually, when we 901 00:50:21,400 --> 00:50:23,640 Speaker 1: talk about how to work with people, you talk about 902 00:50:24,320 --> 00:50:28,160 Speaker 1: working with our so called enemies. And obviously our country 903 00:50:28,280 --> 00:50:30,680 Speaker 1: is or feels to your point about the way it 904 00:50:30,680 --> 00:50:35,200 Speaker 1: feels online. It feels so divided, but people on both 905 00:50:35,239 --> 00:50:38,719 Speaker 1: sides of the aisle agree on gun safety. So I 906 00:50:38,760 --> 00:50:43,200 Speaker 1: wonder what you think are the first steps for any 907 00:50:43,239 --> 00:50:45,520 Speaker 1: of us who want to have this conversation to step 908 00:50:45,520 --> 00:50:49,600 Speaker 1: across the aisle, to invite people into a conversation, and 909 00:50:49,800 --> 00:50:54,319 Speaker 1: to push for that real bipartisan progress. The first thing 910 00:50:54,400 --> 00:50:56,400 Speaker 1: I would say is we don't have to convince the 911 00:50:56,440 --> 00:50:58,880 Speaker 1: vocal minority to support us. That is the benefit of 912 00:50:58,920 --> 00:51:01,440 Speaker 1: having the vast major already of Americans and gun owners 913 00:51:02,160 --> 00:51:04,080 Speaker 1: be on our side on this issue. We just need 914 00:51:04,160 --> 00:51:08,000 Speaker 1: those people to use their voices and their votes. That's 915 00:51:08,000 --> 00:51:10,120 Speaker 1: when we'll see real change on this issue. Now the 916 00:51:10,160 --> 00:51:14,080 Speaker 1: issue becomes is part of that vocal minority. Your family, 917 00:51:15,120 --> 00:51:18,520 Speaker 1: my parents, my dad and his wife are Trump voters, 918 00:51:19,200 --> 00:51:21,839 Speaker 1: and they did not support the work that I do 919 00:51:21,920 --> 00:51:24,600 Speaker 1: when I first started. But it really was a lot 920 00:51:24,640 --> 00:51:28,560 Speaker 1: of conversation using facts and data to show what was 921 00:51:28,600 --> 00:51:32,880 Speaker 1: really happening and to dispel some of the myths and 922 00:51:32,920 --> 00:51:36,719 Speaker 1: misinformation from the gun lobby. And my dad last year 923 00:51:36,760 --> 00:51:38,520 Speaker 1: showed up at a were Orange event wearing a Mom's 924 00:51:38,560 --> 00:51:42,240 Speaker 1: Deuman Action T shirt. So I think conversations are really 925 00:51:42,280 --> 00:51:44,880 Speaker 1: really important, especially when they're with your family and friends. 926 00:51:44,880 --> 00:51:48,319 Speaker 1: But it has to be based on data and not anecdote. 927 00:51:48,560 --> 00:51:50,520 Speaker 1: That is one of the things I find whatever the 928 00:51:50,600 --> 00:51:55,440 Speaker 1: issue might be, whether it's talking about racial injustice, inequality, 929 00:51:56,200 --> 00:52:00,719 Speaker 1: the prison system, women's issues, gun Rights Day ETA is 930 00:52:00,840 --> 00:52:05,440 Speaker 1: such an important starting point because everyone is emotional on 931 00:52:05,480 --> 00:52:08,080 Speaker 1: whatever side they believe in. You know, my uncle voted 932 00:52:08,120 --> 00:52:11,040 Speaker 1: for Donald Trump and I was like what what? And 933 00:52:11,120 --> 00:52:13,439 Speaker 1: you know, I didn't excommunicate him. I try to sit 934 00:52:13,480 --> 00:52:16,120 Speaker 1: and have really thoughtful conversation with him. I've invited him 935 00:52:16,160 --> 00:52:18,880 Speaker 1: in to explain his views and then I've tried to 936 00:52:18,920 --> 00:52:22,279 Speaker 1: share my views with him because we don't know what 937 00:52:22,400 --> 00:52:24,600 Speaker 1: we don't know, And I realized that he doesn't know 938 00:52:24,680 --> 00:52:27,520 Speaker 1: what the experience of being a woman is, what the 939 00:52:27,560 --> 00:52:30,040 Speaker 1: experience of having your healthcare be threatened is, what the 940 00:52:30,040 --> 00:52:33,759 Speaker 1: experience of a person of color is, And so we 941 00:52:33,840 --> 00:52:37,759 Speaker 1: try to talk about those things. So, whether you are 942 00:52:37,920 --> 00:52:39,640 Speaker 1: a person who thinks the way we do, or you're 943 00:52:39,640 --> 00:52:41,480 Speaker 1: a person who thinks the way some of our family does, 944 00:52:42,360 --> 00:52:49,080 Speaker 1: data doesn't have an emotional feeling. It doesn't skew right 945 00:52:49,200 --> 00:52:52,200 Speaker 1: or left. It's just fact. One plus one always equals 946 00:52:52,239 --> 00:52:57,240 Speaker 1: to reliable. Data is just honest math. And that feels 947 00:52:57,280 --> 00:53:01,799 Speaker 1: like a really healthy play to start these conversations. It is. 948 00:53:01,920 --> 00:53:04,640 Speaker 1: And if you go to every town dot org, we 949 00:53:04,719 --> 00:53:06,960 Speaker 1: have so much data there that will help you have 950 00:53:07,000 --> 00:53:10,440 Speaker 1: these conversations, because if you don't know the data, you 951 00:53:10,480 --> 00:53:12,800 Speaker 1: can't talk about it. So just to go there and 952 00:53:13,080 --> 00:53:15,080 Speaker 1: talk about some of the myths you and I have addressed, 953 00:53:15,080 --> 00:53:18,840 Speaker 1: and what's the data supporting the factual side of that position, 954 00:53:19,280 --> 00:53:24,879 Speaker 1: but also understanding the real scope of gun violence and 955 00:53:24,960 --> 00:53:27,319 Speaker 1: the fact that it is such a crisis and is 956 00:53:27,360 --> 00:53:30,640 Speaker 1: there on every town for people listening who may not 957 00:53:31,000 --> 00:53:33,839 Speaker 1: be part of your movement yet. Is there an action kit? 958 00:53:34,000 --> 00:53:36,480 Speaker 1: Is there a starter kit for how to begin to 959 00:53:36,600 --> 00:53:39,040 Speaker 1: do this work, how to begin to have these conversations, 960 00:53:39,040 --> 00:53:42,120 Speaker 1: how to begin to approach your city council or your 961 00:53:42,160 --> 00:53:45,040 Speaker 1: state legislature. Yes, so, you can also go to Mom's 962 00:53:45,040 --> 00:53:46,600 Speaker 1: demand action dot org and we have a lot of 963 00:53:46,640 --> 00:53:48,840 Speaker 1: information there. But the best thing to do is to 964 00:53:49,000 --> 00:53:51,879 Speaker 1: text join to six four four three three six four 965 00:53:52,040 --> 00:53:55,960 Speaker 1: four three three the word join, and we will get 966 00:53:56,000 --> 00:53:59,280 Speaker 1: in touch with you immediately and get you involved. And 967 00:53:59,640 --> 00:54:01,920 Speaker 1: you and meet other people in your community who are 968 00:54:01,960 --> 00:54:04,840 Speaker 1: like minded, who are already working on this, and decide 969 00:54:04,880 --> 00:54:07,200 Speaker 1: what part of it are you passionate about and how 970 00:54:07,280 --> 00:54:09,640 Speaker 1: much time do you have? And trust me, we will 971 00:54:09,800 --> 00:54:12,600 Speaker 1: be very efficient and effective in using it. That's amazing. 972 00:54:12,680 --> 00:54:15,200 Speaker 1: Thank you so much for creating so many avenues for 973 00:54:15,239 --> 00:54:17,719 Speaker 1: people to take action. Thank you for supporting it. I 974 00:54:17,760 --> 00:54:21,200 Speaker 1: have one last question for you. So the title of 975 00:54:21,200 --> 00:54:24,960 Speaker 1: this podcast is work in progress because I think so 976 00:54:25,000 --> 00:54:28,840 Speaker 1: often in this digital age, everyone's looking at everyone else's 977 00:54:28,840 --> 00:54:30,960 Speaker 1: life through a screen and thinking, well, everybody else has 978 00:54:30,960 --> 00:54:32,719 Speaker 1: it together, and I'm the only person who doesn't know 979 00:54:32,760 --> 00:54:36,480 Speaker 1: what I'm doing and what I realize is that everybody's 980 00:54:36,520 --> 00:54:39,440 Speaker 1: working on something, everybody's trying to evolve to be a 981 00:54:39,440 --> 00:54:42,719 Speaker 1: better version of themselves. Everybody feels a little lost in 982 00:54:42,800 --> 00:54:47,879 Speaker 1: some arena. So in your life right now, for all 983 00:54:47,920 --> 00:54:50,600 Speaker 1: the great things and the movement and your family and 984 00:54:50,840 --> 00:54:54,400 Speaker 1: graduations and your upcoming vacation, thank god, you're finally going 985 00:54:54,480 --> 00:54:58,719 Speaker 1: to take one what feels like your work in progress. 986 00:54:59,800 --> 00:55:05,000 Speaker 1: For me, it is marrying the intersectionality that is so 987 00:55:05,120 --> 00:55:07,080 Speaker 1: front and center right now in our country, the need 988 00:55:07,320 --> 00:55:10,720 Speaker 1: for understanding all of the different ways issues tied together 989 00:55:11,480 --> 00:55:15,400 Speaker 1: and applying it to gun violence prevention. Working on diversity, 990 00:55:15,480 --> 00:55:18,400 Speaker 1: equality and inclusion is a priority for us. We actually 991 00:55:18,400 --> 00:55:21,360 Speaker 1: just hired a woman from Planned Parenthood named Angela for 992 00:55:21,440 --> 00:55:25,799 Speaker 1: al Zabala, and she is really going to help us 993 00:55:25,920 --> 00:55:30,360 Speaker 1: grow our grassroots and make sure that we are creating 994 00:55:30,360 --> 00:55:34,480 Speaker 1: the right partnerships and getting involved with community groups so 995 00:55:34,520 --> 00:55:38,600 Speaker 1: that we can amplify our efforts, and making sure that 996 00:55:38,640 --> 00:55:40,920 Speaker 1: we are focused on the d E I work that 997 00:55:41,200 --> 00:55:44,800 Speaker 1: never ends. You know, when I started Mom's in Action, 998 00:55:45,000 --> 00:55:46,640 Speaker 1: a lot of the people who came into it looked 999 00:55:46,640 --> 00:55:50,040 Speaker 1: like me, White suburban moms who were worried their kids 1000 00:55:50,040 --> 00:55:54,520 Speaker 1: weren't safe in schools, but gun violence impacts everyone, particularly 1001 00:55:55,360 --> 00:56:00,640 Speaker 1: families in city centers or in marginalized community ease, and 1002 00:56:00,719 --> 00:56:02,120 Speaker 1: those people have been on the front line of this 1003 00:56:02,160 --> 00:56:05,560 Speaker 1: issue for so long, but they've been invisible, and we 1004 00:56:05,640 --> 00:56:07,440 Speaker 1: want to make sure that we're talking about that, we're 1005 00:56:07,440 --> 00:56:12,040 Speaker 1: talking about oral gun suicides, but ultimately coming back to 1006 00:56:12,040 --> 00:56:15,840 Speaker 1: the fact that this movement needs to represent everyone and 1007 00:56:16,080 --> 00:56:19,880 Speaker 1: every issue that is intersectional with gun violence. Well, thank 1008 00:56:19,960 --> 00:56:22,359 Speaker 1: you so much for this, Thank you for coming. Thank you. 1009 00:56:27,000 --> 00:56:30,200 Speaker 1: This show is executive produced by me, Sophia Bush and 1010 00:56:30,239 --> 00:56:35,040 Speaker 1: sim Sarna. Our supervising producer is Alison Bresnick. Our associate 1011 00:56:35,080 --> 00:56:39,040 Speaker 1: producer is Kate Linley. Our editor is Josh Wendish, and 1012 00:56:39,080 --> 00:56:41,560 Speaker 1: our music was written by Jack Garrett and produced by 1013 00:56:41,560 --> 00:56:44,480 Speaker 1: Mark Foster. This show is brought to you by Killian 1014 00:56:44,520 --> 00:56:45,520 Speaker 1: Anatomy Beast