1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:03,480 Speaker 1: First of all, you don't know me. We're all about 2 00:00:03,480 --> 00:00:06,280 Speaker 1: that high school drama. Girl, drama girl, all about them 3 00:00:06,360 --> 00:00:09,479 Speaker 1: high school queens. We'll take you for a ride in 4 00:00:09,560 --> 00:00:15,520 Speaker 1: our comic girl cheering for the drama queen's up, girl fashion, 5 00:00:15,560 --> 00:00:17,759 Speaker 1: but you'll tough. Girl. You could sit with us. Girl 6 00:00:17,880 --> 00:00:21,160 Speaker 1: Drama Queens, John M Queen's, John Mc Queen's drama, John 7 00:00:21,200 --> 00:00:31,160 Speaker 1: Mc Queen's drama Queen's. Hey Friends, uh, welcome back. Last 8 00:00:31,160 --> 00:00:36,840 Speaker 1: week was big and we realized that in going back 9 00:00:36,880 --> 00:00:42,080 Speaker 1: and watching an episode like that one. Uh, we have questions. 10 00:00:42,280 --> 00:00:45,559 Speaker 1: So many of you have had questions about what to do, 11 00:00:46,200 --> 00:00:50,080 Speaker 1: how to get involved, how to not feel heartbroken and hopeless, 12 00:00:50,400 --> 00:00:54,600 Speaker 1: and we know no better person to lead us from 13 00:00:54,640 --> 00:01:00,120 Speaker 1: hope hopelessness to help than the incredible and incomparable Shannon Watts, 14 00:01:00,160 --> 00:01:04,120 Speaker 1: who is the founder of MOM's demand action, an incredible 15 00:01:04,160 --> 00:01:08,200 Speaker 1: group of MOMS from all across the country and allies 16 00:01:08,200 --> 00:01:11,360 Speaker 1: and advocates who are joining together to try to solve 17 00:01:12,200 --> 00:01:16,800 Speaker 1: this crisis. And we could not be luckier than to 18 00:01:16,840 --> 00:01:20,200 Speaker 1: have Shannon here with the three of us today. Hello, 19 00:01:21,200 --> 00:01:25,119 Speaker 1: lovely friend and warrior, how are you? I'm good. How 20 00:01:25,120 --> 00:01:30,000 Speaker 1: are you good? Good, this last episode was a hard watch, 21 00:01:30,200 --> 00:01:33,960 Speaker 1: Shannon Um, trying to tackle this subject matter on TV, 22 00:01:34,760 --> 00:01:36,679 Speaker 1: you know, and we were a show that wasn't taken 23 00:01:36,760 --> 00:01:40,800 Speaker 1: very seriously, and so it felt really weird to become 24 00:01:40,840 --> 00:01:44,800 Speaker 1: a platform for this conversation. Um. And we know so 25 00:01:44,920 --> 00:01:52,200 Speaker 1: much more now and kind of getting over stereotypes and 26 00:01:52,200 --> 00:01:55,240 Speaker 1: and finding out what is the truth of the matter, 27 00:01:55,400 --> 00:01:58,840 Speaker 1: with the real data shows, with the real you know, 28 00:01:59,720 --> 00:02:04,160 Speaker 1: still these show is important for our audience. Information is power. 29 00:02:05,360 --> 00:02:07,920 Speaker 1: M Hmm, and I'm really quick. Sorry, I'm going to 30 00:02:08,000 --> 00:02:10,280 Speaker 1: pause us for one sec just because they brought you 31 00:02:10,320 --> 00:02:12,360 Speaker 1: in while we were doing your intro and I would 32 00:02:12,360 --> 00:02:15,119 Speaker 1: love just to take one spot second before we jump 33 00:02:15,160 --> 00:02:18,760 Speaker 1: into the episode and also introduce you. And you're such 34 00:02:18,800 --> 00:02:21,200 Speaker 1: an important person in my life. That's Hillary. This is 35 00:02:21,320 --> 00:02:25,720 Speaker 1: joy Um and and yeah, last week we watched this 36 00:02:25,760 --> 00:02:29,160 Speaker 1: episode that we did in two thousand six Um that 37 00:02:29,280 --> 00:02:32,480 Speaker 1: really centered on a sort of heartbroken kid who had 38 00:02:32,520 --> 00:02:34,760 Speaker 1: been going through bullying, who brought a gun to school 39 00:02:34,800 --> 00:02:39,280 Speaker 1: and everything just went terribly. It wasn't a traditional, you know, 40 00:02:39,400 --> 00:02:43,959 Speaker 1: narrative of of how we see this happening, and one 41 00:02:43,960 --> 00:02:47,480 Speaker 1: of the things that really just it was so heartbreaking 42 00:02:47,480 --> 00:02:50,440 Speaker 1: for all of us and watching these, you know, beautiful performances, 43 00:02:51,280 --> 00:02:56,040 Speaker 1: is that this keeps happening and everybody, you know so 44 00:02:56,120 --> 00:02:58,320 Speaker 1: many of the fans online are like this one's a 45 00:02:58,320 --> 00:03:01,480 Speaker 1: hard one to rewatch and it's scary and everybody knows 46 00:03:01,600 --> 00:03:04,839 Speaker 1: somebody or somewhere that this has happened to or or at. 47 00:03:05,040 --> 00:03:07,919 Speaker 1: And we just were like, there's we got. We got 48 00:03:07,919 --> 00:03:09,200 Speaker 1: to go to the lady who can tell us what 49 00:03:09,240 --> 00:03:13,440 Speaker 1: to do. So, yeah, it's interesting that that everyone was 50 00:03:13,520 --> 00:03:17,000 Speaker 1: thinking about and talking about in this show lockdown drills 51 00:03:17,080 --> 00:03:18,760 Speaker 1: right back in two thousand and six. I think it 52 00:03:18,840 --> 00:03:22,760 Speaker 1: was pretty novel. Um, it's really been the last decade, 53 00:03:22,800 --> 00:03:26,480 Speaker 1: I would say, that lockdown drills have become something that 54 00:03:26,480 --> 00:03:32,000 Speaker 1: that of school districts do. They're required in forty states, Um, 55 00:03:32,080 --> 00:03:35,320 Speaker 1: and that's almost there's almost two different conversations. One is 56 00:03:35,360 --> 00:03:40,360 Speaker 1: about the effectiveness of lockdown drills and and are actually 57 00:03:40,400 --> 00:03:43,280 Speaker 1: they're doing more harm than good. And and the other 58 00:03:43,320 --> 00:03:48,040 Speaker 1: conversation is about school shootings and access to guns. And 59 00:03:48,520 --> 00:03:51,560 Speaker 1: you know, who are these school shooters? Right? They're not 60 00:03:51,640 --> 00:03:53,920 Speaker 1: this person that comes in off the street. Typically they're 61 00:03:53,960 --> 00:03:57,680 Speaker 1: actually students. And how do you stop those? And and 62 00:03:57,680 --> 00:04:00,520 Speaker 1: and really, what is the bridge between those two issues 63 00:04:00,920 --> 00:04:03,640 Speaker 1: is the fact that now in this country guns are 64 00:04:03,680 --> 00:04:10,600 Speaker 1: the leading cause of death among children and teats. I 65 00:04:10,600 --> 00:04:12,120 Speaker 1: don't I just don't even know how to wrap my 66 00:04:12,120 --> 00:04:15,240 Speaker 1: head around that. You know, we, I live in a 67 00:04:15,320 --> 00:04:19,080 Speaker 1: rural community and guns are part of the culture here 68 00:04:19,680 --> 00:04:23,560 Speaker 1: and I grew up with guns, you know, and so 69 00:04:24,800 --> 00:04:30,320 Speaker 1: understanding the difference in legislation and in gun ownership from 70 00:04:30,320 --> 00:04:32,640 Speaker 1: when we were kids in the nineties to what it 71 00:04:32,760 --> 00:04:35,880 Speaker 1: is now is, I think, a big hurdle, you know, 72 00:04:36,000 --> 00:04:38,480 Speaker 1: because so many people are like, well, I grew up 73 00:04:38,520 --> 00:04:42,000 Speaker 1: with guns, but there's a decided difference between what kinds 74 00:04:42,000 --> 00:04:45,600 Speaker 1: of guns are available, how guns are sold on the Internet. 75 00:04:45,640 --> 00:04:48,440 Speaker 1: We didn't have Internet sales when we were growing up. 76 00:04:48,480 --> 00:04:51,799 Speaker 1: It's a totally different world. Well, and how they're marketed 77 00:04:51,839 --> 00:04:54,440 Speaker 1: to people now, you know, in the same way that 78 00:04:54,920 --> 00:04:58,080 Speaker 1: those vape companies have gotten in trouble from marketing to kids. 79 00:04:58,640 --> 00:05:01,640 Speaker 1: We were in a we're in an era of marketing 80 00:05:02,560 --> 00:05:08,240 Speaker 1: that is perpetuating so much of the the desire and 81 00:05:08,279 --> 00:05:11,800 Speaker 1: the and the change and culture, it seems. And and 82 00:05:11,839 --> 00:05:14,600 Speaker 1: I wonder if you know, are there a couple of 83 00:05:14,640 --> 00:05:17,640 Speaker 1: things that you can kind of teach us and and 84 00:05:17,680 --> 00:05:20,200 Speaker 1: help us teach our audience some of the points you 85 00:05:20,200 --> 00:05:23,640 Speaker 1: think are the most valid. Like you said, how did 86 00:05:23,680 --> 00:05:26,400 Speaker 1: we become a country where of kids are doing school 87 00:05:26,400 --> 00:05:33,120 Speaker 1: shooter drills? Are they effective? Who? What? What has changed? 88 00:05:33,720 --> 00:05:36,080 Speaker 1: WHO's doing this? What? And and what do we what 89 00:05:36,120 --> 00:05:40,159 Speaker 1: do we do? Because it's yeah, it's such a tremendous 90 00:05:40,520 --> 00:05:44,520 Speaker 1: trauma that we're going through nationally and and the epidemic 91 00:05:44,560 --> 00:05:46,920 Speaker 1: of violence like this doesn't care where you live, how 92 00:05:46,960 --> 00:05:49,000 Speaker 1: you live, how much money you have, how you vote. 93 00:05:49,520 --> 00:05:53,680 Speaker 1: It's it's transcended everything, and so I wonder if you 94 00:05:53,720 --> 00:05:56,400 Speaker 1: can help us break down what it is now and 95 00:05:56,440 --> 00:05:59,080 Speaker 1: also what we can do about it. Absolutely, and you know, 96 00:05:59,080 --> 00:06:01,599 Speaker 1: there's so much to pack there, so if I skip 97 00:06:01,640 --> 00:06:04,640 Speaker 1: over anything, feel free to ask me and I'll go back. 98 00:06:04,760 --> 00:06:07,000 Speaker 1: But if you look at guns in this country, and 99 00:06:07,240 --> 00:06:09,359 Speaker 1: you know, you were saying that that back in the 100 00:06:09,400 --> 00:06:12,479 Speaker 1: nineties there weren't online sales and there weren't as many, 101 00:06:12,560 --> 00:06:14,159 Speaker 1: or at least the same kind of guns, and that's 102 00:06:14,240 --> 00:06:17,720 Speaker 1: exactly right. Um, when you go back to SA Nineteen, 103 00:06:18,720 --> 00:06:21,719 Speaker 1: there's about triple the amount of guns in circulation now 104 00:06:21,760 --> 00:06:24,800 Speaker 1: in this country. Um, in addition, we now have the 105 00:06:24,839 --> 00:06:28,800 Speaker 1: Internet and and many sales are done online and there's 106 00:06:28,839 --> 00:06:31,800 Speaker 1: no federal law requiring background checks on those sales. So 107 00:06:31,920 --> 00:06:35,480 Speaker 1: states have to create those laws and about one states 108 00:06:35,480 --> 00:06:38,039 Speaker 1: have created those laws. But at the same time, twenty 109 00:06:38,040 --> 00:06:40,520 Speaker 1: one states have passed something called permit less carry, which 110 00:06:40,520 --> 00:06:43,120 Speaker 1: means you can buy and carry a gun with no 111 00:06:43,200 --> 00:06:47,560 Speaker 1: background check, no permit, no training. And so there's these 112 00:06:47,560 --> 00:06:53,600 Speaker 1: two forces at war. And and that's really the mainstream Americans, 113 00:06:54,440 --> 00:06:56,880 Speaker 1: of whom support things like background checks on every gun sale, 114 00:06:57,520 --> 00:07:02,400 Speaker 1: versus gun makers and gun manufacturers. And the reason so 115 00:07:02,800 --> 00:07:04,960 Speaker 1: that they want to sell more guns to more people 116 00:07:05,200 --> 00:07:08,440 Speaker 1: with fewer barriers to entry like a background check, is 117 00:07:08,680 --> 00:07:12,560 Speaker 1: because it is a huge industry, billions of dollars, right, 118 00:07:13,040 --> 00:07:16,200 Speaker 1: and follow the money right exactly? Why are they marketing 119 00:07:16,920 --> 00:07:20,160 Speaker 1: a R fifteens with ads that say things like Consider 120 00:07:20,200 --> 00:07:24,160 Speaker 1: Your Man Card reissued? U? And it's not an accident 121 00:07:24,200 --> 00:07:27,880 Speaker 1: that then we see young white men who are more 122 00:07:27,920 --> 00:07:31,040 Speaker 1: and more responsible for these hate crimes with guns or 123 00:07:31,080 --> 00:07:34,200 Speaker 1: school shootings, Um and so. So can I ask a 124 00:07:34,280 --> 00:07:36,920 Speaker 1: quick question before we move into that, because you said 125 00:07:36,960 --> 00:07:40,400 Speaker 1: something that that again I find to be so powerful. 126 00:07:40,840 --> 00:07:45,240 Speaker 1: When we talk about how universal this is. Night literally 127 00:07:45,280 --> 00:07:49,840 Speaker 1: like we can prove that America wants a federal background 128 00:07:49,880 --> 00:07:53,160 Speaker 1: check law. So again, that transcends where you live, how 129 00:07:53,200 --> 00:07:56,760 Speaker 1: you live, how much money you make, how you vote. 130 00:07:57,000 --> 00:07:58,800 Speaker 1: They should be if you have to have a license 131 00:07:58,800 --> 00:08:00,760 Speaker 1: to drive a car, you should have a license to 132 00:08:01,200 --> 00:08:02,640 Speaker 1: get a gun. You have to be able to go 133 00:08:02,680 --> 00:08:04,320 Speaker 1: to the range, show that you know how to use it, 134 00:08:04,400 --> 00:08:06,280 Speaker 1: show how to take care of it. Prof you know 135 00:08:06,400 --> 00:08:09,679 Speaker 1: what say, lawmakers say when we say that, they say 136 00:08:10,240 --> 00:08:13,640 Speaker 1: what say. Driving is not a right, it's a privilege. 137 00:08:13,760 --> 00:08:15,880 Speaker 1: It's not in the second it's not a second amendment, 138 00:08:15,880 --> 00:08:20,400 Speaker 1: it's not in the constitution. So I guess I just understannon. 139 00:08:21,560 --> 00:08:24,240 Speaker 1: Of US agree on this, and there's not a whole 140 00:08:24,240 --> 00:08:28,040 Speaker 1: lot of people in this country. We agreed on nine 141 00:08:29,000 --> 00:08:34,360 Speaker 1: of US agree. So how does that take the power 142 00:08:34,440 --> 00:08:40,040 Speaker 1: from percent of us? Is that lobbying? Is that corporate money? Like? What? How? How? 143 00:08:40,120 --> 00:08:43,720 Speaker 1: It's a great question, and it is really when you 144 00:08:43,800 --> 00:08:46,400 Speaker 1: go back to when the N R a stopped being 145 00:08:46,440 --> 00:08:50,320 Speaker 1: sort of a hunting and fishing and safety organization and 146 00:08:50,400 --> 00:08:54,480 Speaker 1: became a gun lobbying organization in the late seventies and 147 00:08:54,559 --> 00:08:57,120 Speaker 1: they realized that they could pervert the second amendment in 148 00:08:57,200 --> 00:09:01,400 Speaker 1: order to enrich gun manufacturers and gun obviousts, and that's 149 00:09:01,440 --> 00:09:04,559 Speaker 1: exactly what they've done. They've become more and more radicalized 150 00:09:04,640 --> 00:09:06,719 Speaker 1: as an organization because they've been pulled to the right, 151 00:09:07,080 --> 00:09:09,520 Speaker 1: much like the tea party pulled Congress to the right. 152 00:09:09,920 --> 00:09:13,120 Speaker 1: There are state gun groups. Almost every single state has one, 153 00:09:13,679 --> 00:09:15,800 Speaker 1: and they are to the right of the N Ra. 154 00:09:15,920 --> 00:09:18,880 Speaker 1: They believe any law whatsoever is an infringement on the 155 00:09:18,920 --> 00:09:23,240 Speaker 1: Second Amendment, and so that base has pulled the n 156 00:09:23,400 --> 00:09:26,000 Speaker 1: ray to believing really the same thing, which is we 157 00:09:26,040 --> 00:09:29,400 Speaker 1: are going to support anything the mainstream America supports. We 158 00:09:29,440 --> 00:09:34,000 Speaker 1: are going to be part of the extremist base. And 159 00:09:34,040 --> 00:09:36,520 Speaker 1: as a result we see, you know, open carry being 160 00:09:36,559 --> 00:09:41,080 Speaker 1: normalized and permitless carry being normalized and a lack of 161 00:09:41,120 --> 00:09:43,880 Speaker 1: safety training and and all of these things that again, 162 00:09:43,920 --> 00:09:47,880 Speaker 1: mainstream American support going out the window. And so we 163 00:09:47,960 --> 00:09:50,600 Speaker 1: have to show up in state houses and really fight 164 00:09:50,640 --> 00:09:53,960 Speaker 1: against the gun lobby. Um, as they try to endanger 165 00:09:54,000 --> 00:09:57,600 Speaker 1: our communities. Um, but, but why, or why is this 166 00:09:57,640 --> 00:09:59,840 Speaker 1: being allowed? The other thing that we did not account 167 00:10:00,120 --> 00:10:04,040 Speaker 1: or was that guns would become an organizing principle in 168 00:10:04,080 --> 00:10:07,720 Speaker 1: this country. Right. So, when you look at a very 169 00:10:07,840 --> 00:10:10,959 Speaker 1: right wing agenda. When you look at the laws that 170 00:10:11,000 --> 00:10:15,520 Speaker 1: are being passed that are are anti abortion or anti 171 00:10:15,640 --> 00:10:18,160 Speaker 1: L G B T Q, All these different things. What 172 00:10:18,360 --> 00:10:22,319 Speaker 1: is the thing that is the organizing principle around these issues? 173 00:10:22,360 --> 00:10:27,240 Speaker 1: It's guns. Guns get people in the door, they raise money, 174 00:10:27,280 --> 00:10:31,240 Speaker 1: they helped create a new customer base and they excite 175 00:10:31,240 --> 00:10:34,760 Speaker 1: the base right and so what we're seeing is this 176 00:10:34,760 --> 00:10:40,080 Speaker 1: this lobby investing in lawmakers that are worried about being primaried, 177 00:10:40,559 --> 00:10:43,720 Speaker 1: they're worried about going against the gun lobby, and so 178 00:10:44,240 --> 00:10:47,760 Speaker 1: they they have started doing these things that are incredibly radical. 179 00:10:47,960 --> 00:10:51,560 Speaker 1: And Look, let's just be clear. The data shows that 180 00:10:51,640 --> 00:10:53,920 Speaker 1: weak gun laws kill people. When you look at the 181 00:10:53,960 --> 00:10:56,080 Speaker 1: states with strong gun laws, you see less gun death 182 00:10:56,160 --> 00:10:58,280 Speaker 1: and less gun violence. When you look at states with 183 00:10:58,320 --> 00:11:02,400 Speaker 1: weak gun laws, you see the opposite. It's it's it's intuitive, 184 00:11:02,400 --> 00:11:06,360 Speaker 1: but it's also proven by data. Well, and we've got 185 00:11:06,600 --> 00:11:10,000 Speaker 1: decades of data now. You know, it's it's not like 186 00:11:10,040 --> 00:11:12,680 Speaker 1: this is something that's just sprung up and we're you know, 187 00:11:12,720 --> 00:11:15,360 Speaker 1: it's not the pandemic. It's not, you know, something that's 188 00:11:15,360 --> 00:11:17,400 Speaker 1: new to us and we're still sorting out. This has 189 00:11:17,440 --> 00:11:21,000 Speaker 1: been going on for decades and we talked in our 190 00:11:21,080 --> 00:11:25,960 Speaker 1: last episode about how our specific age group was the 191 00:11:26,120 --> 00:11:29,239 Speaker 1: first age group to be in high school during Columbine 192 00:11:29,760 --> 00:11:33,240 Speaker 1: and now have kids old enough to be in middle 193 00:11:33,240 --> 00:11:36,839 Speaker 1: school in high school still dealing with it, and I 194 00:11:36,880 --> 00:11:41,920 Speaker 1: find myself increasingly frustrated with my elders who didn't have 195 00:11:42,040 --> 00:11:45,199 Speaker 1: to go through that, who aren't in in a panic 196 00:11:45,400 --> 00:11:48,880 Speaker 1: when they dropped their kids off at school. I loved 197 00:11:49,160 --> 00:11:52,480 Speaker 1: the pandemic because my kids were home with me and 198 00:11:52,559 --> 00:11:56,040 Speaker 1: I didn't have to think about that, because if you're 199 00:11:56,040 --> 00:11:58,280 Speaker 1: out there dropping your kids off in the drop offline, 200 00:11:58,480 --> 00:12:01,280 Speaker 1: you're thinking about it. You know, I don't know any 201 00:12:01,320 --> 00:12:07,280 Speaker 1: mother who isn't, or father, and so, you know, I 202 00:12:07,960 --> 00:12:11,320 Speaker 1: think providing people on either side of the aisle with 203 00:12:11,679 --> 00:12:14,679 Speaker 1: action like calls to action, like what do we do? 204 00:12:15,880 --> 00:12:18,400 Speaker 1: US All agree on this one thing and our representatives 205 00:12:18,440 --> 00:12:21,520 Speaker 1: are getting pushed by money in a different direction. What 206 00:12:21,520 --> 00:12:24,200 Speaker 1: do we do? M Well, and that's one of the 207 00:12:24,240 --> 00:12:26,560 Speaker 1: things that I will say has inspired me most about 208 00:12:26,920 --> 00:12:29,720 Speaker 1: what you do, Shannon, and how you've led. You know, 209 00:12:29,760 --> 00:12:32,960 Speaker 1: you're leading coalitions across the country. You've really helped a 210 00:12:32,960 --> 00:12:36,720 Speaker 1: lot of us understand that this isn't a disagreement between neighbors. 211 00:12:37,520 --> 00:12:42,560 Speaker 1: This is of us against a corporate interest that operates 212 00:12:42,600 --> 00:12:46,320 Speaker 1: with billions of dollars in ways that most of us 213 00:12:46,400 --> 00:12:49,719 Speaker 1: can't understand, because most of us, you know, the four 214 00:12:49,760 --> 00:12:51,559 Speaker 1: of us on this show right now and our listeners 215 00:12:51,559 --> 00:12:53,959 Speaker 1: at home, none of us has the power to call 216 00:12:54,040 --> 00:12:59,360 Speaker 1: a state senator and and derail a law of their 217 00:12:59,360 --> 00:13:03,480 Speaker 1: constituents voted in support of. You know, like that's not 218 00:13:03,640 --> 00:13:07,920 Speaker 1: something most of us can do, and I think to 219 00:13:08,200 --> 00:13:13,200 Speaker 1: realize that that's what we're up against, but also be 220 00:13:13,360 --> 00:13:16,600 Speaker 1: bolstered by the hope and numbers, be bolstered by that, 221 00:13:17,480 --> 00:13:21,240 Speaker 1: be bolstered by the nonpartisan truth of the fact that 222 00:13:21,280 --> 00:13:24,959 Speaker 1: we agree on this issue. We don't agree with that corporation, 223 00:13:25,160 --> 00:13:29,400 Speaker 1: but most of us agree with each other. You know that? 224 00:13:29,400 --> 00:13:32,680 Speaker 1: That is the thing that gives me hope when I'm 225 00:13:32,720 --> 00:13:36,360 Speaker 1: scrolling TIKTOK and I burst into tears because I see 226 00:13:36,360 --> 00:13:39,080 Speaker 1: a parent post a video of her six year old 227 00:13:39,160 --> 00:13:43,959 Speaker 1: son and she's doing bulletproof backpack drills with him in 228 00:13:44,000 --> 00:13:47,120 Speaker 1: their house, like you guys aren't supposed to do this, 229 00:13:47,360 --> 00:13:50,480 Speaker 1: like kids aren't supposed to live like this, and it 230 00:13:50,559 --> 00:13:58,360 Speaker 1: only happens here, and so it's hard to it's hard 231 00:13:58,440 --> 00:14:00,440 Speaker 1: to say like well, if it only had here, and 232 00:14:00,480 --> 00:14:03,720 Speaker 1: that's what we're up against. What do we do? How 233 00:14:05,080 --> 00:14:07,760 Speaker 1: do you give people pointers on how to even begin 234 00:14:07,840 --> 00:14:11,719 Speaker 1: the conversation about gun violence in their families and then 235 00:14:11,760 --> 00:14:16,160 Speaker 1: how to take this nearly universal agreement that it should 236 00:14:16,280 --> 00:14:20,400 Speaker 1: end like out into their communities? So the first thing 237 00:14:20,440 --> 00:14:23,200 Speaker 1: I want to say is there I have so much hope. 238 00:14:23,640 --> 00:14:25,400 Speaker 1: I wouldn't wake up and do this work every single 239 00:14:25,480 --> 00:14:27,680 Speaker 1: day as a full time volunteer if I didn't feel 240 00:14:27,720 --> 00:14:31,040 Speaker 1: like we were winning. And you know, if you go 241 00:14:31,120 --> 00:14:34,120 Speaker 1: back to two, Tho twelve, when we started doing this work, 242 00:14:35,040 --> 00:14:37,240 Speaker 1: about a quarter of all democrats and Congress had an 243 00:14:37,280 --> 00:14:40,120 Speaker 1: a rating from the N R A. Today none do. 244 00:14:41,600 --> 00:14:44,840 Speaker 1: So that's the seismic shift in American politics. That having 245 00:14:44,880 --> 00:14:48,880 Speaker 1: this coalition, this Badass Army of angry women and moms 246 00:14:48,920 --> 00:14:51,920 Speaker 1: saying not in my community, you won't. That's what made 247 00:14:51,920 --> 00:14:55,440 Speaker 1: that change. I mean we were literally cornering Democratic senators 248 00:14:55,440 --> 00:14:58,280 Speaker 1: at their town halls and their house parties and their 249 00:14:58,360 --> 00:15:00,640 Speaker 1: different meetings and saying how can you be on the 250 00:15:00,680 --> 00:15:03,880 Speaker 1: side of the gun lobby? And they started changing their votes, 251 00:15:03,920 --> 00:15:06,320 Speaker 1: they started being proud of their up ratings from the 252 00:15:06,400 --> 00:15:09,720 Speaker 1: N R a. They wear pins now and we need 253 00:15:09,760 --> 00:15:12,440 Speaker 1: every lawmaker, regardless of political party, to be on the 254 00:15:12,520 --> 00:15:15,760 Speaker 1: right side of this issue and I was really heartened 255 00:15:15,800 --> 00:15:19,720 Speaker 1: that last month when we celebrated the signing of the 256 00:15:19,720 --> 00:15:23,560 Speaker 1: bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the first federal gun legislation to 257 00:15:23,600 --> 00:15:27,360 Speaker 1: pass in twenty six years, we had fifteen republicans sign on. 258 00:15:28,360 --> 00:15:31,960 Speaker 1: You know, again we're seeing this shift and I think 259 00:15:32,000 --> 00:15:36,000 Speaker 1: people get frustrated sometimes because they want wholesale, overnight change. 260 00:15:36,040 --> 00:15:38,080 Speaker 1: You know, you there's this tweet I hate that says 261 00:15:38,120 --> 00:15:41,320 Speaker 1: something like if we didn't change after Sandy Hook, we 262 00:15:41,360 --> 00:15:44,160 Speaker 1: never will and and nothing could be further from the truth. 263 00:15:44,960 --> 00:15:49,280 Speaker 1: So much is changed in a decade and this work 264 00:15:49,440 --> 00:15:51,760 Speaker 1: is like drips on a rock. It is a marathon, 265 00:15:51,920 --> 00:15:55,920 Speaker 1: not a sprint. INCREMENTALISM is frustrating, but it leads to 266 00:15:56,000 --> 00:15:59,160 Speaker 1: revolutions and that is what we're seeing. So I would 267 00:15:59,160 --> 00:16:02,040 Speaker 1: just say you have to use your voice, you have 268 00:16:02,160 --> 00:16:04,560 Speaker 1: to use your vote on this issue. You know, women 269 00:16:04,640 --> 00:16:08,680 Speaker 1: only hold about of the five hundred thousand elected positions 270 00:16:08,680 --> 00:16:11,840 Speaker 1: in this country. We're only five percent of fortune, one 271 00:16:11,880 --> 00:16:14,320 Speaker 1: tho C E O S. we're not making the laws 272 00:16:14,320 --> 00:16:17,280 Speaker 1: and the policies that protect our families and community. So 273 00:16:17,320 --> 00:16:19,800 Speaker 1: we have to get off the sidelines and get out 274 00:16:19,840 --> 00:16:21,920 Speaker 1: there and fight for these changes. And and let me 275 00:16:21,960 --> 00:16:24,080 Speaker 1: just give you an example. We have shown up at 276 00:16:24,120 --> 00:16:27,840 Speaker 1: school boards for a decade. As a result, over two 277 00:16:27,840 --> 00:16:32,440 Speaker 1: point five million families have received secure storage notifications from 278 00:16:32,480 --> 00:16:35,640 Speaker 1: their school district saying you should keep your guns locked, 279 00:16:35,960 --> 00:16:39,840 Speaker 1: unloaded and separate from ammunition. Two point five million families. 280 00:16:39,920 --> 00:16:43,320 Speaker 1: Last night, Governor Knewso signed a bill that will require 281 00:16:43,480 --> 00:16:46,000 Speaker 1: every family in the state of California to get that information. 282 00:16:46,440 --> 00:16:49,560 Speaker 1: That means eight million kids in this country. We'll have 283 00:16:49,680 --> 00:16:52,640 Speaker 1: these notifications now and and, like I said before, most 284 00:16:52,680 --> 00:16:55,280 Speaker 1: school shooters are students who have easy access to guns 285 00:16:55,320 --> 00:16:58,120 Speaker 1: in their home. Four point six million kids live in 286 00:16:58,160 --> 00:17:01,880 Speaker 1: homes with unsecured guns. So, you know, showing up even 287 00:17:01,880 --> 00:17:04,760 Speaker 1: at school boards or city councils or statehouses, it all 288 00:17:04,800 --> 00:17:15,399 Speaker 1: adds up. That's awesome. Mid term elections are going to 289 00:17:15,440 --> 00:17:22,080 Speaker 1: be a big deal. Yeah, we we just had a 290 00:17:22,119 --> 00:17:26,240 Speaker 1: special election here in the Hudson Valley in New York 291 00:17:26,960 --> 00:17:32,719 Speaker 1: where our Conservative leader was slated to win by a 292 00:17:32,840 --> 00:17:36,920 Speaker 1: lot of points and he did not. Um a veteran 293 00:17:37,480 --> 00:17:41,959 Speaker 1: who was pro ro and pro gun safety ended up 294 00:17:41,960 --> 00:17:45,280 Speaker 1: winning and it was shocking. I mean it shocked the 295 00:17:45,359 --> 00:17:48,480 Speaker 1: nation who was watching this and it and everyone was 296 00:17:48,520 --> 00:17:51,800 Speaker 1: like the mom showed up. The MOM's exactly Pat Bryan 297 00:17:52,000 --> 00:17:53,960 Speaker 1: will tell you, and he even tweeted this monster. Man 298 00:17:54,040 --> 00:17:58,600 Speaker 1: Action Volunteers were his best door knockers. They showed up 299 00:17:58,720 --> 00:18:00,800 Speaker 1: and he was supposed to lose by double digits and 300 00:18:00,880 --> 00:18:04,760 Speaker 1: he won and he credits monstum in action for helping 301 00:18:04,880 --> 00:18:07,760 Speaker 1: make that happen. I mean, we are literally everywhere and 302 00:18:07,880 --> 00:18:10,280 Speaker 1: one thing we're really good at is getting out the vote. 303 00:18:11,000 --> 00:18:15,080 Speaker 1: M Shannon, you've built this beautiful coalition and you've really 304 00:18:15,119 --> 00:18:20,440 Speaker 1: transcended identity politics, like you've managed to just get people 305 00:18:20,480 --> 00:18:22,760 Speaker 1: together on the facts and the truth and on passion 306 00:18:23,119 --> 00:18:28,640 Speaker 1: for protecting their kids. How I mean because I think 307 00:18:28,640 --> 00:18:31,720 Speaker 1: of the decade plus that I've known your work. How 308 00:18:31,760 --> 00:18:35,200 Speaker 1: did you start? Because I know so many of us 309 00:18:35,240 --> 00:18:37,639 Speaker 1: can sit at home and think I don't know what 310 00:18:37,720 --> 00:18:41,120 Speaker 1: I can do, and you've helped all of us do this. 311 00:18:42,000 --> 00:18:46,040 Speaker 1: How how did this begin? was there a final strong moment? 312 00:18:46,240 --> 00:18:50,119 Speaker 1: was there something that you saw or heard that just 313 00:18:50,200 --> 00:18:52,320 Speaker 1: made you go, I don't know what I'm gonna do 314 00:18:52,359 --> 00:18:55,199 Speaker 1: but I have to do something. Yeah, you know, I 315 00:18:55,240 --> 00:18:58,560 Speaker 1: think so many other moms in America had the same 316 00:18:58,560 --> 00:19:02,879 Speaker 1: idea I did that very cold December day when we 317 00:19:02,880 --> 00:19:06,600 Speaker 1: were watching news unfold on the television and twenty children 318 00:19:06,600 --> 00:19:09,600 Speaker 1: and six educators were slaughtered in the sanctity of an 319 00:19:09,640 --> 00:19:12,719 Speaker 1: American elementary school. And and it was just kind of 320 00:19:12,720 --> 00:19:15,320 Speaker 1: like we can't live like this and our children sure 321 00:19:15,320 --> 00:19:18,479 Speaker 1: as hell should not die like this. And I can 322 00:19:18,560 --> 00:19:21,040 Speaker 1: remember going online. At the time I lived in Indiana 323 00:19:21,160 --> 00:19:23,240 Speaker 1: and I thought I want to join something like mothers 324 00:19:23,240 --> 00:19:25,879 Speaker 1: against drunk driving, which was so influential to me as 325 00:19:25,920 --> 00:19:28,359 Speaker 1: a teen in the eighties. Yeah, Oh my God, they 326 00:19:28,400 --> 00:19:32,040 Speaker 1: were a huge they change of drunk driving, you know, 327 00:19:32,160 --> 00:19:34,320 Speaker 1: and and the laws, I mean they were just like 328 00:19:34,480 --> 00:19:37,760 Speaker 1: unstoppable angry bombs. And I wanted to join something like 329 00:19:37,880 --> 00:19:40,439 Speaker 1: that for gun safety. And I went online and I 330 00:19:40,440 --> 00:19:43,640 Speaker 1: found some think tanks, mostly run by men, some state organizations, 331 00:19:43,680 --> 00:19:47,119 Speaker 1: mostly run by men. So I just created a facebook page, 332 00:19:47,160 --> 00:19:50,040 Speaker 1: not to start an organization, just to have the conversation. 333 00:19:50,920 --> 00:19:53,480 Speaker 1: And you know, you all, I'm sure, are type A 334 00:19:53,640 --> 00:19:57,719 Speaker 1: women and moms like they started calling me and emailing 335 00:19:57,760 --> 00:20:01,280 Speaker 1: me and texting me and and saying like I want 336 00:20:01,280 --> 00:20:04,080 Speaker 1: to do this where I live. And and and really we 337 00:20:04,119 --> 00:20:06,200 Speaker 1: didn't know what this was. In fact, I think we 338 00:20:06,280 --> 00:20:10,120 Speaker 1: thought rallies and marches, but it became really clear really 339 00:20:10,200 --> 00:20:14,960 Speaker 1: quickly that this was organizing in the same way the 340 00:20:15,000 --> 00:20:18,359 Speaker 1: gunmaby did, with boots on the ground, an army that 341 00:20:18,400 --> 00:20:21,080 Speaker 1: could go toe to toe with a special interest. And 342 00:20:21,119 --> 00:20:23,720 Speaker 1: here we are, ten years later, we have ten million 343 00:20:23,760 --> 00:20:28,640 Speaker 1: supporters and we're twice as large as the interact. So cool, 344 00:20:29,400 --> 00:20:35,280 Speaker 1: you're no, it's these women. They're amazing. It's so, so cool. So, 345 00:20:35,520 --> 00:20:39,200 Speaker 1: for people at home who are not acquainted with your organization, 346 00:20:39,840 --> 00:20:42,359 Speaker 1: what is the best way for them to get up 347 00:20:42,359 --> 00:20:44,840 Speaker 1: to speed and to learn about how they can connect 348 00:20:44,880 --> 00:20:48,359 Speaker 1: with other people in their community, um to, you know, 349 00:20:48,480 --> 00:20:50,719 Speaker 1: raise their voice, to get involved and to also have 350 00:20:50,880 --> 00:20:55,080 Speaker 1: productive conversations with their children? I am the mother of 351 00:20:55,119 --> 00:20:57,520 Speaker 1: a twelve year old boy. I know that boys are 352 00:20:57,560 --> 00:21:00,960 Speaker 1: being radicalized in our country. Understand and what talking points 353 00:21:00,960 --> 00:21:03,280 Speaker 1: I can bring up with him and his friends is 354 00:21:03,320 --> 00:21:07,120 Speaker 1: important to me. And so where can other women find 355 00:21:07,119 --> 00:21:09,680 Speaker 1: those resources? You bring up such a good point, which 356 00:21:09,720 --> 00:21:12,560 Speaker 1: is we should all be watching our boys and young 357 00:21:12,600 --> 00:21:15,679 Speaker 1: men online. And what are they exposed to and what 358 00:21:15,720 --> 00:21:19,320 Speaker 1: are they seeing? Because, especially during covid we are seeing 359 00:21:19,320 --> 00:21:23,080 Speaker 1: more and more kids being radicalized into being gun extremists 360 00:21:23,200 --> 00:21:26,040 Speaker 1: and to committing hate crimes and and of course they 361 00:21:26,080 --> 00:21:28,240 Speaker 1: have easy access to things like a r fifteens in 362 00:21:28,240 --> 00:21:33,080 Speaker 1: this country. Right. So you bring up a really important point. Um, look, 363 00:21:33,119 --> 00:21:36,280 Speaker 1: if you want to learn more about lockdown drills and 364 00:21:36,359 --> 00:21:39,600 Speaker 1: the research we have that shows really they they cause 365 00:21:39,680 --> 00:21:44,480 Speaker 1: depression and anxiety, they aren't effective and stopping mass shootings. Um, 366 00:21:44,560 --> 00:21:46,359 Speaker 1: you can go to every town dot Org. There's so 367 00:21:46,440 --> 00:21:49,159 Speaker 1: much different research there. Every town is the umbrella that 368 00:21:49,200 --> 00:21:52,520 Speaker 1: MOM's demand action and students demand action are under. If 369 00:21:52,560 --> 00:21:56,120 Speaker 1: you want to learn about secure storage and even how 370 00:21:56,160 --> 00:21:58,200 Speaker 1: to ask the question when you send your kid to 371 00:21:58,280 --> 00:22:01,439 Speaker 1: friends and families homes, the website for that is be 372 00:22:01,600 --> 00:22:04,640 Speaker 1: smart for Kids Dot Org, and you'll learn all kinds 373 00:22:04,640 --> 00:22:07,040 Speaker 1: of you know, I do it through text right. Do 374 00:22:07,080 --> 00:22:09,399 Speaker 1: you have a game around your pool? Um, do you 375 00:22:09,480 --> 00:22:11,560 Speaker 1: let your kids play and rated video games? And, by 376 00:22:11,560 --> 00:22:13,560 Speaker 1: the way, do you have guns and how are they secured? 377 00:22:14,000 --> 00:22:16,119 Speaker 1: So they're really easy ways to do that. And then 378 00:22:16,160 --> 00:22:18,080 Speaker 1: the last thing I would say is you don't have 379 00:22:18,160 --> 00:22:20,480 Speaker 1: to be a mom. Were mothers and others. Now, if 380 00:22:20,480 --> 00:22:23,160 Speaker 1: you want to join moms to man action or students 381 00:22:23,160 --> 00:22:25,840 Speaker 1: to man action, just text the word ready to six 382 00:22:25,880 --> 00:22:31,680 Speaker 1: four four three three, six four four three three, yep, ready, Yep. 383 00:22:32,280 --> 00:22:37,240 Speaker 1: That's such a great resource. And I will say there 384 00:22:37,280 --> 00:22:41,160 Speaker 1: are there specific policy uh that that you guys, policies 385 00:22:41,160 --> 00:22:42,800 Speaker 1: that you guys are putting forward right now, that people 386 00:22:42,840 --> 00:22:45,480 Speaker 1: can look out for that are not going to be 387 00:22:45,520 --> 00:22:48,680 Speaker 1: scary for people who, you know, want they want the 388 00:22:48,800 --> 00:22:50,760 Speaker 1: rights that they have, the right to own their guns. 389 00:22:50,760 --> 00:22:53,119 Speaker 1: They want, you know, we're all gun owners, but to 390 00:22:53,240 --> 00:22:54,760 Speaker 1: do it in a safe way where it's not a 391 00:22:54,800 --> 00:22:58,040 Speaker 1: scary thing that we're looking out like, oh no, they're 392 00:22:58,040 --> 00:23:01,200 Speaker 1: trying to remove our rights from us, but a policy 393 00:23:01,280 --> 00:23:04,359 Speaker 1: that is going to really unite everyone. What are the 394 00:23:04,400 --> 00:23:08,000 Speaker 1: things that we can look for in our in our voting? Yes, 395 00:23:08,040 --> 00:23:09,919 Speaker 1: and you bring up a really good point, which is, 396 00:23:09,960 --> 00:23:12,399 Speaker 1: you know, we are not anti gun. We're not against 397 00:23:12,440 --> 00:23:14,800 Speaker 1: the second amendment. Many of our volunteers are gun owners 398 00:23:14,880 --> 00:23:17,560 Speaker 1: or their partners are gun owners. There's four hundred million 399 00:23:17,640 --> 00:23:21,159 Speaker 1: guns in this country right they're all gun owners. I 400 00:23:21,200 --> 00:23:24,560 Speaker 1: mean that's like a it's a really common thing and 401 00:23:25,480 --> 00:23:29,440 Speaker 1: the rhetoric, I think, is so scary. You know exactly. 402 00:23:29,560 --> 00:23:31,720 Speaker 1: And so we just want to restore the responsibilities that 403 00:23:31,760 --> 00:23:34,840 Speaker 1: should go along with gun rights and that includes a 404 00:23:34,880 --> 00:23:38,080 Speaker 1: background check on every gun sale. Um, hopefully, you know, 405 00:23:38,200 --> 00:23:42,760 Speaker 1: we will have federal legislation that that closes all the loopholes. But, 406 00:23:42,880 --> 00:23:44,800 Speaker 1: as I mentioned, we just had the BI partisan Savor 407 00:23:44,840 --> 00:23:48,120 Speaker 1: Communities Act, which is a huge step forward, Um, and 408 00:23:48,119 --> 00:23:50,760 Speaker 1: and we are in the meantime working on that legislation 409 00:23:50,920 --> 00:23:53,160 Speaker 1: in the states. So, as I mentioned, we've passed background 410 00:23:53,200 --> 00:23:55,639 Speaker 1: checks now at twenty one states. We've passed laws that 411 00:23:55,720 --> 00:23:59,400 Speaker 1: disarmed domestic abusers in twenty nine states. M We've closed 412 00:23:59,440 --> 00:24:02,879 Speaker 1: so many to at loopholes. Were passing secure storage laws. 413 00:24:03,440 --> 00:24:06,359 Speaker 1: This is again just about the responsibility to go along 414 00:24:06,400 --> 00:24:08,600 Speaker 1: with gun rights. You should have a background check, you 415 00:24:08,640 --> 00:24:11,119 Speaker 1: should have a permit, you should have a certain amount 416 00:24:11,119 --> 00:24:16,760 Speaker 1: of rigorous gun safety training, right experience. That we most 417 00:24:16,760 --> 00:24:20,960 Speaker 1: American support. And also, you know, eighteen year old shouldn't 418 00:24:21,000 --> 00:24:23,160 Speaker 1: have access to weapons of war. I mean, I think 419 00:24:23,160 --> 00:24:25,240 Speaker 1: we can all agree on it. If you have a kid, 420 00:24:25,560 --> 00:24:28,879 Speaker 1: you know that. You're twenty one year old son, you know, 421 00:24:29,480 --> 00:24:32,960 Speaker 1: is nowhere near ready to hand. They don't even have 422 00:24:33,000 --> 00:24:35,080 Speaker 1: their own health insurance, you know what I mean, like 423 00:24:35,119 --> 00:24:39,359 Speaker 1: they're still on your phone plan kids, right. Yeah, I 424 00:24:39,400 --> 00:24:41,800 Speaker 1: don't think you should have access to something like that 425 00:24:41,920 --> 00:24:45,560 Speaker 1: before your prefrontal Cortex is done developing, and that shouldn't 426 00:24:45,600 --> 00:24:48,159 Speaker 1: be controversial. Rent a car, you shouldn't have an air 427 00:24:48,200 --> 00:24:53,840 Speaker 1: of team girl. That is the point, right. Yes, I 428 00:24:55,600 --> 00:24:59,359 Speaker 1: follow vote vets. I grew up in a military home 429 00:24:59,760 --> 00:25:02,320 Speaker 1: and and so I really appreciate their take on the 430 00:25:02,760 --> 00:25:06,800 Speaker 1: gun reform and, you know, legislation in our country. Are 431 00:25:06,800 --> 00:25:11,960 Speaker 1: there other organizations that you would recommend people look into? Yes, 432 00:25:12,080 --> 00:25:15,080 Speaker 1: I love fair fight. I think that's a really important 433 00:25:15,160 --> 00:25:19,560 Speaker 1: organization about freedom and voting. Um, I think you should 434 00:25:19,720 --> 00:25:22,719 Speaker 1: get involved it's something that you're passionate about, right. So, 435 00:25:22,840 --> 00:25:27,479 Speaker 1: if it's voting rights, if it's Um abortion rights, you know, 436 00:25:27,560 --> 00:25:30,199 Speaker 1: if it's school boards. I mean it's really kind of 437 00:25:30,240 --> 00:25:33,040 Speaker 1: scary what's happening in our country with school boards. So look, 438 00:25:33,320 --> 00:25:36,160 Speaker 1: if you if you Google those organizations and you're passionate 439 00:25:36,200 --> 00:25:38,639 Speaker 1: about something like find what fits. It doesn't have to 440 00:25:38,680 --> 00:25:41,720 Speaker 1: be a national organization or, you know, you could start 441 00:25:41,760 --> 00:25:44,919 Speaker 1: something yourself, right. I mean, if you are passionate about something, 442 00:25:45,000 --> 00:25:47,679 Speaker 1: there's no reason that you can't create this in your 443 00:25:47,680 --> 00:25:51,000 Speaker 1: neighborhood or your community or your state. Um. I just 444 00:25:51,040 --> 00:25:53,560 Speaker 1: think it's so important, though, to get off the sidelines, 445 00:25:55,280 --> 00:25:57,680 Speaker 1: just find what you're passionate about and agree that you're 446 00:25:57,680 --> 00:25:59,600 Speaker 1: going to give an hour or two a week if 447 00:25:59,600 --> 00:26:02,120 Speaker 1: that's all you can afford to do. But it does 448 00:26:02,200 --> 00:26:05,199 Speaker 1: all add up and I'm just really impressed by, you know, 449 00:26:05,440 --> 00:26:08,040 Speaker 1: one organization that I do love. I just met the 450 00:26:08,040 --> 00:26:09,720 Speaker 1: one when you're a woman who runs it. It's called 451 00:26:10,119 --> 00:26:16,400 Speaker 1: Mother's against Greg Abbott, and they're so amazing. I mean 452 00:26:16,640 --> 00:26:19,040 Speaker 1: that they are just doing such great things in the 453 00:26:19,080 --> 00:26:22,280 Speaker 1: state of Texas because they're angry about a whole host 454 00:26:22,320 --> 00:26:25,119 Speaker 1: of issues. Like there should be. There should be a 455 00:26:25,200 --> 00:26:29,200 Speaker 1: mom's demand abortion action. There should be a mom's demand, 456 00:26:29,400 --> 00:26:31,960 Speaker 1: you know, whatever that is like. We should just be 457 00:26:32,160 --> 00:26:36,639 Speaker 1: creating coalitions and working together, because that's that's kind of 458 00:26:36,680 --> 00:26:40,240 Speaker 1: you know, Alice Walker said democracy this. You know, activism 459 00:26:40,240 --> 00:26:41,920 Speaker 1: is the rent I pay to live on the planet, 460 00:26:41,920 --> 00:26:45,399 Speaker 1: and that's what a democracy. I love what you were 461 00:26:45,400 --> 00:26:48,160 Speaker 1: saying about that you wouldn't do this job if there 462 00:26:48,160 --> 00:26:50,879 Speaker 1: weren't hope, and I think that has got to be 463 00:26:50,920 --> 00:26:53,040 Speaker 1: the bottom line. And these things that feel like David 464 00:26:53,040 --> 00:26:59,440 Speaker 1: and Goliath problems for us, whether it's homelessness or gun 465 00:26:59,560 --> 00:27:03,200 Speaker 1: rights or you know, I mean whatever. The list goes 466 00:27:03,240 --> 00:27:06,919 Speaker 1: on and on. But you have to find a center 467 00:27:07,000 --> 00:27:11,359 Speaker 1: of hope that is your beacon. Otherwise it just feels 468 00:27:11,400 --> 00:27:14,080 Speaker 1: to behemoth. There's just no way to get through it. 469 00:27:14,160 --> 00:27:17,960 Speaker 1: So I'm so glad to hear that you feel that 470 00:27:18,200 --> 00:27:19,960 Speaker 1: in your work, that when you wake up in the 471 00:27:20,000 --> 00:27:21,960 Speaker 1: morning you're like, I see the hope. Never join an 472 00:27:22,040 --> 00:27:26,680 Speaker 1: organization where there isn't joy in activism, because I don't 473 00:27:26,680 --> 00:27:29,280 Speaker 1: think you can keep going unless you feel hopeful and 474 00:27:29,400 --> 00:27:32,640 Speaker 1: joyful and you find your community people. That's that's what 475 00:27:32,720 --> 00:27:36,600 Speaker 1: keeps people involved. One of the things that gives me 476 00:27:36,680 --> 00:27:40,439 Speaker 1: so much joy, Shannon, is you know, things are on 477 00:27:40,520 --> 00:27:42,600 Speaker 1: fire a lot lately. It's been a really intense a 478 00:27:42,640 --> 00:27:46,360 Speaker 1: couple of years for everybody, and some days I get 479 00:27:46,400 --> 00:27:48,959 Speaker 1: on instagram just to go to your page and I 480 00:27:49,000 --> 00:27:51,879 Speaker 1: scroll to find where you've posted a slide show, because 481 00:27:51,920 --> 00:27:54,959 Speaker 1: you'll post like ten wins and you'll be like this 482 00:27:55,000 --> 00:27:57,280 Speaker 1: amazing woman, one elected office in this state and this 483 00:27:57,359 --> 00:27:59,960 Speaker 1: incredible thing happened in this community. Got This law path 484 00:28:00,040 --> 00:28:02,320 Speaker 1: us in this school did this and I'm just like God. 485 00:28:02,359 --> 00:28:05,960 Speaker 1: I needed that. I needed that dose of good news 486 00:28:06,000 --> 00:28:09,399 Speaker 1: and things to celebrate, and it it does. You know, 487 00:28:09,440 --> 00:28:14,000 Speaker 1: enjoy your right. It really helps us put in perspective when, 488 00:28:14,320 --> 00:28:17,720 Speaker 1: when we feel small and scared, to realize that everywhere 489 00:28:17,760 --> 00:28:23,920 Speaker 1: around us people are winning and succeeding. Every little bit counts. Yeah, alright, 490 00:28:23,920 --> 00:28:30,600 Speaker 1: we're Allan you put us to work. We have an army, yes, ma'am, 491 00:28:30,920 --> 00:28:35,480 Speaker 1: for November, just in time. Yeah, ma'am, it's important that 492 00:28:35,520 --> 00:28:38,680 Speaker 1: we care. We did a TV show about caring so 493 00:28:38,760 --> 00:28:42,520 Speaker 1: much about everything, and so if we can turn that 494 00:28:42,880 --> 00:28:47,720 Speaker 1: into real life care, awesome. You know what a reward? 495 00:28:47,840 --> 00:28:50,920 Speaker 1: I love it. It's it. It's so nice to see you, 496 00:28:51,240 --> 00:28:53,480 Speaker 1: wonderful to meet you. Thank you for having me on 497 00:28:53,600 --> 00:28:55,760 Speaker 1: and thank you for shining a light on this issue, 498 00:28:55,800 --> 00:28:59,800 Speaker 1: which again, because gun violence is the leading cause of 499 00:28:59,840 --> 00:29:03,040 Speaker 1: death among teens and kids. Are Children and teens. We 500 00:29:03,120 --> 00:29:05,760 Speaker 1: all have a role to play, and whether it's asking 501 00:29:05,800 --> 00:29:08,680 Speaker 1: people about how they secure their story, their guns, whether 502 00:29:08,720 --> 00:29:12,520 Speaker 1: we do it ourselves, whether it's advocating in school boards 503 00:29:12,520 --> 00:29:14,960 Speaker 1: and city councils and states this, we all have a 504 00:29:15,040 --> 00:29:18,440 Speaker 1: role to play, whether we're gun owners or not. Yeah, 505 00:29:18,560 --> 00:29:20,560 Speaker 1: I will say, I don't know if I've ever shared 506 00:29:20,560 --> 00:29:23,840 Speaker 1: this with you, Shannon, but years ago, Um, when all 507 00:29:23,880 --> 00:29:27,880 Speaker 1: the coalitions worked on that friendly fire campaign to illuminate 508 00:29:27,920 --> 00:29:30,320 Speaker 1: the fact that so many kids in this country get 509 00:29:30,360 --> 00:29:35,600 Speaker 1: injured or killed, Um, when they find unsecured guns. I realized, 510 00:29:35,680 --> 00:29:38,040 Speaker 1: and this was before any of my you know, friends 511 00:29:38,040 --> 00:29:40,800 Speaker 1: who I see at my house regularly, I had had kids. 512 00:29:41,160 --> 00:29:45,480 Speaker 1: Y'All are in different states, um, but I realized, like 513 00:29:46,080 --> 00:29:48,920 Speaker 1: as as a gun owner, I have always been very 514 00:29:49,000 --> 00:29:52,800 Speaker 1: clear about a secure place, but I did not have 515 00:29:53,720 --> 00:29:57,000 Speaker 1: our guns in a gun save and I was like 516 00:29:57,560 --> 00:30:00,000 Speaker 1: here I am helping to a voice over for a campaign, 517 00:30:00,000 --> 00:30:02,120 Speaker 1: gotta go, and I like went right down to the 518 00:30:02,160 --> 00:30:04,400 Speaker 1: shop and bought a safe and was like it doesn't 519 00:30:04,440 --> 00:30:06,160 Speaker 1: matter that they're in a secure place and that there 520 00:30:06,160 --> 00:30:09,520 Speaker 1: aren't ever kids in my house. There could be and 521 00:30:09,520 --> 00:30:14,280 Speaker 1: there will be, and it was it was cool to 522 00:30:14,480 --> 00:30:17,360 Speaker 1: feel like I learned something instead of like I got 523 00:30:17,400 --> 00:30:21,640 Speaker 1: shamed into something. And you've been so instrumental at helping 524 00:30:21,720 --> 00:30:24,840 Speaker 1: so many of us learn where we can be better, 525 00:30:24,920 --> 00:30:29,720 Speaker 1: do better, do more, and I think that's what we 526 00:30:29,760 --> 00:30:33,400 Speaker 1: need more of. And so I know Hillary was asking 527 00:30:33,440 --> 00:30:36,680 Speaker 1: about all the other organizations, including your own, that people 528 00:30:36,720 --> 00:30:40,160 Speaker 1: can look to for that kind of inspiration. Again, another 529 00:30:40,200 --> 00:30:43,840 Speaker 1: shout out of Vovets. Just love them so much. But 530 00:30:43,840 --> 00:30:49,040 Speaker 1: but for people who feel inspired, where, where should our 531 00:30:49,080 --> 00:30:53,040 Speaker 1: listeners go today to be up on all that you're 532 00:30:53,040 --> 00:30:55,400 Speaker 1: doing and to add their voices to the fight? That 533 00:30:55,400 --> 00:31:00,200 Speaker 1: would be great good. MONSTERMAN ACTION DOT Org. Or text 534 00:31:00,200 --> 00:31:02,320 Speaker 1: the word ready to six F four three three. The 535 00:31:02,360 --> 00:31:04,360 Speaker 1: thing I love is that we have this whole group 536 00:31:04,400 --> 00:31:07,240 Speaker 1: of volunteers and their job is to call and welcome 537 00:31:07,280 --> 00:31:10,920 Speaker 1: new volunteers. Um every time there's a horfect shooting tragedy, 538 00:31:10,960 --> 00:31:13,760 Speaker 1: and there were so many the summer, sadly, people get 539 00:31:13,760 --> 00:31:15,720 Speaker 1: off the sidelines and so it's really important that we 540 00:31:15,720 --> 00:31:17,600 Speaker 1: can say to people here's what you can do in 541 00:31:17,640 --> 00:31:20,080 Speaker 1: your community next week, here's an event coming up near you, 542 00:31:20,440 --> 00:31:22,200 Speaker 1: here's what you can do to get out the vote. 543 00:31:22,200 --> 00:31:24,680 Speaker 1: So I promise you, if you text were ready to six, 544 00:31:24,760 --> 00:31:27,600 Speaker 1: four three three, you'll get a call back and we 545 00:31:27,640 --> 00:31:30,360 Speaker 1: will tell you exactly how to plug in where you live. 546 00:31:32,480 --> 00:31:35,280 Speaker 1: Thank you so much for coming, Shannon. Thanks for having me. 547 00:31:43,120 --> 00:31:46,959 Speaker 1: I read the coolest tweet recently that I sent to her. 548 00:31:47,960 --> 00:31:51,120 Speaker 1: Somebody posted it and said the thing nobody talks about 549 00:31:51,360 --> 00:31:54,680 Speaker 1: is that the Second Amendment was ratified before bullets existed. 550 00:31:55,040 --> 00:31:56,720 Speaker 1: I mean it was must get shot. It was like 551 00:31:56,800 --> 00:32:01,520 Speaker 1: it was must get shot and powder, those little round 552 00:32:01,520 --> 00:32:03,680 Speaker 1: balls that went in muskets one at a time, with 553 00:32:03,800 --> 00:32:07,560 Speaker 1: guns forever. Yeah, and I was like, Oh my God, 554 00:32:08,280 --> 00:32:12,360 Speaker 1: it's so insane that we've we have this big fight 555 00:32:12,960 --> 00:32:15,520 Speaker 1: when the thing we're fighting about didn't even exist. When 556 00:32:15,680 --> 00:32:18,280 Speaker 1: the when the thing we're fighting it would be like 557 00:32:20,280 --> 00:32:21,880 Speaker 1: right now. Yeah, do you know what I mean? Like 558 00:32:23,120 --> 00:32:26,120 Speaker 1: I went to joy's point cars, you gotta go to school, 559 00:32:26,160 --> 00:32:29,440 Speaker 1: you gotta get a license, you gotta take tests regularly. 560 00:32:29,520 --> 00:32:33,200 Speaker 1: It's like we're just asking for some something sensible. I 561 00:32:33,560 --> 00:32:35,400 Speaker 1: think it's just that, you know, people are scared of 562 00:32:35,400 --> 00:32:37,760 Speaker 1: what they don't know, and it feels like what you 563 00:32:37,760 --> 00:32:39,880 Speaker 1: were saying, Hilary. It's so scary. The narrative is so 564 00:32:39,920 --> 00:32:42,520 Speaker 1: scared and don't take away my guns, and it's like 565 00:32:42,560 --> 00:32:44,640 Speaker 1: nobody's trying to do that. We're just trying to make 566 00:32:44,680 --> 00:32:46,920 Speaker 1: it more responsible so that the wrong people don't get 567 00:32:46,920 --> 00:32:49,040 Speaker 1: their hands on it. That's what's going on. Yeah, Pete, 568 00:32:49,080 --> 00:32:51,960 Speaker 1: Buddha said the best thing. A couple of years ago. 569 00:32:52,000 --> 00:32:53,920 Speaker 1: There was a mom's demand. Helped with a big gun 570 00:32:53,960 --> 00:32:57,520 Speaker 1: sense for him in Iowa during the last presidential primary 571 00:32:58,040 --> 00:32:59,920 Speaker 1: and when, you know, when they were still seventeen candidate 572 00:33:00,520 --> 00:33:02,920 Speaker 1: and pete was up there talking and he's a veteran 573 00:33:03,160 --> 00:33:05,720 Speaker 1: and he was like, Hey, guys, we have this whole 574 00:33:05,720 --> 00:33:09,920 Speaker 1: conversation about a well regulated militia, keywords well and regulated. 575 00:33:10,800 --> 00:33:13,960 Speaker 1: He goes, I'm a military veteran. There's a line. You 576 00:33:14,040 --> 00:33:17,000 Speaker 1: can't own a Predator drone. You just can't have one 577 00:33:17,280 --> 00:33:19,720 Speaker 1: as a citizen. And he goes and I gotta be honest, 578 00:33:19,800 --> 00:33:22,600 Speaker 1: as a man who carried one of these weapons in war, 579 00:33:23,320 --> 00:33:25,600 Speaker 1: you shouldn't have one and I'm not in the army 580 00:33:25,600 --> 00:33:28,160 Speaker 1: anymore and neither should i. and I just was like 581 00:33:28,440 --> 00:33:30,880 Speaker 1: you're my hero. That was incredible. You can't have a 582 00:33:30,880 --> 00:33:35,280 Speaker 1: Predator drone. I'll never forget it. No, you know, the 583 00:33:35,400 --> 00:33:39,960 Speaker 1: upside is Um is not there. And then the sales 584 00:33:40,000 --> 00:33:42,160 Speaker 1: teams want to make you feel like, oh, there's all 585 00:33:42,200 --> 00:33:44,680 Speaker 1: this horrible stuff happening in the world. If you just 586 00:33:44,880 --> 00:33:49,040 Speaker 1: own one of our toys, it'll protect your family, and 587 00:33:49,080 --> 00:33:53,840 Speaker 1: so that cycle of salesmanship continues and I think the 588 00:33:54,000 --> 00:33:58,239 Speaker 1: data is on the side of no. You know, if 589 00:33:58,240 --> 00:33:59,880 Speaker 1: you put a bear trap in your house, someone's come 590 00:33:59,920 --> 00:34:04,560 Speaker 1: to step on it. Exactly, Um. And you know, to 591 00:34:04,640 --> 00:34:07,719 Speaker 1: make a TV show about this fifteen years ago and 592 00:34:07,760 --> 00:34:11,480 Speaker 1: to still be talking about it is hard. But Shannon 593 00:34:12,000 --> 00:34:16,880 Speaker 1: gives me hope that there's two progress being made. And 594 00:34:16,920 --> 00:34:21,360 Speaker 1: you know what, it's so inspiring to be reminded that 595 00:34:21,480 --> 00:34:24,960 Speaker 1: you don't have to wait for someone in some office 596 00:34:25,000 --> 00:34:27,120 Speaker 1: to fix it. Like a group of MOMS can get 597 00:34:27,160 --> 00:34:30,520 Speaker 1: together and get it done. MOMS are terrifying. A group 598 00:34:30,560 --> 00:34:34,000 Speaker 1: of MOMS will always get it done when they get together. 599 00:34:34,400 --> 00:34:39,200 Speaker 1: I tell you, I'm here for it. Here's to MOMS, 600 00:34:39,560 --> 00:34:44,160 Speaker 1: here's to angry MOMS. Have a drink, but my favorite 601 00:34:44,200 --> 00:34:46,200 Speaker 1: kind of ladies this is coffee, but I'll pretend to talk. 602 00:34:47,239 --> 00:34:50,239 Speaker 1: Come on, we're responsible. Well, I love you girls, love 603 00:34:50,280 --> 00:34:52,799 Speaker 1: you guys so much. I'm glad. We are glad we 604 00:34:52,880 --> 00:34:55,720 Speaker 1: did this. Thank you. Thanks, Sophia, for introducing US to Shannon. 605 00:34:56,040 --> 00:34:59,279 Speaker 1: That was very cool, and Um, to our friends at home. 606 00:34:59,640 --> 00:35:03,200 Speaker 1: You know, we don't have all the answers, but what 607 00:35:03,239 --> 00:35:06,520 Speaker 1: we do get excited about is when somebody illuminates hope 608 00:35:06,880 --> 00:35:09,839 Speaker 1: for us to move forward. So we hope that Um this. 609 00:35:10,680 --> 00:35:13,359 Speaker 1: This special episode was able to give you a little 610 00:35:13,360 --> 00:35:18,480 Speaker 1: bit of hope, because, Oh man, last week was lacking 611 00:35:18,560 --> 00:35:23,000 Speaker 1: a lot of it. Yeah, that was a top episode. Well, UM, 612 00:35:23,280 --> 00:35:26,080 Speaker 1: hopefully the next one will start to recover a bit. 613 00:35:27,280 --> 00:35:31,239 Speaker 1: Fingers crossed. We'll see you, guys in three seventeen. I 614 00:35:31,360 --> 00:35:34,759 Speaker 1: love you all. Hey, thanks for listening. Don't forget to 615 00:35:34,800 --> 00:35:37,080 Speaker 1: leave us a review. You can also follow us on 616 00:35:37,120 --> 00:35:41,120 Speaker 1: Instagram at drama queens o t h or email us 617 00:35:41,160 --> 00:35:44,799 Speaker 1: at drama queens at I heart radio DOT com. See 618 00:35:44,840 --> 00:35:50,160 Speaker 1: you next time. We are all about that high school drama. Girl, drama, girl, 619 00:35:50,239 --> 00:35:53,360 Speaker 1: all about them high school queens. We'll take you for 620 00:35:53,440 --> 00:35:56,560 Speaker 1: a ride at our comic girl cheering for the right 621 00:35:56,960 --> 00:36:01,000 Speaker 1: drama Queens. Go Up, girl, fast him, but your tough girl. 622 00:36:01,120 --> 00:36:04,160 Speaker 1: You could sit with us. Girl, drama, Queeze, drama, Queeze, drama, 623 00:36:04,200 --> 00:36:08,160 Speaker 1: Queen's drama, drama, Queen's drama Queens.