The sea of orange hats, jackets and scarves was a bright spot on a dreary afternoon as over 200 marchers came together on University Avenue in support of stronger gun control laws this past Sunday. The march, organized by the Silicon Valley chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America and Everytown for Gun Safety, was one of 100 rallies across the country that drew a total of about 10,000 people who urged lawmakers to reduce gun violence in America.
Moms Demand Action: enlisting mothers to advocate for gun safety
According to their website, Moms Demand Action was founded by Shannon Watts on December 15, 2012, in response to the devastating shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, and has chapters in all 50 states, including in California. Like Mothers Against Drunk Driving, which harnessed the strength of mothers to successfully advocate for stronger drunk driving laws, Moms Demand Action is working to enlist mothers (and fathers) across the country in a coordinated campaign to, “effectively lobby and apply pressure that will result in stronger, sensible gun laws and policies that will protect our children and families.”
The California “orange” marches were organized by Caitlin King, a passionate gun safety advocate who has lost numerous friends and family members due to gun violence.
Orange March in New York City on December 1st, 2015. Photo by Moms Demand Action
Palo Alto marchers show their resolve to make change
On the eve of the terrible shooting in Newtown Connecticut, the loss of those children was on the minds of many of the marchers in Palo Alto. “Joining together with over 100 other Orange Walks across the country felt like the right thing to do,” said Christine Meyer, a mother of three girls who marched Sunday with neighbors and friends. “I wanted to not only to show my support for gun reform in this country but also to remember Sandy Hook and the innocent victims of that horrendous day.”
How to get involved
- To learn more about Moms Demand Action and Everytown for Gun Safety, visit http://momsdemandaction.org, or http://everytown.org.
- To get involved with the California chapter of the organization and find local efforts, visit the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/MomsDemandActionCA.
A crowd of over 200 marchers rallied to show their support for stronger gun control laws in Palo Alto on December 13
