Because it’s about **equal protection + safety with standards**: - **Equal rights:** lawful self‑defense shouldn’t depend on race, zip code, or who gets “approved.”   - **Deterrence:** trained, lawful carry can discourage opportunistic violence against vulnerable communities.   - **Training reduces accidents:** a basic safety standard lowers negligent discharges and misuse.   - **Clear rules = less abuse:** standardized requirements reduce arbitrary enforcement and discrimination.   - **Shared safety burden:** when communities are trained and lawful, it can reduce reliance on emergency response alone.

Every student deserves to feel safe at school and in their community. Right now, too many teenagers are able to access firearms that they should never have access to in the first place. By signing this petition, you are helping call on Virginia’s leaders to create stronger gun safety laws that better protect young people and prevent weapons from falling into the wrong hands. Stricter gun laws can help reduce accidental shootings, school violence, and other tragedies that impact families and communities. Common sense measures like stronger background checks, secure storage requirements, and better safeguards against illegal access can make a real difference in keeping firearms away from minors. Teenagers should be focused on learning, growing, and building their futures not worrying about gun violence. When we speak up together, our voices can push for policies that prioritize safety and responsibility. Sign this petition to support stronger protections for young people in Virginia and to help create safer schools and communities for everyone.

Violence erupted in Mexico recently after a Mexican military raid killed a powerful cartel kingpin. As the cartel responded by setting buses, supermarkets, and banks on fire and blocking highways, tourists were stranded and schools were closed. Dozens of people have been killed. The dark truth is that this violence is fueled by a flood of U.S. guns. Weak U.S. gun laws result in an unlicensed market that pumps up to 500,000 U.S.-made guns to cartels each year. One study traced nearly 70% of guns recovered at Mexican crime scenes back to U.S. manufacturers or importers. This deadly ‘iron river’ of guns exacerbates violence and suffering across both borders. It’s time to dam it up. Sen. Dick Durbin and Rep. Joaquin Castro introduced the Stop Arming Cartels Act to curb cartel power and corruption. This bill isn’t just about stopping international crime — it’s about keeping people, on both sides of the border, safe. It deserves bipartisan support, and you can pressure your lawmakers to pass this urgent legislation by sending a message today:

Guns are the number one cause of death for children and teens in our country. Every one of these deaths is preventable. States with stronger gun laws consistently have lower rates of gun deaths, because gun laws save lives.  Every person deserves the right to live free from gun violence. And, we know what works. Requiring background checks for all gun sales will prevent prohibited people from accessing deadly firearms. An extreme risk law would give every family the ability to ensure their loved ones cannot access guns during a serious crisis when they are at extreme risk of danger to themselves or others.   Finally, community violence intervention programs stop violence before it starts by using credible messengers to break the cycles of gun violence in our communities. We know what works. Now we need action.

I am writing to you today as a deeply concerned Minnesotan and a parent. Within our community, we faced the horrifying reality of a school shooting. This could have been us, and the fact that it wasn't this time doesn't diminish the urgency of the moment. We cannot continue to live with the constant fear that our children are not safe in their schools and arming our teachers or paying for police is not the answer.  We can solve this in better ways. The United States is an outlier. We are the leading country in the world for school shootings. This is a statistic we should all find unacceptable. As of August 27, 2025, there have been at least 44 school shootings this year alone. This isn't an issue of mental health being exclusive to the U.S.; other countries, face similar mental health challenges but do not experience the same epidemic of gun violence. The difference is clear: they have enacted comprehensive gun control measures.

This petition matters because it:  • Cherishes the life and sacrifice of Officer David Rose, a hero who rushed toward danger. • Confronts the lethal reality of vaccine misinformation and its capacity to inspire violence. • Seeks accountability from leaders whose rhetoric may have laid the groundwork for mistrust and radicalization. • Elevates public safety and truth, reminding us that societal well-being depends on responsible speech and responsible leadership.

By joining this campaign, you are speaking up for safer communities, for lives that can still be saved, and for a Rhode Island that puts people over weapons. Your voice matters and together, our voices can make a change.

Matthew Cardon was shot and killed by police in Peoria, Arizona, on June 5th, 2025. Despite repeated requests from his family and community, authorities have not released all available footage. There are conflicting statements, missing body cam footage, and unanswered questions that demand transparency. We call on local and state leaders to release all footage, open an independent investigation, and ensure this never happens again. Matthew was a son, brother, and friend.His family—and the public—deserve the truth.

U.S. gun laws are weak. Mexican drug cartels exploit those weaknesses. What's that equal? A flood of firearms. But while Trump officials mull sending U.S. troops to fight cartels in Mexico — a move likely to unleash untold levels of violence and suffering on both sides of the border — Sen. Dick Durbin and Rep. Joaquin Castro offer a genuine way to curb cartel power and corruption: the Stop Arming Cartels Act. This bill cracks down on the unlicensed gun market that pumps a deadly pipeline of up to 500,000 U.S.-made guns to cartel hands each year. In a recent study, the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) traced nearly 70% of guns recovered at Mexican crime scenes back to U.S. gun manufacturers or importers. This deadly ‘iron river’ of guns fuels cartel warfare, migrant smuggling, and a fentanyl crisis that has devastated families across the country — and it’s time to dam it up. This bill isn’t just about stopping international crime. It’s about keeping people, on both sides of the border, safe. It deserves bipartisan support. It’s the kind of legislative solution that families, particularly those directly impacted by addiction and a failed war on drugs, are heading to the Hill to lobby for — and you have a key role to play too. Every weapon smuggled across the U.S.-Mexico border strengthens cartels and makes us all less safe. Tell your members of Congress: Co-sponsor and pass the Stop Arming Cartels Act (H.R.923/S.367) to stop the ‘iron river’ now!

Opposing this dangerous and outright reckless legislation should be a no-brainer for members of Congress.  For years, states have had the power to decide who is too dangerous to carry a concealed weapon in public and where concealed firearms are not permitted.  And while only 21 states require a permit in order to carry a concealed weapon, research shows that these states tend to experience fewer gun-related incidents. In fact, states that passed permitless carry laws saw, on average, a 27% increase in gun homicides within three years of the change, while other states saw less than half that increase during the same time period.  Polls also consistently show that a majority of Americans oppose weakening concealed carry permit laws. This dangerous concealed carry mandate legislation must not pass. 

Wyoming has a long history of responsible regulation of firearms. Sensitive areas such as schools, college campuses, and government buildings should not have their rights to regulate firearms removed.  • Each school district already has the right to create their own concealed carry program for staff. A few school districts have implemented successful programs while many have decided not to.  • College and University Board of Trustees already can create their own concealed carry programs. The University of Wyoming Board of Trustees voted against allowing concealed carry on campus in November of 2024.  Sign this petition today to prove that the majority of Wyomingites do not want gun free zones repealed and want to maintain local control! 

1. Protecting Children and Educators: Schools are meant to be safe environments. Joining this campaign helps push for laws that prioritize the safety and well-being of students and teachers. 2. Preventing Tragedies: Gun violence in schools has led to heartbreaking losses. Banning guns from campuses can reduce the risk of shootings and save lives. 3. Creating a Peaceful Learning Environment: Fear and anxiety have no place in education. Removing firearms from schools helps students focus on learning rather than survival. 4. Sending a Message to Lawmakers: Every signature shows that people care. A strong collective voice can influence real policy change at the local and national levels. 5. Standing Up for Common-Sense Safety Measures: Most Americans support reasonable gun laws. This campaign is not about politics it’s about protecting people and preventing preventable violence.