Why We Can Never Give Up on Gun Control

With new gun control legislation derailed, Marian Wright Edelman writes at the Huffington Post why Americans must stay focused on changing the status quo. 

The fight to protect children, not guns is not over because: 

Ninety percent of Americans want a universal background check. This includes 94 percent of North Dakota voters, 89 percent of Indiana voters, 89 percent of New Hampshire voters, 84 percent of Arkansas voters, and 79 percent of Montana voters — all states where at least one senator went against the will of their constituents and of the American people.  Getting 90 percent of Americans to agree on anything is extremely difficult. 

No one elected the National Rifle Association to be in charge of our children's and our nation's safety. We have elected federal, state, and local governments, a national defense department, and federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to perform this crucial function.  The NRA represents less than 10 percent of gun owners and is a minority view.  Their stance against universal background checks defies not only 90 percent of all Americans, but 88 percent of those with a gun in the household and 74 percent of the NRA's own membership.  The NRA claims up to five million members but there are many many more Americans who are not NRA members.  We must lift our voices and use our votes to protect children over guns.

Read Marian Wright Edelman's entire piece at the Huffington Post.

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