Steve Kerr coach of the Golden State Warriors says ENOUGH!
We need political guts, not more ‘thoughts and prayers’. – ESPN
Mass shooting in Atlanta. “Georgia Senator Raphael Warnock gave an impassioned speech on the floor of the Senate as events were unfolding, noting that his young children were in lockdown in Atlanta while he was in Washington, worried about them. He was critical of Republicans who can only share “thoughts and prayers” following mass shootings because “thoughts and prayers are not enough. In fact, it is a contradiction to say that you are thinking and praying and then do nothing. It is to make a mockery of prayer. It is to trivialize faith. We pray not only with our lips, we pray with our legs. We pray by taking action.” – Joy Vance
Basketball legend and Head Coach of The Golden State Warriors, Steve Kerr spoke at a pre-game press briefing on April 2022 about a mass shooting in Sacramento that killed 6 people and left 12 injured. He called for political courage to pass common sense gun safety bills rather than more political gamesmanship and sending ‘Thoughts & Prayers’. It’s unfortunate something like that can still happen nowadays in an environment where everybody is just trying to have fun, have a good time. The gun thing has to change.
“We will have a moment of silence before the game, which is the right thing to do, but I’ll be honest, this is my ninth or 10th moment of silence that I will have experienced as head coach of the Warriors when we mourn the losses of people who have died in mass shootings,” Kerr said. “I don’t think moments of silence are going to do anything. At some point, our government has to decide are we going to have common-sense gun laws.- ESPN
Steve Kerr on gun violence
Hypocrisy of being both Pro-Life and Pro-Gun
It’s likely going to take a solid 60-vote majority in the Senate, along with control of the House and of the White House, for Democrats to make progress on an issue where an overwhelming number of American favor new laws limiting guns that will make us all safer and Republicans continue to refuse to do anything about it. Guns should not have more rights than people in our society, but they do. And the ultimate irony is that the same crowd that insists on having their assault weapons also wants to prevent women from having an abortion, because: pro-life. They are explicitly okay with those babies being mowed down in the nation’s schools, hospitals, shopping malls, and churches once they’re born, with only the thin veneer of thoughts and prayers to notice their deaths.
You could choke on the hypocrisy… We know that long-term, political change is necessary, in both states and in Washington, to make any meaningful progress on this issue, the time has come to confront that hypocrisy every time it surfaces. Every time someone talks to you about opposing abortion, ask them about their views on the Second Amendment. And if they tell you they’re pro-gun, point out that’s inconsistent with being pro-life. We all know this. It’s time to stop letting people get away with it. An important part of civil discourse is being unafraid to use the facts to point to inconsistency. These issues connect in an issue that makes a plainspoken dialogue long overdue. – Joy Vance
Reach more people
How do you get an important message like Steve Kerr’s comments accessible to more people. The video was transcribed and translated into Spanish, Chinese, Filipino and Korean. The video was overlaid with images using the free iMovie app to add visual context.
Disclaimer: This video includes images overlaid comments by Steve Kerr, Coach of the Golden State Warriors at a pre-game briefing in the wake of a mass shooting in Sacramento, CA on April 3, 2022. The images do not necessarily reflect Mr. Kerr’s views.
Creating an overlay video with iMovie
Storytelling with a purpose
Steve’s comments are persuasive appeal for action. Details of shooting incidents from the Gun Violence Archive were mapped with the ArcGIS Online app that includes details of Senators blocking gun safety forms and how to contact them. The maps, videos and recommendations from the Gun Safety Alliance were combined into a StoryMap.
TakeAway: Make it easier for people to see the connection between Republicans blocking common sense gun safety measures and the surge in gun violence. Enough!
Deepak
DemLabs
DISCLAIMER: ALTHOUGH THE DATA FOUND IN THIS BLOG AND INFOGRAPHIC HAS BEEN PRODUCED AND PROCESSED FROM SOURCES BELIEVED TO BE RELIABLE, NO WARRANTY EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED CAN BE MADE REGARDING THE ACCURACY, COMPLETENESS, LEGALITY OR RELIABILITY OF ANY SUCH INFORMATION. THIS DISCLAIMER APPLIES TO ANY USES OF THE INFORMATION WHETHER ISOLATED OR AGGREGATE USES THEREOF.
basketball,gun safety,Warriors
Gun Safety Alliance
Each year there are approximately 40,000 firearm deaths in the United States – these numbers are likely to rise without immediate action. Gun Safety Alliance recommendations to reduce gun deaths:
- Passing legislation to require background checks on all gun sales – States that require a background check on gun sales have homicide rates 10% lower than those that do not.
- Advancing Extreme Risk laws—sometimes referred to as “Red Flag” laws – States that have implemented Extreme Risk laws have seen, on average, a double-digit percent decrease in gun-related death rates.
- Achieving adoption of secure storage practices – storing firearms unloaded, locked, and separate from ammunition – These practices are associated with a 78 percent lower risk of self-inflicted firearm injuries, and an 85 percent lower risk of unintentional firearm injuries among children.
- Supporting violence intervention programs that provide comprehensive support to the individuals who are at greatest risk of gunshot victimization – Homicide and gun injuries fell nearly 40 percent in select communities where these programs exist.
- Combating “Stand Your Ground” laws and recognizing the inherent danger of this legislation. – Some states that implemented “Stand Your Ground” laws saw a 32 percent increase in firearm homicide rates and a 24 percent increase in overall homicide rates since the policy was implemented.
Reposted from Democracy Labs with permission.
