By UM News

Photos by Mike DuBose

August 22, 2023 (Nashville, Tenn.) -- Gun reform supporters, including United Methodist clergy and church members, gathered for an early morning prayer vigil at the Tennessee State Capitol in Nashville, yesterday. The gathering came as lawmakers begin a special legislative session focused on public safety and mental health following a mass shooting at the Covenant School here in March. The Rev. Ingrid McIntyre, a United Methodist pastor, helped organize the vigil.

By Jay Steiger

Photos: San Diego rally to stop gun violence on June 11, 2022

June 12, 2022 (San Diego) -- Enough! How many more will die before action is taken to reduce the ongoing tragedy of gun violence?  The horror at Robb Elementary was the 27th school shooting in 2022 alone. In the past decade, there have been over 900 incidents involving gunfire at schools.  Are we really to the point where, if it's not a mass shooting, we can compartmentalize the fact that gunfire and schools should never mix?

By Jonathan Goetz

Photo: Cheri Robertson and Vicki Shepperd Chin

February 20, 2018 (El Cajon) - Gun violence was at issue on Monday, President's Day, to protesters outside of Congressman Duncan D. Hunter Jr.'s office in El Cajon. Approximately 25 people showed up to hold signs and an American flag to protest Hunter's acceptance of National Rifle Association (NRA) money and his opposition to gun safety legislation.

By Miriam Raftery

January 20,2013 (San Diego)—Both of California’s U.S. Senators are strongly supporting actions to restrict assault weapons and protect the public from mass shootings, though members of San Diego’s Congressional delegation are divided in their views toward President Barack Obama’s plan for reducing gun violence.

California Senator Dianne Feinstein (D) has confirmed she intends to introduce legislation to reinstate a ban on assault weapons this week. A U.S. Department of Justice study found the prior assault weapons ban authored by Feinstein resulted in a 6.7 percent drop in the murder rate nationwide. Find details at http://www.feinstein.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/assault-weapons.

Update: ECM has obtained the complete list of Executive Actions taken by the President from the White House press office. View them here.

By Miriam Raftery

January 17, 2013 (Washington D.C.) – Joined by families victimized by gun violence, President Barack Obama yesterday announced a comprehensive plan to reduce gun violence, including background check,s limits on ammunition purchases, improved mental healthcare, better resources for schools and law enforcement.

The President has the backing of most Americans, according to several new polls which found strong support for key elements of the proposal.

By Nadin Abbott

December 18, 2012 (San Diego’s East County)--It's not easy to speak of what happened last week at Sandy Hook elementary school in Connecticut, where a gunman opened fire. It is harder because this is not the first mass shooting, and probably will not be the last. But with the slaughter of 20 innocent children and 6 adults, we might finally hit a tipping point in how we look at guns and our culture.

I come at this not just as a gun owner, but also as a former first responder who saw firsthand what a NATO round or a Warsaw round can do to the human body. Mexico, where I worked with the Red Cross, is a place where these weapons are used regularly by the cartels.