On March 24th, hundreds of thousands of people marched with March For Our Lives to put pressure on politicians to create stricter gun laws in America. But the fight doesn't stop after the march, in fact, the fight has only begun. And we're in for a very long battle. Here are ways to get involved and keep fighting to save lives, even after the marches are over.
1. Call your representatives.
It's important that we don't let the spark ignited by the Parkland victims die out. We have to constantly put pressure on our representatives to remind them that we will not forget or be silenced this time and that enough is enough.
You can find out who represents you in congress here.
You can find your locally elected representatives here.
2. Call your representatives out on social media.
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, whatever. Social media gives us the power to connect instantly with your representatives in government and with other people who support the same agendas as you. You can also use social media to share information about gun laws, gun violence, and other gun control-related facts with others.
3. Boycott companies that still support the NRA.
If they won't hear our voices, they'll definitely listen to our money. Check if your favorite companies are supporting the NRA and other anti-gun control groups by reading this article.
4. Sign this petition from March For Our Lives.
Click this link to sign the petition calling for stricter gun control laws and background checks.
5. Educate yourself on gun laws in your state.
It's important to know the gun laws in your state so that you can know your stance on them and know which candidates to support in upcoming elections.
You can find more information on your state by visiting this database.
6. Volunteer or donate to candidates who support stricter gun laws in your local or state elections.
Find out who is running in your next elections and educate yourself on their policies. If they don't have a public stance on gun control, put pressure on them in person, over the phone, by mail, or over social media until they do.
7. If you shop online, sign up for Amazon Smile.
Through Amazon Smile, a portion of every purchase you make will be donated to a gun violence prevention program of your choice.
8. Join anti-gun campaigns.
Currently, there is a rise in campaigns calling for bans on civilians carrying guns in stores. One campaign group, Moms Demand Action, is working on getting Kroger to ban guns in stores.
A list of anti-gun campaigns can be found here.
9. Join gun control groups.
There are tons of gun control groups that you can join, including Gays Against Guns, The Campaign to Keep Guns off Campus, and Faiths United To Prevent Gun Violence. There's a gun control group for everyone!
10. VOTE!
In order to make politicians really listen to us, it's time to use our votes alongside our voices. We have to take action to make sure that the NRA and its 5 million users stop controlling our government. Make sure you and everyone you know votes.
There are no more excuses, we can win this!
Go here to register to vote and to learn more about voter registration in your state so you can help others!
All of these resources are great ways to remain involved in the fight for stricter gun control laws. You have the tools, now use them!
