Category Archives: Gun control

Gun control, Rep. Mike Thompson, Schools

Rep. Mike Thompson: Preventing Gun Violence

Repost of a Thompson email newsletter
[Editor: Note that at a recent meeting with Benicia Indivisible for Justice, Thompson refused to support the banning of automatic assault weapons.  See info about Thompson’s Mar. 3 Town Hall on Gun Violence.  See also Thompson’s webpage on Gun Violence Prevention.  UPDATE: See how Thompson’s views have changed:  He now says that “military grade automatic and semi-automatic assault weapons “do not belong in the hands of citizens.” – R.S.]

February 26, 2018

Dear Friend,

The last two weeks have been tragic as we grapple with the deaths of 17 students and teachers in Parkland. We have also been uplifted and inspired by the young people who push to prevent gun violence. It is another reminder that the majority of Americans want Congress to come to the table and take action.

There are solutions. This year, I introduced a bill that would create a Select Committee to study gun violence so we have recommendations on the best policy map forward. Yet Republican leaders won’t give it a vote. I also introduced bipartisan legislation  that will improve and expand our background check system by closing loopholes, an idea that again, a majority of Americans support. No vote was held on this bill. And throughout my career, I’ve worked to help improve our mental health system, repeal the Dickey Amendment and allow the Centers for Disease Control to study gun violence. These are simple and commonsense proposals, yet Republican leaders have refused to act.

Please know that my fight to keep our children and communities safe will not stop. Thank you to the many in our district and across our nation who have spoken up and spoken out. Your voices are heard and I am fighting to take action to prevent gun violence.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact my office.

Sincerely,

Mike Thompson
Member of Congress

Benicia High School, Gun control, Mass shootings

Benicia High School Students – #NEVERAGAIN

Benicia stands with Parkland, Florida following tragic school shooting

North Bay NEVERAGAIN – vigil invitation

Benicia High School students took to the streets and City Park  on Saturday night – and to Twitter, Instagram and Youtube with heartfelt  sorrow and calls for change following the mass shooting at Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.  (Scroll down for video.)

Benicia High students planned an evening vigil for Saturday, Feb. 24.  Students gathered at Benicia High before dark and walked to City Park.  At the Gazebo, they lit candles and honored those who were killed in Parkland.

Planners included Carson Rendell, Enaiya Judkins, Grace French, Meghan Barrett , Chloe Bonini, Karah Fisher, Morgan Bundy, Valentina Quintana, and with media & footage, Chris Weldon & Anders Knutstad.

After the vigil, Chris Weldon wrote:

We had a good turn out with 90% being students. We wore name tags of those who we lost and that are no longer with us. We’ve lost so many in events like Parkland that we ran out of name tags to write names.

We walked from the high school to the gazebo holding signs saying “never again” and wore black. We read stories and such of those who were heros in the tragedy at Stoneman Douglas, we read about each of the victims’ lives and what their plans were, we lost many amazing students and staff in Parkland. All will be missed and were honored. We held candles and had a moment of silence in remembrance of those 17 lives and all lives lost in other mass shootings at schools.

Benicia Students read statements they wrote about the change they would like to see in our country and the steps we as a country need to take. We came together and honored those that we lost and we will continue in the never again movement.

Weldon and Anders Knutstad posted video footage on YouTube:

For more, see Twitter: “North Bay|#NEVERAGAIN – @nbayNEVERAGAIN – Students from North Bay, California working towards ending gun violence. We stand in solidarity with the survivors of MSD.  [Link to national: #NeverAgain“]

And more on Instagram: northbayneveragain “North Bay Never Again –  Students from North Bay, California working towards ending gun violence. We stand in solidarity with the survivors of MSD.  #NeverAgain“

From your Benicia Independent Editor:  Never in Benicia, Never Again!  It’s time for our elected leaders to take long overdue action to limit the senseless slaughter.  See more on the BenIndy here.
– R.S.

Everytown, Gun control, Moms Demand Action, National Rifle Association

2-Page Ad in The New York Times Calls Out NRA-Backed Members of Congress

Repost from AdWeek
[Editor: see image at bottom of this article for the ad showing a list of YOUR representatives who have taken NRA money – along with their office phone numbers.  – RS]

Powerful and informative 2-page ad by Everytown for Gun Safety and Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America

By Kristina Monllos, February 21, 2018

Two gun control groups, Everytown for Gun Safety and Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, have taken out a two-page ad in today’s The New York Times listing members of Congress who have accepted donations from the National Rifle Association.

Following last week’s mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., the groups created an action plan, #ThrowThemOut. The ad, which cost $230,000 and was created by the groups with help from strategic communications firm SKDK, is part of that plan.  >>MORE…keep reading!

Gun control, Mass shootings, Rep. Mike Thompson

Benicians debate Rep. Mike Thompson’s views on assault weapons

February 21, 2018
[Editor: UPDATE: See how Thompson’s views have changed:  He now says that “military grade automatic and semi-automatic assault weapons “do not belong in the hands of citizens.”   – RS]

PREVIOUSLY POSTED MATERIAL from a Facebook page has been removed at the request of a member of the PRIVATE  Facebook group, Benicia Indivisible For Justice.   Material removed showed a lengthy debate on Rep. Thompson’s views on assault weapons.  Contact Mike here.