WA Alliance for Gun Responsibility Launched

Washington Alliance for Gun Responsibility Launched

Statewide coalition of citizens, elected officials, organizations and businesses demand legislative action on gun responsibility measures. Plans include community-based efforts to dramatically reduce gun violence

OLYMPIA—With the Washington legislature poised to consider the first significant gun reforms in years, the Washington Alliance for Gun Responsibility announced its formation today and presented legislators an open letter signed by more than 300 leading citizens and 30 organizations representing all walks of life from across the State.

“The time has come to take common-sense steps that protect our families and communities from gun violence,” said Snohomish County Sheriff John Lovick, a signer of the letter. “We have simply seen too many tragedies here in Washington and across the country to not take immediate action.”

The Alliance has grown rapidly since it first took shape in the aftermath of the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School. Its purpose is to activate the majority of Washington citizens who support gun reforms, and to create a lasting social norm of greater responsibility when it comes to guns. The group respects the Second Amendment right to bear arms – and believes that the responsible exercise of that right means keeping firearms out of the wrong hands.

As an initial legislative priority, the Alliance is backing HB 1588, which would extend background checks to private sales, swap meets and gun shows.  Currently, only gun shops are subject to background check requirements.  A recent Elway poll shows that nearly 80% of Washington voters agree that these loopholes should be closed.

“For victims of violence and their families, making it more difficult for a criminal to acquire a gun is a critical step forward in building peace of mind,” said Marie-Claude Duytschaever, a Washington resident and the grandmother of Noah Pozner, the youngest victim in the Sandy Hook shooting. “As a society, we cannot believe it is okay to have two sets of rules, making it easy for anyone to avoid a basic background check.”

“From the death of Lakewood police officers to Café Racer and the shootings at the Jewish Federation, we see in our own communities the impact of loopholes and lax enforcement of existing laws,” said Rabbi Daniel Weiner, from Temple De Hirsch Sinai. “Legislators should know that their constituents care deeply about addressing this public health and public safety crisis. That’s how we’ll get results in Olympia that will save lives and protect families.”

The Alliance has posted the open letter on its new website: www.WAGunResponsibility.org, and plans coordinated grassroots lobbying and targeted communications efforts in the closing weeks of the legislative session.