You made your posters, laced up your sneakers, and participated in one of the largest marches in history with thousands of your fellow neighbors. You yelled your heart out and pumped your signs in the air. You met with the students and cried with the teachers and held hands with the parents who are all affected by gun violence. You did good work for something you believed in, and I applaud you.
But here’s the thing, marching isn’t enough.
The United States has the highest rate of gun-related deaths among high-income nations.
There have been 70 mass shootings in 2018. This article is being written on March 28, 2018, and there have been 70 mass shootings in 2018.
Yes, marching helps, marching provides a visual of supporters, marching spreads the word. But, no, marching isn’t enough.
So what can you do further to stand up for gun control? In fact, what can you do to stand up for anything you believe in?
Know your representatives
If you read my articles, you know I am a big fan of knowing one’s representative and supporting legislation by contacting one’s representative. So it’s time for the tough love: you need to know who your representatives are.
It’s time to be informed because it isn’t cute to not know who represents you in our government. You’re a voter, Harry, and these are the people that you can help put in office or take out of office.
I’ll make it simple. Go to Whoismyrepresentative.com and write down who represents you. Look up their phone numbers and email addresses, their mailing addresses if letters are more your thing. Log it all into your phone.
Contact your representatives
Now that you have their information, bug the shit out of them. If you have something to share, call them. Their office will pick up and ask why you’re calling, to which you’ll say:
“Hi, my name is (insert name) and my zip code is (insert zip code). I want Congressperson (insert Congressperson’s name) to support (insert measure/legislation/whatever you want). Thank you and have a good day.”
And repeat every Monday. Throw in emails that say generally the same thing. Throw in hand-written letters. Throw it all in, man.
Recruit friends and family
But how can you expect to keep silent about these issues? Must I remind you that 70 mass shootings have happened in 2018? You must get loud, you must talk to people, you must do something. Don’t be quiet, don’t be polite. Recruit.
Host weekly snack nights for people to wander in and out of your room to write letters to their representatives.
Have your roommates make a 1-minute phone call before they leave the apartment.
Send a “Good night and, oh hey, as a constituent I’d love it if you supported gun control measures” email every night to family members with a link to their representative’s contact page and a sample template for them to use.
Vote
March For Our Lives registered thousands of people to vote. Why? Because voting is how you can get shit done.
Know your candidates, support the candidates who line up with what you believe in most, and work hard to get others to see that they succeed. Learn the issues, raise awareness for others, and vote.
There are, of course, many more things you can do to support legislation in our country. This list can help you become further involved in gun control. This organization can help your support international aid to end global poverty and support health and development measures. Find more and do more because this is your life and, unfortunately, marching just isn’t enough.
