Gun Safety Advocates and members of Congress Held a protest against the nra calling for tougher gun laws and sharing stories about the impact of gun violence. No more silence. Good morning everybody. One more time good morning everybody. Everybody get t is party started. Put your right hand up. Put your left hand up. And a round of clause. All right we are going to be loud. Were in front of the Supreme Court. Let me hear you one more time. I love it. My name is greg jackson big shout out to march for our lives for picking this up give it up for my man here. Give it up. Me i see bernie here. Where is bernie at . Our numbers are so good im so proud so good to see you all here there are a lot of people who did not survive who cannot be there today. So can we have a moment of silence for those who lost their lives to gun violence right now. All right we are back at it. Thank you so much for that moment of silence. I appreciate you all respecting those who cannot be there today we see exactly where opposition stands when it comes to losing lives. So we are going to be talking to all again i want you to say enough is enough. Enough. Is enough. Enough. Is enough. Enough. Is enough. Every year over 100,000 years are shot and killed by gun violence. And we are here to stand for those folks today. We have an Amazing Group of people here to speak about the importance of ending gun violence and how guns loss save life. We are going to hear about them but if it ever gets too loud we are going to say enough. Is. Enough enough. Is enough. Enough. Is enough. So you will say i talk too much. But in 2013 i was shot as a victim of gun violence. Over 150 people in washington d. C. Have been shot this. Year some people who are pass from gun violence were not necessarily a part of that. One of my friends was only ten years old when he was shot down a couple miles away. Im here to stand for everybody who cannot be here today to fight every one who to reduce violence. Thank you all for being here give yourselves one more round of applause. I love it. So we are going to introduce our first speaker Kelly Simpson who has done litigation surrounding gun violence. I am here as a proud member for constitution of litigation for a Legal Alliance for racial justice. Im a d. C. Resident and native detroit are. And i was a little girl i used to imagine how my life was be different if only i lived in the suburbs. I really imagine being able to freely ride my bike hang out with my friends whatever i wanted and go to my store anytime i could. Dont get me wrong the detroit in my youth was not as warlike as the media would have you believe but gun violence was a problem. Lurking behind my childhood member is like a curling up of my favorite, book dressing my, dolls and playing games with my family lies scared things like hiding in the basement to avoid bullets and two and standing behind bulletproof glass. I used by their east understand the world around. Me there was good and bad. There was funded boring. There was safe and dangerous. And under these by areas i couldnt help but imagine that if i lived in the suburbs my life would be better because kids did not have to have their lives around being shot like i did. That was that in this is. Now gun violence include suicide, homicide, mass, killings and Domestic Violence it. Happens everywhere. Thats why im here today we have the right not to be shot. And. That is not just rhetoric the second tsnot just rhetoric the second one of the rights and privileges laid out in the constitution. The Second Amendment comprises just 27 of the constitution 7591 words. In those words the declaration of independence and our entire system of government make it clear that our rights are not unlimited. I cannot do whatever i want whatever i want however r want. If it is going to endanger somebody else. This rally is a perfect example. And speaking to you today i am exercising my First Amendment right to free speech. But that does not mean i have the right to use my time here to incite the ground to my violence that would go beyond the scope of the right. The Second Amendment is no different. The couras, the Supreme Court has made it clear that the right to bear arms is not unlimited. The government has the Authority Pass reasonable regulations to protect our right not to be shot and uphold Public Safety. When i was a kid i could hold on to the idea that i could avoid gun violence simply by moving a few miles outside of town todays kids do not even have that. They know that gun violence happens in suburbs and concrete jungles mountain villages and beach towns. Ssroom. They are asking us to protect their right not to be shot. Classrooms classrooms so theyre asking us to protect the right not to be shot. There is no constitutional reason why we cant listen all right everybody, give it up for kelly when i say gun laws use, a safe flight ready . Gun laws save lives gun laws save lives gun laws save lives gu laws save lives gun laws we are go to remakes. It you guys say run gun laws you, save save lives ready . Gun laws save lives gun laws save lives gun laws save lives gun laws save lives that was awesome guys. Are right, please give a big round of applause for our next speaker for tatiana washington from milwaukee, wisconsin. Hi everyone. I hope that every single one of you are proud of if tlook out to e all of you. What we are doing here today is a alid and is bigger than ourselves. But today i want to speak specifically to my peers and in doing so i hope that my words will encourage the generations before me to understand that those who look like me who spent hours making videos are vital in this movement. To my fellow youth do, not listen to anyone that tries to dismiss you and your voice, because your voting resilience is urgent. We are here fighting. Because nearly 100 people die from guns every day. We are fighting because sandra pranks cant. We are fighting because three foreign martin cant. We are fighting because take jackson count. We are fighting because to me or rice count. We are fighting because china davis cant. The last name was my aunt. She was shot in her chest her, stomach, and her leg by her husband who, can turn the gun on himself. Then there are the two children who are eight and 12 at the time were present at the time the tragedy happened. And my cousin performed cpr on his mother but she died later in the hospital. But even though gun violence has broken my family, i am not are Law Enforcement officers and i grew up with guns in my house. But i also understand that none of us deserve to be shot. We have the right to not be shot. applause and gaza have been creeping money and death, i keep asking myself, what happened to the american . Children, little children, are losing to time out of the school day to practice what to do when someone decides to turn a secret space for education into a murder scene, black and brown youth are terrified of being gunned down by those who are supposed to serve and protect us what. Is the American Dream . We have the right to not be shot. applause to my youth, are age does not limit our power. Throughout history, youth have always had an Important Role in making a change. It has been said that the duty of youth is to challenge corruption, and that is exactly what we are doing here today. And i urge you to continue doing that. To never, ever let anyone tell you that your opinion, your voice, your say is useless. Your voice is the most powerful tool you have. Use it for change, and never remain silent. Stay strong, and may you all find strength in your voices. Thank you. Applause give it up for today atatiana all. I forgot one give a shout out for a case with guns. applause another speaker we. Have just unlucky here. Coming up here. All right. Before we do that though i, have one quick announcement sorry guys if your own of fire and also with the license plate one eight four for you from indiana you, may get out. So if youre involved or is a great car my, first powers and all of these going both your car so you dont get towed with that said, we are going to turn it over to jason lindsay. Welcome jason. Good morning my name is Jason Lindsey and im the founder and executive director of pride to End Gun Violence. I am also an iraq war veteran who has served on the battlefield and seen what weapons of war due to people. We do not need weapons of war on ou streets. I keep hearing the chant that guns dont kill people. But guess what . Guns kill children every single day, where they are unsecured, where their parents dont like them up. So when i hear a chance that guns dont kill people, that people kill people, well i dont think a toddler should be held responsible when he killed himself from an unsecured firearm applause by attending today, you are not only honoring those who was tragically lost their lives to gun violence, but also the many many others that are impacted as a result of gun violence. We stand united in the call for action. But our elected leaders and our legal system to address the gun violence epidemic. Pride fun to End Gun Violence was borne out of the tragedy of the pulse nightclub shooting. It was just three and a half years ago that the horror was unfolding. Lives were entered, the country wept, and the way we look at everything changed. Here in d. C. On saturday june 11th, 2016 most of us here in d. C. Were celebrating gay pride. We were filled with joy and pride for the law far of our Lgbtq Community. We woke up in the next morning to the devastating news of the tragedy of polls. In the early hours of june 12th, 49 individuals and 53 others were injured in what was the worst mass shooting in our country at the time. The fact that it occurred at the celebration during pride month made it all that much worse. For our community, gave bars are safe spaces where, we can go and we the ourselves and be at one with our community. Our safe space was violated, just like so many others. The shooting cast a dark cloud over the city off orlando, our country, and even the world. Are spaces were violated and death touched everyone there. As i have traveled throughout orlando, i have met so many families and so many people. Many people in the orlando gay community, if you knew one victim, you knew many. Because that is how tightknit the community was. And in the days following polls, i decided that their enough was enough. I had not been involved in the Gun Reform Movement until them, but i could no longer sit on my hands. As a gay man i felt targeted, and i was angry, and i was ready to act. I knew as an iraq war veteran i could an iraq o the table. Icould knew that the Lgbtq Community needed our own unique organization to fight for gun reform. So i created proud front. We fight for common sense gun laws. We support candidates who are willing to stand up for our rights, we have stood shoulder to shoulder with victims all over the country. The time to act on gun violence is now. Last year alone, more than 40,000 americans lost their lives to gun violence, including workers, mass shootings, accidents, suicides, and children accidentally shooting themselves. When will we reach the Tipping Point . Now when will congress out . Now whe will our courts act . Now today are jitters your branch has the opportunity to do the right thing, and vote for the common sense gun safety. For too long lawmakers out of court system has failed in their responsibility to keep us safe. Its our turn to make sure that we are safe. For all of you that are on the ground during the important work and are here today, keep fighting, and lets take it up and not. The last year and a half to two years has shown us what the power of the people can do. Look at the building behind you. And look at how many new members of congress we have that ran on common sense gun safety and defeated and are eight candidates applause the days of the ad are as political power is over. Do not give up, keep up the fight, and thank you for being here. All right give it up one more time for Jason Lindsey. What do we want . Come on now. What do we want. Gun laws. When do we want. Them now. What do we want. Gun laws. When do we want. That now. What we want. Gun laws. When do we want. It now. What do we want. Gun laws. When do we want. It now. Everybody give a big round of applause for our next speaker we have ruth glen coming up a survivor of gun violence at a big advocate for Domestic Violence. Give it up for ruth gun. Where is ruth at. Truth is amazing by the way. Give her one more round of applause for this woman. Good morning. Good morning. What do we want . Gun laws. What do we want them. Now. What do we want . Gun laws. When do we want . Them now. Amen. As craig said my name is ruth glen. I am the president of the National Coalition against Domestic Violence. We have been fighting for survivors of Domestic Violence and here lately more survivors of Domestic Violence and gun violence. I am also a survivor of the deadly mix of gun violence and Domestic Violence. I was shot three times, left for dead, after many many years of gun violence and harassment and fear. I did everything right and i thought i was safe. But due to my partners access to weapons and guns, he did that harm to me. On behalf of the 1 million women alive today who had been shot or shot at i ask you, all of us, to disarm Domestic Violence. The intimate partner homicide rate has inclusive in really recent years driven by an increase in homicides committed by four or arms and domestic abusers access to firearms. I am not only a survivor because i am alive after the shooting i am a survivor because i endured years and years of threats and fear. Because the man who needed to control me and used a firearm to intimidate me. Including kidnapping me at qrt tju four hours. Knowing tha trigger polled could kill me in minutes. I lived in constant fear. On behalf of the 4. 5 million women alive today who have been directly threatened by intimate partner with a gun. I ask you, i ask all of us to disarm Domestic Violence. I am often asked regarding my own story and about victims in general. Those that call us and say what do i do . I am afraid. Wouldnt have been better if you had your own firearm . The fear of using a weapon that is reinforced by the abuser of a gun being used on you. Being turned on you. Would im sorry the fear of using the weapon that is enforced by the abuse or using a gun on. You or the idea that you would have gotten in the home in which violence is being perpetrated. It doesnt make sense. Access to means access to any gun. In abusers access to firearms increases the risk of intimate partner homicide five fold regardless of who owns the gun. On behalf of those who are at risk, i ask, you all of us to disarm Domestic Violence. I am not alone and i am lucky. I am here to remind you of tht women killed every month on average. 52 women are shot and killed by an intimate partner per month. 52 women per month. When are we going to be mad about it. On behalf of those lost women, i ask you, all of, us all of, you disarm Domestic Violence. I ask you and i implore you to remember the impact of the intersection on Domestic Violence and children. Our families. Our communities. Hospitals. Workplaces and other institutions. Victims of Domestic Violence are often forgotten in these discussions and debates. Especially those who have lost their lives. On behalf of those who no longer have a voice, who cannot be here today because they are dead. Whose families are and children are missing them. For those who have endured the threats of Domestic Violence or the presence of a gun. Those who left, even though they knew it could result in their death. Please disarm Domestic Violence. We do not want gun control, the mirror word causes shiver. We want safety. Women and children are at risk. Entire communities are at risk. Check your histories of mass shooters. Gun laws save lives. Closing loopholes save lives. Please remember those and disarm Domestic Violence. Can give it up one more time for ruth everybody. Enough is . Enough. Enough . Is enough. Enough . Is enough. We know this battle is going to have to have been at the National Level in the state level of the local level every day. Razor and if you are organizing at the local level to End Gun Violence. Give yourself a round of applause. All right our next speaker is the executive director of state united to prevent gun violence and also a survivor, please give it up for one. Good morning. And thank you for showing up on this rainy day. I know that some people came through the snow to be here. I became a gun violence survivor on a nether snowy and freezing snowy day in january of 1970. My stepfather shot me with a 30 odd six hunting rifle at our home in rural new hampshire. This type of gun is used to bring down being game. The bullet exploded into my back and it exited my 13 year old body. It severed nerves close to my spine and cause damage to my kidney. Shrapnel still rises to the surface of my skin pushing its way through muscle fiber. The simple edition of access to a gun and Domestic Violence forever changed my life in the course of seconds. Well the bullet is no longer in my flash, the trauma will never leave. Survivors fighting traumatic memories. We know there is no safe place in america. That is why thousands have survivors are standing up to the nra. We your very safe here. This is not enough. Saying we do not want any of you to carry the bur