Gun Violence is a Public Health Crisis
On May 3, 2023, a 38-year old mother of two, Amy St. Pierre, became the victim of gun violence.
Gun violence is the leading cause of death for children in the United States
Amy, who worked at the US Centers for Disease Control and graduated from Emory University with honors, was killed by 24-year old Deion Duwane Patterson at Northside Hospital Midtown in Atlanta, Georgia, our home, when he shot 5 people in a rampage after being refused the anti-anxiety medication Ativan.
This year in the United States, there have been 192 mass shootings where four or more individuals were shot, not including the shooter, as reported by the Gun Violence Archive.
Mass Shootings Require Mass Action
The U.S. needs stronger gun laws. More than 500 people die every day due to violence committed by guns according to Amnesty International. Gun violence disproportionately impacts communities of color, women, and other marginalized groups.
Guns kill more children each year than automobile accidents according to Scientific American.
SisterLove demands the following:
A ban on the use, sale, transfer, manufacturing, and importation all assault weapons
Comprehensive education for anyone who owns a gun. If comprehensive education is required to drive a vehicle, then it should be required to own a gun.
Comprehensive background checks and a 14 day waiting period to purchase a gun by a licensed dealer or at a gun show in Georgia. Waiting periods have been known to lower the rate of suicide and homicide in some states.
Overturning the “Constitutional Carry” law in Georgia. Every person who carries a concealed weapon is required to obtain a license in the State of Georgia.
Violence reduction initiatives for people who own guns. If people like Andrew Lester are taught how to deescalate a situation, then they would be less likely to shoot first.
We believes that gun violence and guns are a human rights issue.
Society needs to respect guns and treat them as a weapon that kills.
To protect our future, children, and our overall humanity, the government needs to cull gun violence by creating stronger gun laws. We do not have the luxury of prolonged debate. We need to act now.
If you believe that gun violence is a public health crisis that demands action, sign our petition to get our lawmakers to declare mass shootings as a public health crisis.