Have you or someone you know been impacted by gun violence? We’re collecting powerful stories for a series we are producing on the effect of gun violence on young people.
Get creative – share your videos, photos, or writing and we’ll feature as many as we can in our upcoming #NoGunsAllowed webisode series.
The League of Young Voters Education Fund has launched a grassroots non-violence campaign inspired by entertainment icon, Snoop Lion aka Snoop Dogg’s song “No Guns Allowed” ft. Drake and his daughter Cori B. As the country faces the reality that a child or teen dies or is injured from guns every 30 minutes, the primary goal of the campaign is to decrease violence by advocating for youth violence prevention programs and background checks on firearm purchases.
During a recent appearance on CNN’s Piers Morgan Tonight, Snoop explained how a rash of tragic school shootings motivated him to write “No Guns Allowed.”
“I wanted to make some music to try to help the next person who was thinking about loading a gun, going to a school and shooting. Maybe it would help him put that gun down and think about what he was doing before they [acted],” Snoop told Morgan.
In an open letter to Snoop, which garnered national media attention from leading outlets, such as Politico and BET, Rob “Biko” Baker, Executive Director of the League of Young Voters Education Fund said “I am so inspired that you are using your platform to speak up about the nation’s violence issue. I want you to know that the League of Young Voters Education Fund is committed to spreading your anti-violence message to prevent future tragedies.”
The buzz surrounding the open letter caught Snoop’s attention and prompted him to responded publicly via his Twitter account, which quickly led to a meeting between the superstar and leaders from the League.
Check out what Snoop Lion tweeted to @TheLeague99
Every 30 minutes, a child or teen is shot in this country. From the massacre in Newtown, Connecticut to the senseless killings in Chicago, our culture of violence is taking a tragic toll on our youth.
We have to work on innovative solutions to chip away at our culture of violence, but now is the time for Congress to act on behalf of thousands of families who lose loved ones to gun violence each year. Today, the U.S. Senate may vote to end the discussion on responsible gun ownership. Do we really need more innocent victims to lose their lives before we act?
Tell Congress to stop with the political cowardice.
More than 90 percent of Americans support universal background checks on gun purchases, yet Congress may decide to close the discussion anyway.
We are committed to supporting programs that promote peace and deal with the some of the structural issues that perpetuate a cycle of violence in cities across America. The League of Young Voters will be submitting this petition to the local congressman of every petition signer. If you believe that the road to peace lies in the power to transform lives proactively, please share this with your friends.
