‘Halt The Assault’: Illinois gun violence prevention groups launch statewide campaign

SPRINGFIELD, In poor health. (WGEM) – Nationwide polling suggests two-thirds of adults in america help an assault weapons ban. Gun management advocates are launching a brand new marketing campaign to ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines in Illinois. Advocates hope the “Halt The Assault” push can lastly get an assault weapons ban throughout the end line in Springfield.

The Gun Violence Prevention Motion Committee mentioned Thursday that 191 Illinois youngsters and youths will die by gun violence this 12 months. Advocates stress that these deaths are preventable.

G-PAC President and CEO Kathleen Sances mentioned Illinoisans are demanding instant motion to deal with the military-style weapons and it’s the high precedence for gun violence prevention organizations. Sances mentioned the proposal to ban assault weapons was not deemed politically viable by lawmakers earlier this 12 months. Nevertheless, there’s a renewed push for motion following the July 4 mass capturing in Highland Park.

Sances famous that Illinois has seen 45 mass shootings because the begin of 2022.

“That is about humanity. These are people,” Sances careworn. “So, if we will make that connection, we will get individuals to get on board with us. And that’s our job to get that schooling out.”

G-PAC is working with practically 200 different organizations throughout the state to make use of digital advocacy and paid adverts encouraging involved residents to contact their lawmakers. Their marketing campaign will focus efforts on Bloomington, Champaign, Metro East, Peoria, Springfield, and Quad Cities together with the Chicago suburbs.

Gov. JB Pritzker and Legal professional Normal Kwame Raoul have acknowledged lately that there isn’t any cause individuals ought to have that type of firepower. Pritzker instructed moderators throughout the first televised gubernatorial debate that Illinois will ban assault weapons.

“There’s no sporting use for that, no protection use for that,” Pritzker mentioned. “The very fact is that we’ve obtained to do extra to get weapons out of the palms of the individuals who shouldn’t have them.”

Raoul referred to as the firearms “weapons of struggle” throughout an endorsement occasion with G-PAC leaders. The lawyer basic mentioned assault weapons can do a number of harm to capturing targets and unintended individuals.

“Proper now, there are these switches on the market that flip a handgun into a totally automated gun that’s not possible to regulate,” Raoul mentioned. “That’s the reason increasingly you hear about younger individuals, infants, getting shot, and that’s unconscionable.”

Sances hopes the brand new marketing campaign will assist individuals notice this can be a public well being emergency that should be stopped. She defined that some lawmakers are knocking on doorways and speaking about passing a plan of this magnitude whereas they marketing campaign.

“I feel individuals needs to be extra involved concerning the proliferation of weapons in our communities, particularly weapons of struggle like assault weapons and large-capacity magazines,” Sances mentioned.

Advocates want to see lawmakers cross a ban throughout the fall veto session or lame-duck interval in early January. Sances mentioned Democrats at present don’t have the 71 representatives and 36 senators wanted to cross a ban within the fall. Nevertheless, they might solely want a easy majority to cross the invoice out of each chambers after January 1.

Giffords, One Purpose Illinois, Everytown, Mothers Demand Motion, and Brady are supporting the Gun Violence Prevention PAC for the Halt The Assault marketing campaign.

“When Congress banned assault weapons, there was a stark decline in using these military-style weapons,” mentioned Sean Holihan, the state legislative director for Giffords. “If Illinois have been to affix the rising listing of states which have outlawed these weapons, lives shall be spared.”

Illinois gun rights advocates really feel that new gun legal guidelines gained’t cease each day gun violence. Former Rep. Ed Sullivan, now working for the Illinois State Rifle Affiliation, mentioned on September 22 that an assault weapons ban in Illinois would shortly result in lawsuits by law-abiding gun house owners.

Sullivan mentioned the State Rifle Affiliation is prepared to work with advocates and lawmakers to deal with the foundation causes of gun violence reasonably than creating extra legal guidelines proscribing gun house owners.

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