We the People face a crisis.  A mortal crisis. Every year tens of thousands of innocent people are killed or seriously wounded by guns.  And yet, as much as we seek to enact gun-safety and gun-control legislation, we find ourselves stymied from doing so by the NRA and the politicians it owns. Armed with extraordinary financial power and political influence, the NRA militantly opposes any such effort.

The time has come for us to act.

Thus, reaffirming the Declaration of Independence promise of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; acknowledging the disproportionate impact of gun violence on communities of color, who have for too long been sidelined in this discussion, proclaiming anew our determination to secure a more perfect union for all who call our nation home; and asserting the fundamental truth that human lives are worth more than money, we hereby affirm, assert, and demand the following rights:

The right of all of us, including those of all races, religions, classes, creeds, gender identities, sexual identities, abilities, ages, and locations to equal protection from gun violence.

The right of all of us to know the extent of gun violence in our nation.

The right of all of our children to live free of gun violence – and to attend gun-free schools.  

The right of the mentally ill, including those who are suicidal, to protection from gun violence, including self-inflicted gun violence.

The right of the people to have greater access to and influence over governmental policy than corporations and special interest groups.

Moreover, to realize and guarantee those rights:

We demand that our government places the prevention of gun violence high on the public agenda.

We demand that the federal government funds rigorous, apolitical, scientific studies of the effects of gun violence in our nation.

We demand action by federal, state and local authorities to reduce and prevent gun violence in their communities and by law enforcement agencies.

We demand the reform and retraining of law enforcement and armed public officials to focus on de-escalation of conflict rather than the use of force.

We demand that those who suffer the most from gun violence receive the most immediate remedies for gun violence.

We demand laws prohibiting those with a history of violent or harassing behavior from owning or gaining possession of firearms.

And;

We demand ongoing legislative efforts which uphold the rights stated herein until the scourge of gun violence is ended in America for all who call her home.