Dear Representative/Senator/Mr.President,

We are deeply concerned about gun violence. As your constituents, we implore you to address this epidemic plaguing our nation and most recently, the Nashville community.

Congressional inaction is not only a national shame, it is a threat to our safety, the safety of our children, and the wellbeing of our communities. Gun violence is a public health issue and it is taking an unacceptable toll on our society. Please act now.

We need you to take action to ensure that:

• Every person who buys a gun passes a background check. By implementing a red flag law and enforcing thorough mental health and criminal record screening, we might have been able to prevent the most recent school shooting in Nashville. Let's not make this mistake again. 

• High-capacity weapons and ammunition magazines should not be available to civilians. 152 bullets were fired at Covenant School children in a matter of seconds. That is 152 opportunities we allowed for our children to be harmed and killed. There is no legitimate self-defense or sporting purpose for these military-style weapons whose only purpose is to kill large numbers of people quickly. We need an effective assault weapons ban now.

• Gun trafficking become a federal offense. Gun trafficking fuels the flow of guns nationally and internationally, and is a major contributing cause to extreme gun violence across the nation. Our hearts are filled with rage and sorrow for the loss of life and the trauma it brings.

Please take action to quell the terrible epidemic of gun violence our society is suffering. We look forward to working with you to enact these common-sense measures to reduce gun violence. Our prayers are with you, our support is behind you.

We are asking you to lead.

Sincerely
The Nashville Community