Hundreds of White Women Gather at Colorado Capitol For Minority Organized Sit-In To Demand Gun Ban

Here 4 the Kids organized a sit-in of white women from around the country at the Colorado Capitol on Monday, June 5th, for the purpose of getting an Executive Order signed by Colorado Governor Jared Polis that will ban guns and create a buy-back program.

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Does that sound unreasonable? Maybe. But it also might be that being unreasonable is the only way to get anything done, since being reasonable hasn’t worked so far to get common sense gun safety laws supported by a majority of people. So, perhaps it’s time to ask for the sun and the moon and not take no for an answer. It worked for the people advocating for guns, although to be fair, they have bought an entire political party and several Supreme Court justices.

Here for the Kids was founded by two mothers, Saira Rao, who is South Asian American, and Tina Strawn, who is Black, concerned about the epidemic of mass shootings and the culture of gun violence. So, why white (specifically cisgender, non-disabled) women, you ask? There’s a video for that.

Video:

Basically, while everyone is invited to join the remote campaign, the organizers are prioritizing the safety of the most marginalized and vulnerable populations “whose bodies are often on the front lines fighting for human and civil rights” by inviting white women to take part in civil disobedience, because white women are “least likely to be brutalized by the police and hold multiple intersections of privilege and power.”

Their movement is “led by Black, brown, indigenous, women of color and honors the six hundred Black civil rights leaders and peaceful demonstrators who began their journey from Selma to Montgomery in 1965 and their sacrifice and efforts, which led to The Voting Rights Act of 1965.”

Some video from the event on Monday:

Hundreds reportedly showed up to this event Monday morning with more expected throughout the day, according to CNN. The event was organized without permits and without safety guaranteed.

The Executive Order they want Polis to sign reads that it is “declared in memory of the children of Colorado who have lost their lives due to gun violence, and in order to prevent further gun violence deaths of
Colorado’s children.” Their draft EO pulls no punches, reading it will “ban the use, loading, possession or carrying of all firearms in Colorado, including but not limited to firearms for personal protection, hunting, law enforcement or any otherwise lawful purpose.”

Governor Polis has reportedly balked at their demands, via a statement saying their demands are “either unconstitutional or require legislative action.”

Yes, perhaps. But those on the side of the majority of this country have been reasonable, have shown up to vote, have pleaded, and still — gun violence dominates our news, our fears and creates a culture of terrorism.

Here for the Kids points out, “We have to save our children. Every day there’s a new school shooting, every day more children are murdered and traumatized. Our government is failing us at every level, and whatever it is that our ‘leaders’ have been doing HAS NOT WORKED.”

If the Right can get Governors to ban books and a Supreme Court to rule that women aren’t entitled to live and guns have more rights than everyone but white straight men, then reasonable moms can get noisy demanding change for their kids. After all, the new precedent set by the Right is nothing is off the table. ‘Unconstitutional’ is merely an obstacle to be overcome now. (I don’t make the rules, but I do observe them.)

American citizens are living with mass murder via weapons of war as a normal part of daily living, and that is absolutely unacceptable. Here for the Kids says Republicans and Democrats have “done nothing” on guns, although Polis (a Democrat) signed four gun control bills at the end of April. CBS reported, “Before the ink was even dry on Gov. Jared Polis’ signature, gun rights groups sued to reverse two of the measures: raising the buying age for any gun from 18 to 21, and establishing a three-day waiting period between the purchase and receipt of a gun. The courts are already weighing lawsuits over such restrictions in other states.”

Before new gun laws are even enacted, the Right is already objecting, with the help of a nation-wide, coordinated attack assisted by the Supreme Court. The issue for Governors and state legislators is that the Supreme Court ruled states have limited power over guns.

But the point is: People are over the excuses and the lies that got us here. Someone has to stand up to lethal legislative abuse.

The group says the issue of gun violence is apolitical. Here for the Kids had hoped to get 25,000 white women to the Capitol, but every movement starts somewhere. “This is just the beginning,” as they wrote on Instagram over a photo of today’s gathering.

Here’s Chelsea Handler on Here for the Kids:

Sarah Jones

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