me too. International’s Statement on Increasing Gun Violence in the US

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 2, 2023

Media Contact: press@metoomvmt.org

me too. International’s Statement on Increasing Gun Violence in the US

The latest publicized onslaught of violence has had a permeating impact on our individual and collective spirits. State-sanctioned violence, deputized policing, and gun laws rooted in white supremacist ideologies have an exponential impact on Black and Brown bodies and our communities. The mental, emotional, and physiological wounds are too much to bear as we carry heavy fear, navigating a world that doesn’t see our lives as worthy. 

Each act of violence that makes it into news cycles brings fear, worry, anxiety, and frustration. Fear that you cannot exist in the world safely- go to parks, malls, or send your children to school. Worry that the state will continue to make gun laws that put us in greater danger.. Anxiety around living your life as normal as possible, with the ability to leave and return home with your safety intact. And frustration with the lack of care and concern shown by those in Congress responsible for the laws that have made guns so easily accessible. 

In this moment, we are searching for solutions, but we know a few things. Challenging ourselves to see a world without violence builds our resilience and capacity to heal so that we can act. Holding the state responsible for creating better gun laws is the first step toward safer communities, so we have to keep making our voices heard. Let’s feel our sadness, and let our rage fuel us to keep sharing our experiences and build the cultural and political power we need to live in the kind of world we truly deserve.