Post submitted by Aaron Rodriguez, former  Rapid Response Deputy Press Secretary 

Today, the Human Rights Campaign issued the following statement from President Chad Griffin on the fifth anniversary of the horrific mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut:

“Five years ago today, 26 innocent people — including 20 children — were murdered at Sandy Hook Elementary School in a horrific act of violence that shook the nation and the world. HRC remembers the lives lost that day and we honor them with action. Whether in a school, a church, or a nightclub, gun violence affects every community across America and demands the attention of our lawmakers. HRC stands with Giffords and Everytown for Gun Safety, as well as other gun safety advocates, in demanding Congress pass common-sense gun safety reform to curb the tide of hate violence.” 

In 2016, after a gunman killed 49 people - most of them LGBTQ and Latinx - in Orlando’s Pulse Nightclub, HRC’s Board of Directors adopted a resolution that addresses both the epidemic of hate that has fueled anti-LGBTQ-motivated murder, assault and discrimination as well as common-sense gun violence prevention policies that would help keep the LGBTQ community safe. The resolution established HRC’s organizational position that the safety of LGBTQ people in the United States requires the adoption of common-sense gun violence prevention measures, including limiting access to assault-style rifles, expanding background checks, and limiting the ability for suspected terrorists--and those with a history of violence against women--to access guns.

Last week, HRC opposed H.R. 38, the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2017. The bill, which has been identified as high priority legislation by the National Rifle Association, would allow people who are prohibited from getting a concealed carry permit in a state with strong gun laws to apply for a permit in a state with weaker laws. This includes convicted stalkers, domestic abusers, people convicted of violent crimes, and people with no training or experience firing a gun.