I am not sure if you are aware but the DOJ labeled the entire community of Newtown "Victims of 12/14" therefore we are truly disappointed that the DOJ made a decision to give our tax dollars to NSSF, a Newtown-based corporate gun lobby who has fought any and all sensible gun laws.
Thank you to Ladd Everett from CSGV for creating this petition on moments notice. Please help by signing and sharing our petition.
http://csgv.org/action/cancel-
The Newtown Action Alliance is a grassroots organization formed after the tragic shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School. It works to make America’s children, families, and all citizens safer through legislative and cultural change that will reduce gun violence in our nation.
Best Regards,
Po Murray
Chairman, Newtown Action Alliance & The Newtown Foundation
Sign up for e-mail action alerts:
http://newtownaction.org/
Twitter: @newtownaction
Website: http://newtownaction.org/
For Immediate Release
September 17, 2015
Media Contacts:
John Kelley
917-679-6475
Ladd Everittleveritt@csgv.org
Ladd Everittleveritt@csgv.org
Petition Campaign Calls on Department of Justice
to Stop Funding the Corporate Gun Lobby
to Stop Funding the Corporate Gun Lobby
Gun violence prevention groups launch effort highlighting radical record of Newtown-based NSSF
Newtown, CT—Two gun violence prevention groups, the Newtown Action Alliance and Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, have launched a petition campaign calling on the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to cancel a planned $2.4 million grant to the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) and spare tax payers the expense.
On September 10, 2015, the Newtown-headquartered NSSF announced that it had received a two-year grant from DOJ to produce Project ChildSafe Safety Kits, which the organization distributes to law enforcement agencies around the country. The kits include a cable-style gun lock and a brochure detailing gun safety procedures.
The program has been beset with problems from the start. After hundreds of thousands of its gun locks were recalled for being too fragile and flimsy, NSSF lost federal funding for Project ChildSafe in 2009. Obliged to fund the program on its own, NSSF scaled it back significantly, leading to complaints from police departments.
On September 10, 2015, the Newtown-headquartered NSSF announced that it had received a two-year grant from DOJ to produce Project ChildSafe Safety Kits, which the organization distributes to law enforcement agencies around the country. The kits include a cable-style gun lock and a brochure detailing gun safety procedures.
The program has been beset with problems from the start. After hundreds of thousands of its gun locks were recalled for being too fragile and flimsy, NSSF lost federal funding for Project ChildSafe in 2009. Obliged to fund the program on its own, NSSF scaled it back significantly, leading to complaints from police departments.
In addition, NSSF actively lobbies against any and all reforms that would prevent children from gaining unauthorized access to firearms, to include Child Access Prevention laws and regulations that would require parents to store firearms safely in homes with children. NSSF has also supported lowering the age at which Americans can purchase firearms and carry them in public.
Ladd Everitt, Director of Communications for the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, stated, “Unsafe storage of firearms is a major public health issue in our nation. While we fully support programs aimed at reducing gun fatalities and injuries, we do not believe that tax payer dollars should be used to fund the corporate gun lobby. Project ChildSafe has a terrible track record and the NSSF’s lobbying activity makes it clear they have no intention of protecting our children if it means limiting industry profit.”
Po Murray, Chairman of the Newtown Action Alliance, added, “As we approach the third anniversary of the horrific and senseless shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary, we deserve more from our government. We call on Americans to sign our petition and demand that DOJ stop funding an organization that promotes a lethal Any Gun, Anywhere, Anytime agenda. It is inconceivable that DOJ can’t find a more appropriate recipient for this grant if they are truly interested in reducing gun violence.”
The two groups plan to deliver their petition directly to DOJ at the agency’s headquarters in the coming weeks.
Po Murray, Chairman of the Newtown Action Alliance, added, “As we approach the third anniversary of the horrific and senseless shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary, we deserve more from our government. We call on Americans to sign our petition and demand that DOJ stop funding an organization that promotes a lethal Any Gun, Anywhere, Anytime agenda. It is inconceivable that DOJ can’t find a more appropriate recipient for this grant if they are truly interested in reducing gun violence.”
The two groups plan to deliver their petition directly to DOJ at the agency’s headquarters in the coming weeks.
###
The Newtown Action Alliance is a grassroots organization formed after the tragic shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School. It works to make America’s children, families, and all citizens safer through legislative and cultural change that will reduce gun violence in our nation.
The Coalition to Stop Gun Violence (CSGV) seeks to secure freedom from gun violence through research, strategic engagement and effective policy advocacy.