How to contact congress about gun control via text message
It can feel really hard to make a difference in this messed up world we live in — but here’s just one way you can take action right this minute.
You can use ResistBot to contact your congressional representatives via text message.
It’s always a good idea to contact your reps about the issues you care about, but gun control is especially salient this week. This is not only because of the shooting in Las Vegas that has become the deadliest of its kind in U.S. history, but also because of a piece of legislation that the House of Representatives is voting on this week would make mass shootings even harder to curb.
READ ALSO: Hillary Clinton called our the NRA in her response to the Las Vegas shooting
The legislation is called the Hearing Protection Act, and it’s part of the SHARE Act. The act would make it easier for gun owners to buy silencers for their weapons. The bill’s proponents say it would benefit hunters, who wouldn’t need to use such heavy-duty ear protections. But it doesn’t take a genius to understand that quieter gunfire would make mass shooters much harder to track down. For example, if silencers were used by the shooter in Las Vegas, it might have taken even longer for people to realize a shooting was happening and run for cover.
As Kris Brown, the president of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, points out:
“Law enforcement and military experts have told the American people and Congress they oppose this bill, and that there are very effective hearing protection devices already available on the open market… Keeping guns out of dangerous hands and stopping school shootings, ambushes of police and other mass shootings before they can start is the priority for the American people – not making it harder to detect a shooting once it starts.”
The bill is predicted to pass the House vote, but it could be thwarted by Senate Democrats.
Here’s what you can do about it: all you have to do is text the word “Resist” to 504-09. Then, ResistBot will prompt you to tell it your address. From there, you’ll pick which politicians you want to reach, and write down the message you want to send them. ResistBot will then fax it to your reps for free.
It’s ludicrously easy:
To make it even easier for you, here’s some sample text you could send to your rep. Just copy and paste the below:
In light of this week’s mass shooting in Las Vegas and all other senseless murders our country has been forced to endure due to the inaction of public officials, it’s imperative that restrictions on gun ownership be tightened in every possible way. The Hearing Protection Act, which would make it easier for gun owners to purchase silencers for their weapons, is coming up for a vote as part of the SHARE Act package soon. Please do not allow this legislation to pass. Please talk to your peers in congress. Remind them that this legislation will lead to even more human lives lost due to gun violence. Hunters have enough options for protecting their hearing already. Hunters’ desire to use guns should not supersede our right to live in safety. And regardless of the outcome of the SHARE Act vote, please work to ensure that more gun control is put in place at every level of government. We are sick of living in fear due to these shootings. This is a national crisis and it can only be solved by politicians standing up to the gun lobby.
After you send ResistBot your text, it’ll ask you if you’re ready to have it faxed to your reps. Say yes, and ResistBot will do the rest of the work for you.
Again, if you are troubled by gun violence in the U.S., this is literally the least you could do. If you want to do even more, try donating to Everytown for Gun Safety, The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, The American Red Cross in Nevada, or the National Compassion Fund.
