AMSN Call for Action to Provide Safety for All Americans
June 2, 2022
AMSN Statement: It is time for action.
On June 1, 2022, in Tulsa Oklahoma, four people, including Dr. Preston Phillips and Dr. Stephanie Husen, were killed in an outpatient medical facility.
On May 24, 2022, in Uvalde, Texas, 21 people, 19 children and two teachers, were killed in a school shooting carried out by a single gunman.
On May 15, 2022, one person was killed, and five others were injured in a church shooting, being investigated as a hate crime, in Laguna Woods, California. The person killed was Dr. John Chang, a medical doctor, who tried to stop the shooting.
On Saturday, May 14, 2022, a shooter shot 13 shoppers and killed 10 people, the majority of whom were Black, in a racially motivated attack at a grocery store in Buffalo, NY.
In less than a month, 36 people have been killed by gun violence in this country.
More alarmingly, we are only 153 days into 2022 and there have been 233 mass shootings in the United States (NPR, 2022).
That’s more than 10 mass shootings a week. Each of these crimes is senseless and unnecessary!
We know that many members are devastated by these acts of violence and searching for solace where little exists.
As nurses, we care for the survivors of gun violence. We see the aftermath of these acts as we care for those fortunate enough to live. We know the profound and lasting trauma and shock that victims and first responders experience after events such as these.
It is time for action. If you want to act but are unsure of what you can do to advocate, consider one of the following actions:
- Take action legislatively within your community.
- Write your legislative representatives. AMSN has an advocacy center where you can find your state legislators and write them demanding action. Visit Advocacy: Take Action to find your state legislators and tell them it is time for action for the safety of all Americans.
- Register to vote and never miss and election.
- Participate in Member of Congress Town Hall meetings, either in person or virtually.
- Follow your Member of Congress on social media and share your thoughts with them.
- Donate to a cause supporting those impacted by violence. This article highlights eight organizations working to end gun violence. Visit 8 Gun Control Organizations Taking Donations To End Violence.
- Join local advocacy organizations that support issues that are important to you.
- Access resources for caring for victims. Organizations such as The National Mass Violence Victimization Resource Center (NMVVRC) provide resources and assistance to health care providers and other professionals dealing with victims of mass violence. Visit NMVVRC to learn more to find resources or get involved.
- Join us at the AMSN Convention this year where we will take action in Texas. If you can’t join us in person, we do have a virtual convention option. If you can’t attend convention this year, stay tuned, we will let you know how you can be involved despite not being with us in Texas.
Join us on June 24, 2022, for a national call for #nursesagainstviolence