A Sensible Meal
Gun control advocates use cookout to promote their message
A large crowd attends the recent event and enjoys food, music and fellowship.
Gun safety advocates used free food to tout their message on Sunday, Aug. 31 at Rupert Bell Park.
Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America and the Women’s and Girl’s Project of Winston-Salem sponsored “Grilling for Gun Sense” at the city-owned park in East Winston. Along with hotdogs and burgers, “common-sense” gun safety material was distributed to the steady stream of residents who dropped in. Voter registration forms were also available, and attendees were urged to sign a gun sense voter pledge that asked them to use their ballot in the upcoming midterm election to strengthen gun laws.
Sarah Green
“We want to reach out to more people in our community here in Winston-Salem. Gun violence is an epidemic that permeates our society. Eight American children are shot dead every single day and Winston-Salem is not immune from that,” said Sarah Green, membership lead and volunteer coordinator for Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense, which calls itself a nonpartisan grassroots movement that aims to push through gun reforms.
Green and other advocates are particularly concerned about a new law that allows for concealed guns in restaurants and bars in North Carolina. Beginning Oct. 1, such establishments must either allow concealed handguns or post a notice prohibiting them.
“A lot of people are just unaware and shocked about the lax laws in the nation and North Carolina in particular,” Green said.
The mission of the Women’s and Girl’s Project of Winston-Salem is not solely about gun safety. The Project is involved in a wide range of programs and activities designed to empower and heal black girls and women. Founder Nakida McDaniel said community safety is obviously key to the Project and its young members. There have been 11 homicides in Winston-Salem so far this year; McDaniel calls that unacceptable.
Nakida McDaniel
“We have seen our families and our communities mourning the deaths of young men because of gun violence. We want to be able to create an impact,” she said. “One of the main reasons for us to get our young girls who are not of voting age civically involved is so that we can transition them to the work that we do. We want to show girls that they have the power now to change the community. We want to bring the communities together so that everyone is a apart of this change.”
Green said women and girls should be aware that lax gun laws lead to gun violence which can beget domestic violence.
“We want women and girls to be aware that nine American women are shot every week by their intimate partners,” Green said. “We are mothers, sisters, wives and daughters who are impacted by gun violence disproportionately. It is an issue that is very important for women.”
Stacy Gamble adds his information to the sign-up sheet.
Stacy Gamble spent part of his afternoon at the event. Violence is a subject that has weighed heavily on him as of late.
“There has been a lot of shootings in the neighborhood. What concerns me is the safety of the kids and the community,” Gamble said. “I have grandbabies and I want them to be safe outside and catching the bus.”
Williette Carter read about the event on Facebook and drove over to learn more.
“I am very interested in gun sensem, and being a mom, it’s very important for moms to demand action in regard to the gun violence that has occurred and continues to occur daily,” she said.
Williette Carter
For more information about the Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, visit www.momsdemandaction.org. To learn more about the Women’s and Girl’s Project of Winston-Salem, go to www.womensandgirlsproject336.org.
