Indivisible Springfield Gun Reform Letter-Writing Campaign
Indivisible Springfield is putting a call out for letters. We want to send letters to our elected officials, especially Senator Portman and Governor DeWine, about gun reform laws. The goal is to send all the letters around the same time, to swamp their offices. Please write as many as you can and pass this along to help find others that can write too.
We will focus on Senator Portman, Governor DeWine, and Senator McConnell, but there are other local offices you can write to also. (For Senator Portman and Governor DeWine, please include your zip code.)
Please, keep the letters civil; we want to persuade them to our side. Our main goal is to pass Senate Bill 42. For Governor DeWine, we want gun reform laws passed in the state. I will be posting an outline that you can use, along with sample letters.
If you are sending a paper letter(s), please mail it this weekend, Aug. 31-Sept. 1. If you are emailing the letter or using resistbot (Text RESIST to 5049), please wait a week, until Sept. 7-9. These are goal dates; if you are late, please still send! Here are the addresses:
Governor Michael DeWine, Riffe Center, 77 High St., 30th floor, Columbus, OH 43215; for email, https://governor.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/governor/contact
Honorable Senator Rob Portman, 448 Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510, for email, go to portman.senate.gov, click on email link and copy letter into form.
Majority Leader McConnell, 317 Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510; for email, go to mcconnell.senate.gov, click on contact form and copy letter into form.
Thank you,
Tracy Roberts
Indivisible Springfield
Sample Letters
Letter Outline
Opening
Body
-Why you are writing
-What you want the official to do.
-Include some facts. Here are some examples:
The house has passed bills about gun reform. The senate is sitting on the bills.
On Oct. 17, 2017 NPR did a poll and 68% of Americans wanted stronger gun laws. Another NPR poll on Feb. 28, 2018 and 75% of Americans wanted stronger gun laws.
The poll also found widespread bipartisan support for a range of gun-control policies, including:
- requiring background checks for all gun buyers (94 percent),
- adding people with mental illnesses to the federal gun background check system (92 percent),
- raising the legal age to purchase guns from 18 to 21 (82 percent),
- banning bump stocks (81 percent),
- banning high-capacity ammunition magazines that hold more than 10 rounds (73 percent) and
- banning assault-style weapons (72 percent).
The only policy intended to curb gun violence that is opposed by a majority of Americans (59 percent) is the one most frequently touted by President Trump — the idea of training teachers to carry guns in schools.
-We are asking them to pass S.42- Background Check Expansion Act, Senator Chris Murphy introduced it on Jan. 18, 2019.
-End with a personal story about how gun violence has affected you.
Letter to Gov. DeWine
Dear Governor DeWine,
I am writing to you as a lifelong resident of Ohio, born and raised in the Dayton area. Mass shooting gun violence has engulfed our country, and now has struck my hometown of Dayton. I am respectfully requesting that, as Governor, you take immediate action to address the senseless killing of our fellow Ohioans by publicly calling for the Ohio Senate to move the following bills for immediate public comment and vote:
Bill Summary
SB19 Red Flag Law
SB 43 Domestic Violence Conviction
SB 62 Ban Bump Stocks and similar devices
SB 63 Require all gun sales be conducted through licensed gun dealer with background checks
SB 64 Raise minimum age to own a gun from 18 to 21
SB 65 Close Gun Show loophole for background checks.
These are reasonable reforms that deserve immediate consideration. The latest Quinnipiac poll shows 90% of Ohioans already support universal background checks.
With great freedoms come great responsibilities. The reforms proposed in these bills all represent responsibilities inherent to gun ownership.
As a gun owner, I embrace those responsibilities.
Our state has a chance to be a leader in our nation by implementing these reforms. Action is required. Please lead our state in this effort to save lives!
Sincerely,
Brad Lightle
Letter to Sen. Portman
The Honorable Senator Robert J. Portman
448 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Dear Senator Portman,
I write as your constituent in Springfield, Ohio, where I and my fellow residents are distraught over the recent mass shootings in California, El Paso, and Dayton. In fact, two of the victims in Dayton – Derrick Fudge and Monica Brickhouse – were from Springfield. I urge you – I even implore you – to co-sponsor Senate Bill 42, to close background check loopholes and make our communities safer, now.
In supporting background checks for all gun purchases, I am hardly alone. Comprehensive background checks have broad support in Congress, and overwhelming support from the public. In fact, a February 28, 2018 NPR poll found bipartisan support for requiring background checks for all gun buyers to be at 94 percent.
On many issues you’ve worked in a bipartisan manner to benefit the people of Ohio. In this case, you have said that you were “encouraged” when Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell said he wanted to work with President Donald Trump and Democrats on bipartisan, bicameral legislation to tighten background checks and establish “red flag” laws to remove guns from the hands of people identified as at risk for violence. I urge you, in the interest of the safety of the people of Ohio and this country to co-sponsor Senate Bill 42 and to press Leader McConnell to bring it to the floor now.
Daytonians at the August 5, 2019 Dayton vigil shouted at Governor Mike DeWine to “Do Something!” They had gone through enough. Governor DeWine has responded by proposing a “Red Flag” law and more background checks. Within days, Springfield held its own vigil, attended by a large crowd that lavished love on numerous members of the victims’ families. Clergy, organization leaders, the city’s Democratic mayor, and a Republican city commissioner all spoke movingly. Then the organizers asked whether “any of the young people present would like to speak.” A little African American girl, about seven years old, stepped up to the mike with conviction and passion that outdid the rest: two of her relatives had been killed. “Enough, “ she said, “was enough!” A Caucasian boy of approximately eight came up and evoked George Washington and Martin Luther King, who “did something!” Senator Portman, the children of Springfield, Ohio want you to do something!
Sincerely,
Melinda Barnhardt
Springfield, OH 45503
Letter to Senator Majority Leader McConnell
Dear Majority Leader McConnell,
I am writing to you since you are the Senate Majority Leader. You are responsible for deciding what comes to the senate floor, so in that capacity you are responsible for all the senators. I am also writing to my senators in Ohio, but they can only vote on what you allow to come up for a vote. I am writing to you from Springfield Ohio, and recently, our community came under attack. We are a short drive from Dayton, and two of the shooting victims in Dayton, Derrick Fudge and Monica Brickhouse, were from Springfield. I am asking you to allow S. 42, the Background Check Expansion Act, to come to the floor for a vote. We need to close all loopholes and make our communities safer.
I am not alone in demanding stronger gun laws. Common sense gun laws have overwhelming support from the public. In fact, a February 28, 2018 NPR poll found bipartisan support for requiring background checks for all gun buyers to be at 94 percent. The same poll showed that adding people with mental illness to the federal gun background check system had bipartisan support also, with 92 percent of the people for it. Support for banning assault-style weapons is now at 72 percent. The people are demanding change.
I was happy that you said that you want to work with President Trump and Democrats on bipartisan legislation to tighten background checks and establish “red flag” laws to remove guns from the hands of people identified as at risk for violence. I just want you to know that the country is watching. Even if President Trump changes his mind, we will watch to see if you keep your promise. We want Senate Bill 42 to come to the floor.
I want to let you know that in Dayton, when Governor DeWine came to the Dayton Vigil, the people shouted, “Do Something!” Here in Springfield, we also held a vigil. People from the community had a chance to speak. Two very young people from the community stepped up to the microphone. One was a young girl around seven or eight. Her family was connected to both Springfield victims. This girl ended her moving speech with “Enough is enough!” A young boy spoke about how Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was someone who “did something”, and all the young people promised to spend their lives doing something. Senator McConnell, the people are demanding change. The children are demanding change. Senator McConnell, you can do the right thing, and lead the change. Be on the right side of history.
Sincerely,
Tracy Roberts
5calls.org great resource for contacting your representatives
Since he is struggling to get anything done in D.C., Trump threw out some red meat to his base by attacking transgender troops, affirmative action, and immigrants. Please visit www.5calls.org for call scripts regarding the Trump Administration’s latest assaults on our civil rights. Let Rep. Davidson, Sen. Portman, and Sen. Brown know that you oppose any move that chips away at the rights of the American people.
Important numbers:
SEN. PORTMAN
DC (202) 224-3353
Columbus (614) 469-6774
Cincinnati (513) 684-3265
SEN. BROWN
Columbus: (614) 469-2083
D.C.: (202) 224-2315
Cincinnati (513) 684-1021
REP. DAVIDSON
D.C.: (202) 225-6205
Springfield: (937) 322-1120
Troy: (937) 339-1524
Indivisible Springfield Ohio 