Three months after the Parkland school shooting, the conversation about gun control has largely left the forefront of the national conversation. That’s the problem Demand the Ban is trying to solve.
According to their website:
[lborder]Demand the Ban is a coalition of groups committed to ending gun violence including the CHARLES Foundation, Delaware County United for Sensible Gun Policy, Heeding God’s Call to End Gun Violence, RAW Tools, and The Simple Way.
We are working together this year to DEMAND THE BAN on semi-automatic assault weapons, and organizing an action on May 16 in Philadelphia.
[/lborder]The nonviolent protest Wednesday took place outside of Senator Pat Toomey’s office, demanding he support legislation for a nationwide ban on semi-automatic assault weapons.
Toomey was chosen, according to the website, because he co-sponsored a 2013 bill to expand background checks for gun sales. He was also endorsed by anti-gun violence organizations, which helped him win re-election. Therefore, the coalition decided that, “It’s time for Senator Toomey to earn his reputation as a national leader to prevent gun violence. Since he has refused to meet with Demand the Ban organizers to discuss a ban on assault weapons, we are mobilizing people from Pennsylvania and throughout the United States to bring the Demand the Ban to Senator Toomey’s office.”
Prior to the action, participants were warned they could possibly be arrested and learned nonviolent protest tactics.
Shane Claiborne was among those arrested.
Dr. King said that initially he was uncomfortable going to jail… but then he looked at history and saw what good company he had. #DemandTheBan pic.twitter.com/556tqPbZHD
— Shane Claiborne (@ShaneClaiborne) May 17, 2018
Marching yesterday in Philly to demand a federal ban on assault style weapons. Met many survivors of semi-auto gun violence & murder. We ended at Sen. Pat Toomey’s office. I appealed to his Christian conscience and asked him to exercise moral courage and push for the ban. Enough! pic.twitter.com/sgAcsWYQX5
— Rev Rob Schenck (@RevRobSchenck1) May 17, 2018
I must say my pal Doug @pagitt looked like royalty today as the police carried him into custody. #DemandTheBan pic.twitter.com/jE9eIp7KDv
— Shane Claiborne (@ShaneClaiborne) May 17, 2018
Demand the Ban also has an interesting initiative where they will melt down assault weapons and turn them into useful items, like gardening tools.
Praying with our feet, and watching a rifle be turned into a gardening tool. pic.twitter.com/xgMlrpY3Ce
— chrisnickels (@chrisnickels) May 16, 2018
My sister @movitajh holding the plow we made from an AR-15. Her son was killed by an assault weapon. #DemandTheBan pic.twitter.com/MWy9cv4uJa
— Shane Claiborne (@ShaneClaiborne) May 17, 2018
