The League of Women Voters of Wisconsin mourns the loss of scores of innocent lives in three recent mass shootings -- in Gilroy, California; El Paso, Texas; and Dayton, Ohio -- in one week. Like so many others, we are frustrated that these tragedies continue and nothing is done to stop them. 

There are many problems that contribute to the increasing incidence of these horrific crimes, including racism, nationalism, mental illness and hate. And there is no excuse to ignore the fact that they all involve high-capacity firearms that are all too easy to obtain. That is one reason why mass shootings are much more common in the United States than in other countries. 

See the LWVUS Gun Policy on p. 87 of Impact on Issues 2018-20 

It took only a few weeks for New Zealand to enact similar measures following a day of horrific mass shootings in mosques in Christchurch in which a white supremacist killed 50 people. We could respond as quickly and decisively here, and Wisconsin could be a leader. 

People are demanding that politicians “do something” to stop gun violence. To be specific, state lawmakers should start by passing legislation to require universal background checks, limit magazine size, and ban “bump stocks.”  

Contact your representatives in the state legislature today and demand that they stop making excuses and pass sensible gun policy reforms. 

You can also reach your legislators by calling the Legislative Hotline. In Madison, dial 266-9960. Toll-free, call 1-800-362-9472.