According to CeaseFire PA, 1,600 Pennsylvanians lose their lives to gun violence each year. Adam Garber is the Executive Director of CeaseFire PA and has been leading the organization since 2020 .

“We believe that every Pennsylvanian should be able to live free from gun violence where they feel and they are safe, whether they're going to school, their grocery shopping, their walking around their neighborhood or in their in their own home. And I really came to the word because I live in South Philadelphia with my family and was watching gun violence devastate my community and neighborhood and really not just the loss of life, which is so what's so significant, but how it changed the character of people interacting because of that fear. And so I've spent a long time thinking about how do we build movements in power to address social problems. And I thought this was a really exciting opportunity, as sad as it is, to make sure that we don't have to live this way anymore, “Said Garber.

Dr. Shawn Safford is a UPMC pediatric surgeon. He also the President of the American Trauma Society Pennsylvania Division, and on the committee for the PA health professionals to end gun violence. Safford says gun violence is the number one killer of children.

“That, to me means we need to do something as a group. That's what got me involved and that's what's made me passionate, is the day-to-day process that you take care of a family, that when the child comes in who's been shot and you look to that mom to have to tell her, I'm sorry, your child's dead. And it's this is a totally preventable disease. It's a totally preventable problem. This doesn't have to happen. And if we as a group together can come together to make it stop and all together to come up with common sense ideas of mitigating these problems, we can stop children from being killed. I don't have to have that conversation again. I never want to have that conversation again, “said Safford.

Reverend Martha Harris, Priest in Charge at Saint Luke Episcopal Church works with other faith leaders to advocate an end to gun violence.

“My whole time as an ordained priest has been framed by this collective sin of gun violence, that's a uniquely American problem. And it's particularly prevalent in Pennsylvania where people own more guns than we have people in the state. Guns don't solve problems. Guns cause problems. Early childhood mortality. Teenage suicide is often on the rise. It's a hugely problematic area. And as faith leaders, we approach this as a moral issue, “said Harris.

Through partnership, Safford, Harris, and Garber says is one of the first steps to advocating an end to gun violence.

“I come at it from a standpoint of taking care of the families and taking care of the actual medical capabilities. Reverend Harris comes out from the spiritual part, all of these requiring healing across this across the spectrum of taking care of these children and their families. And again, I'm speaking specifically to children, of course, and but just the actual medical care. And then, of course, Adam helps us from the education and advocacy and getting changes at the government level in order for us to make an improved outcome from all of this. It has to be exactly this. It has to be people across a level, across specialties and their focus. I think Sean said it exactly right. And the only thing I'd add is I think it's reflective of where Pennsylvanians are. This is what Pennsylvanians want, despite the politics and the hard parts of the policy piece. Poll after poll will tell you 80% of Pennsylvanians, I was talking to 100 the other day, I have a veteran on my staff, or I have a hunter on my staff. I have a faith leader on my board and a Republican on my board. Our organizations are individuals, our communities are all sick of this crisis that is damaging and taking away our loved ones and our friends. And that's where our elected officials are really failing because they some of them are refusing to come together the way Pennsylvanians want and the way this call it, these coalitions are to address it, “said Safford.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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