San Diego Gun Control Group Holds Launch Event

>>> The school shooting in Parkland Florida has galvanized many of the nations students to take up the issue of gun regulation. That tragedy has revitalized efforts here in San Diego among established gun law Activists. The San Diego chapter of the Brady campaign, groups called Sandy Hook Promise and Survivors Empowered are among those who have agreed to band together to advocate for stricter gun control. Joining me is Wendy Wheatcroft had at the new collation San Diego is for gun violence prevention. Welcome to the program, Wendy. What do you think of this new coalition could do that the gun control groups could not do Separately. >> I also leave the San Diego of moms action for gun sense. We found that months demand action and Brady campaign were overlapping our efforts a bit. We were also showing up to many of the same events. Our meetings were on different days. We were going to meetings twice a month since many of us were members of both organizations. We came together and thought we need to combine our efforts. We need to coordinate so that we are not duplicating things we are doing. That is where it came from. >>> What kind of gun regulations advocating for. >> We are advocating for common sense gun laws that do not infringe upon Second Amendment rights. We just want people to be safe and responsible with their guns. >>> California has universal background checks. It has one of the most regulated gun markets in the country. There is a 10 day waiting period that was just established for people who want to buy. For everyone who wants to buy a gun. Are you working on securing nationwide gun regulations because there are enough regulations in California? >> California has some of the strongest gun laws in the country. We are fortunate. There are Currently a bill coming up in the vote for the Senate soon called concealed Crary reciprocity. If that bill passes it will nullify all of California's hard-won gun laws and make it the weakest laws in the country. That is a bill We are advocating against currently. We also really wanted to hunker down locally and focus on specific gun violence issues that affect San Diego County. The top three are suicides, domestic violence, and young men of color and decaying types of incidents. We are really working with local groups who are also part of our coalition to try to tackle these areas that affect San Diego. >>> When it comes to nationwide gun regulations, how do you plan to enter into that conversation? >> We want all states that have the same strong gun laws that California has. We are advocating for a national background check system that is as strong as Californias. We are advocating to close loopholes in gun show an Internet sales of guns. We want to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people who should not have them. >>> Will you be speaking up about the congressional race that is coming up in this midterm? >>> One of our big pushes us to drop members of Congress and Senate who had ties to the NRA. In order to do that, we will endorse state and national candidates and within our San Diego ins for gun violence prevention, we hope to do the same for local candidates. >>> What was the impetus for you to get involved in the advocating for gun control? >> It is interesting and surreal that I am here with you right now. I came to San Diego State University in 1995 after a terrifying gun incident at my previous college where I was grabbed at night with a gun in my back and managed to get away. It almost groaned me. -- Broke me. I came to San Diego state terrified and tried to pick up the pieces of what had happened to me. To be here with you right now talking about this is a very full circle moment for me. >>> It seems that living three gun attack, is what inspired students in Florida to start advocating for gun control. Let me get your reaction to this new effort by students. >> I think it is amazing. Thing a teacher myself for many years, I think it is no mistake that these kids are the exact age on my very first class when I taught kindergarten. They are that age now also. These kids grew up as the lockdown generation. The lockdowns became more prevalent when I started teaching in the year 2000 and became more more frequent along with real lockdowns with real incidents that often are not reported to the press if nobody dies. These kids have been growing up in this environment. They have been seeing moms and family members like myself fighting to improve this problem. They are just mimicking what they have seen. >>> How optimistic are you that this new wave of interest in enacting some of gun regulation will amount to new national laws? The reason I asked that question is because we have seen this happen over and over again. One terrible shooting followed by calls for new gun regulations that Peter out and die. >> I know what you mean. I have been in this movement so deep for the past year to two years. I have noticed with every shooting, we go a little bit further, get a little bit more involvement, a little bit more support, and it is like the little engine that could chalking up the hill. I feel like we are almost at the top of the hill. I feel like the students could be the ones to push us over. They are taking no prisoners. They are telling it like it is. They are saying all of the things they wish adults like I should have said long ago. We need to support that. >>> I have been speaking with Wendy Wheatcroft had at the news San Diego is for gun violence prevention. The new group launches its first event tonight. Thank you, Wendy. >>> Thank you.