Ohio State University Campus

Shooting on campus, March 9, 2010

Once again someone has used a gun to act out their anger .

One employee was killed and one was injured and then the shooter took his own life.

Our sympathy goes out to the families of those killed and injured.
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National Gun Violence Prevention Groups Merge

Coordinating and Leveraging Resources Will Advance Life-Saving State Agenda

February 23, 2010- Two gun violence prevention organizations, Freedom States Alliance and States United to Prevent Gun Violence are joining forces to strengthen state-level advocacy efforts to save lives. Freedom States Alliance (FSA) will merge with States United to Prevent Gun Violence (SUPGV) and assume the States United to Prevent Gun Violence name effective immediately. The mission of the organization, SUPGV, is to support existing state-based gun violence prevention organizations such as the Ohio Coalition Against Gun Violence and to expand the network of groups working to reduce gun violence throughout the United States.

The merger will maximize resources and allow for better coordination to reduce the devastating toll from gun-related deaths and injuries. Each year, guns kill over 30,000 people in the United States. Another 80,000 people are shot and injured, leaving physical and emotional scars that last for years.

"The fight to reduce gun violence is largely happening in the states, which is why the States United merger is so critically important," said Toby Hoover, executive director of the Ohio Coalition Against Gun Violence. "Special interest groups have intimidated too many of our state lawmakers despite the overwhelming public support for sensible and effective gun laws. The new organization will energize our grassroots advocacy to save lives from gun violence."

For example, OCAGV launched a campaign to hold candlelight vigils in Columbus as part of an interfaith initiative to bring attention to gun violence in the city. States United will support such efforts and help expand the interfaith coalition's impact and reach.

"Despite the tragic and ongoing epidemic of gun violence in this country, policymakers remain unwilling to take any meaningful action to address this urgent public safety issue," said Sally Slovenski, Executive Director of States United to Prevent Gun Violence. "We believe that aligning our efforts through the merger will increase opportunities for the sharing of resources and replication of successful strategies for state groups."

"We are coming together in a more coordinated way to leverage resources and better coordinate our efforts," said Barbara Hohlt, the new interim board chair for SUPGV. "Individual state groups need added resources and tools to advance their life-saving agenda. This is exactly the kind of support SUPGV can provide."

The Ohio Coalition Against Gun Violence is a statewide organization working to reduce gun violence through education, advocacy and public awareness.

Labels: merger