The Gun Violence Prevention PAC hosted an event focused on LGBTQs and guns Aug. 18 at Weinberg/Newton Gallery.
"Disarm Hate … One Vote at a Time" was a discussion on how gun safety advocates and the LGBTQ community can join forces to demand better gun legislation.
G-PAC is a coalition of dozens of groups working to counter the influence of the gun industry and the NRA on state legislators.
G-PAC Executive Director Kathleen Sances moderated the discussion. Panelists were Kim Hunt of Pride Action Tank; Emmanuel Garcia of Familia Trans Queer Liberation Movement; Brian Johnson of Equality Illinois; activist Michael Bauer; and Tracy Baim, publisher of Windy City Times.
A variety of strategies were discussed, including how to better engage the LGBTQ community in the post-Orlando shooting landscape. Garcia said that efforts to pass stricter gun laws need to take into account potentially discriminatory measures aimed at people of color, such as putting more individuals on "watch lists" that would bar equal access.
Bauer urged an aggressive approach to "help our friends and punish our enemies" in Springfield, using similar strategies to pro-choice and other successful movements.
Hunt talked about the need to build relationships between many diverse communities in order to build build stronger intersectional work. Hunt and others also pointed out that the issues of gun violence are far more complex than any one law can solve, and involve working on poverty, education, justice and interconnected issues.
Johnson said that efforts to build bridges are key in doing any work that involves broad coalitions.
Baim said that the massacre in Orlando can be a pivot point on LGBTQ involvement in the fight for stricter gun laws, but that the approach needs to be well-crafted and action-oriented. She also called for pressure to be put on corporations who donate to candidates who won't back stricter gun laws.
An audience member said perhaps a divestment push could happen to pressure mutual funds away from investing in the gun industry.
A police officer said that no one wants more strict gun laws than the police, who face down legal and illegal guns every day. He said the problems in Chicago are especially linked to straw purchases of guns, and that the judicial system is not enforcing the laws that already to exist to try to stem the tide of guns into the city of Chicago.
Joy McCormack, co-founder of Chicago Survivors, agreed to act as a liaison between the work of G-PAC and LGBTQ organizations, focusing on clear action steps for the community. These can include lobbying, voting guides and protests.
See gpacillinois.com/ and www.facebook.com/GaysAgainstGunsCHI/ .
