Civil and Human Rights Coalition Applauds Congressional Sit-In to Address Gun Violence

WASHINGTON - June 22, 2016 – Wade Henderson, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, issued the following statement on today's sit-in on the House Floor led by Congressman John Lewis and Democratic leadership to demand action to prevent gun violence:

"Today's extraordinary sit-in on the House Floor demonstrates to the country that the movement to protect people from gun violence has strong advocates in Congress who understand the gravity of this issue. The communities represented by the Leadership Conference coalition, including people of color, the LGBT community, people of faith, and women, know intimately what's stake. 

Recent mass shootings in Orlando, Charleston, and Oak Creek have shown what happens when a gun becomes an instrument of hate. 

A woman who is subject to domestic violence is eight times more likely to be killed if there is a firearm in the home.

African Americans are twice as likely to die of gun violence as Whites and, in many cities, the disparity is even greater. In Washington, D.C., the death rate for African-American victims of gun violence is 13 ½ times greater than for Whites.

Our communities cannot afford another day of gun violence. We applaud the efforts of Congressman Lewis and the Democratic leadership for leading with urgency in the face of entrenched barriers to progress."

Wade Henderson is the president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 200 national organizations to promote and protect the rights of all persons in the United States. The Leadership Conference works toward an America as good as its ideals. For more information on The Leadership Conference and its 200-plus member organizations, visit www.civilrights.org.