On tragic anniversary, a journey to stop violence

On Monday, April 20, the 10th anniversary of the massacre at Columbine High School , Wisconsin Anti-Violence Effort (WAVE) sets off on a journey, covering 450 miles in three days, to raise awareness about gun violence and to call for common sense solutions.

The tour, “A Journey for Justice: Preventing Gun Violence Across Wisconsin”, features a display of 450 shirts, representing the victims of gun violence in Wisconsin each year. Nationwide, nearly 30,000 Americans die from gun violence annually.

“Lives lost to gun violence are the ultimate injustice because we know that gun violence is preventable, especially when policy makers and the public make the right choices,” said Jeri Bonavia, WAVE’s Executive Director. “To see all of these empty shirts in one place, and to know what that emptiness means for the families who have lost loved ones, is a somber reminder that this is a crisis we simply must solve.”

WAVE is embarking on this statewide tour, determined to build bi-partisan support for legislation to require background checks on all gun sales. Nearly 85% of Wisconsin’s likely voters, including 70% of NRA members and supporters, are in favor of background checks on all gun sales – a common sense and effective method for keeping guns out of the hands of criminals and, ultimately, for preventing gun violence.

You’re invited to join one of these media events if you can:

Monday, April 20 – 10:30am
Appleton City Center Plaza
10 E. College Ave, Appleton

Monday, April 20 – 3 pm
UW Stevens Point
Dreyfus University Center – Laird Room
1015 Reserve Street, Stevens Point

Tuesday, April 21 – 10 am
UW LaCrosse
Cartwright Center
1725 State St., LaCrosse

Tuesday, April 21 – 5 pm
State Capitol Rotunda, Madison

Wednesday, April 22 – 12:30pm
Milwaukee City Hall
200 E Wells St., Milwaukee