Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, a national nonpartisan movement promoting the unity of "common sense" with the Second Amendment, is forming a chapter in Garland County at the hands of Democratic Party of Garland County Chairman Hayden Shamel.
"I believe firmly in gun rights, but we need common sense (with them)," Shamel said.
Shamel, an English and Spanish instructor at Lakeside High School, got invested in taking a stand against gun violence in 2012, after Adam Lanza shot and killed 20 children and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School. She said it was a horrifying event for everyone in America, and it inspired the formation of the Moms Demand Action movement.
"I refuse to be someone who sits silently by and watches these things happen," she said.
Shamel got her Concealed Carry Permit and purchased a gun within a week of the Sandy Hook shooting. She said it made her feel better initially, but realized this was an emotional response.
"(The) notion to fight gun violence is arming good people, which was my initial response ... (but) fighting guns with guns is doing nothing to help."
She said some lawmakers have introduced bills to allow guns everywhere, but more guns results in increased violence and accidents.
She said it frightens her when bills promote a culture of gun violence.
"Legislators with zero experience write bills that will negatively affect schools," Shamel said.
In reference to the idea teachers should be trained to use guns in order to protect their students, she said teachers shouldn't be trained to be police officers -- something has to be done to bridge the gap and put an end to gun violence and she encourages anyone interested to join the nonpartisan movement.
The first Garland County Moms Demand Action meeting is at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Garland County Library.
Local on 04/08/2019