Dozens gather to stop gun violence, part of national ‘Wear Orange’ campaign

People who call themselves “gun sense” activists are sharing their message this weekend. It’s all part of the national capaign, “Wear Orange”, aimed to stop gun violence.

Dozens gathered outside the Mizzel Senior Center in Palm Springs Friday afternoon, hoping to have their voices heard.

Many say they’re not trying to ban guns, but they’re working to start a conversation about gun-reform.

“We do not want to take people’s guns away. We’re not anti-gun we’re anti-gun violence,” said Jimmi Thomas, local member of ‘Moms Demanding Action for Gun Sense in America’. He helped organize the demonstration.

“Everyone has the right to be able to live and to learn and to work without the fear of being shot,” Thomas said.

It’s a statement Francisco Ramos takes personally.

“It’s really terrifying when you see kindergartners who have no sense of real terror, suddenly realize that something could happen to them,” Ramos said.

He’s a substitute teacher and says he has a responsibility to protect his students.

“Teachers are often the first line of defense for our students. That’s kind of the unspoken oath we take, which is, we will not only educate our kids, but if need be, defend them, because that’s what’s needed, unfortunately, and I wish there were better laws, so that there aren’t so many teachers who actually have to lay down their lives to protect our students,” Ramos said.

Students like Kathy Borrud’s grandkids.

“We take them to school and I let those darling little children get out of the car and go into their school and the thought occurs to me, ‘this may be the last time I see these children. There might be a person who comes on this campus and shoots these darling things’,” said Borrud. Which is why she and dozens who gathered are pushing for gun reform.

“I don’t want to take guns away from people, but there has to be some common sense,” Borrud went on.

“I hope the solution is that, as a community, we start having a discussion about what practical safety measures are needed, that doing nothing and doing what we’ve been currently doing, is not helping the situation. Where more people, more students and more teachers are losing their lives every single year, people that are out celebrating in local public areas, people who are attending different venues. It’s something that needs to stop, and we need to agree that we need to move forward,” Ramos said.

There were no counter-protestors at the demonstration. Wear Orange events are happening all over the country and will continue throughout the weekend.