"It's been an issue that has impacted my life, Pearson, 30, said. There was something about being a state representative and in a position, witnessing the government inactions and remembering the effects it has in my community, that pushed me to say this is an issue we need to prioritize. The day he was sworn in was also the day of the deadliest shooting in Tennessee history, when three children and three adults were shot and killed at the Covenant Catholic school in Nashville."
"A new generation of young political leaders is gaining power in the US by using their personal experience with gun violence to push for reforms they say the US is ready for. Their ascent is part of a nearly decade-long shift, from gun violence prevention being a third-rail issue in politics that was rarely spoken about on campaign trails, to one that candidates, most of them Democrats, are now running and winning on."
Young political leaders are leveraging personal experiences with gun violence to gain power and advocate for reforms. Over the past decade, gun violence prevention shifted from a political taboo to a campaign issue that many Democratic candidates now run and win on. Collective exhaustion with mass shootings, firearms suicides, and community violence has increased public pressure for change. Tennessee state representative Justin Pearson cited government inaction and multiple personal losses as reasons to prioritize gun policy. Pearson led a high-profile protest, faced expulsion and reinstatement, and is now running in a congressional primary.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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