CAGV: Principles, Goals and Agenda for Action

Coalition Against Gun Violence
1187 Coast Village Road, Ste. 1
Santa Barbara, CA 93108-2794
Phone: 805-564-6803
Fax: 805-568-0466
Email: info@sbcoalition.org

Principles, Goals and
Agenda for Action

Principles
Freedom from fear is a basic human right. Everyone has the right to be free of firearm violence in homes, schools, and workplaces, and on the streets. People of all races, classes and ages and in all communities suffer from gun violence.

People of all races, classes and ages, and in all communities have the right to be free from gun violence. Gun Violence must be addressed as a health, safety, social, and economic problem. It costs our nation thousands of lives and billions of dollars every year. It is the leading cause of death in California of young people under the age of 25.

The epidemic proportions of gun violence require a public health approach of education and prevention, including addressing the availability of handguns, assault weapons, and ammunition.

Goals
The goals of the Coalition Against Gun Violence are to create a safer community by combating gun violence through educational activities and by advocating for effective local, state and national programs, policies, and legislation.

Agenda for Action

To raise awareness throughout the entire community -- children, teens and adults -- that the spreading epidemic of gun violence is a menace to us all, and that combatting it requires each of us to take a stand;
To counter advertising campaigns by the gun lobby and gun manufacturers encouraging gun acquisition through education about the risks associated with gun ownership;
To expose the culture and impact of gun violence and its glorification in all media, including movies, TV, videos, music, magazines, and electronic games, and to work for remedies;
To encourage legislators at all levels of government to make the effective prevention of gun violence a high priority.
To work with local law enforcement agencies and organizations that focus on crime prevention;
To support state and national violence prevention organizations to eliminate gun violence;
To help promote strategies which limit easy access to guns in our community.