Dear GAGV,

I founded Global Action on Gun Violence because we need bold new strategies to end the U.S. gun violence epidemic, and to stop it from becoming a global pandemic. With your support, GAGV is making an impact — as we saw in last month’s Second Amendment cases in the Supreme Court.  

GAGV is the only gun violence prevention group arguing that the Supreme Court’s gun-friendly Second Amendment tests are wrong, dangerous and need to be replaced with a risk-focused means-end scrutiny. As we explain below, last month’s Supreme Court cases showed that we’re making progress, as Justice Jackson made our points in a powerful opinion.

We’re also getting our message out — in the U.S. and around the world.

I appeared on Al Jazeera English’s “This is America” to explain how the U.S. fails to regulate guns in the sensible ways that nearly every other country in the world does — and how that gap is costing lives here, and across our borders in Mexico and Canada. Please take a moment to watch.

Thank you for standing with us. Read on for all the details!

Sincerely, Jon Lowy
Founder & President 
 
P.S. Donate Now to help Global Action on Gun Violence keep fighting on every front!

Supreme Court Rules in United States v. Hemani — GAGV's Amicus Makes the Case for Getting Rid of Bruen 

GAGV filed an amicus brief arguing that Hawaii had the authority to decide which property owners need to post signs, and that Heller and Bruen are wrongly decided and should be overturned.

Justices Jackson, Sotomayor, and Elena Kagan dissented along these lines, with Jackson explaining that Hawaii’s law did not restrict gun rights so should be decided under property law, and even if the Second Amendment applied, the law was supported by history. Jackson also warned that the ruling lets "judges... insert any meaning they desire into the text of the Second Amendment" while ignoring the historical record showing that founding-era states routinely required consent for armed entry onto private property.

Jon praised Jackson's dissent, calling her "the voice of sanity, reason, and principle in Second Amendment cases" and warning that the Court's history-based test lets it "elevate gun rights... over our paramount right to live." The ruling underscores why GAGV believes a long-term strategy to reshape Second Amendment jurisprudence is essential.

Jon Calls out the U.S. on its Weak Gun Laws  

Twenty-five times. That's how much higher America's gun death rate is compared to other wealthy countries. In a recent Al Jazeera English TV interview, Jon explained why: almost every other country requires a license to own a gun, background vetting by law enforcement, a stated reason for a gun purchase, and a mental health records check. The U.S. requires almost none of those sensible gun laws. Jon pointed to the Parkland shooter, who had dozens of documented, disturbing run-ins with police — yet still could have legally bought the AR-15 he used, even if he told the dealer.  

He also flagged two major loopholes: in most states, private, unlicensed sellers can transfer guns with no background check at all, and a large share of young school shooters — over 70% — get their guns from home, often from parents who stockpile firearms without safely storing them. He also explained how America's gun violence crisis spills across borders into Mexico and Canada.

Jon’s message: this isn't about banning guns, it's about the industry, dealers, and lawmakers adopting the same reasonable practices used everywhere else.

Watch the full discussion here: Mass shootings are becoming normal in US | This Is America  

If You Missed It: Follow Jon on Substack! 

An Arizona gun dealer allegedly sold a Barrett .50 caliber rifle — a cartel favorite weapon powerful enough to down a helicopter — and two FN assault rifles for $42,000 in cash, no questions asked about where it was headed. Now he's facing federal terrorism charges, not just gun-trafficking counts, after prosecutors say he and two associates knowingly armed Mexico's CJNG and Sinaloa cartels. 

Our last newsletter covered the charges, which could open a powerful new front in the fight to shut down the "Iron Pipeline." For deeper legal analysis, read the article Jon co-wrote with GAGV Senior Staff Attorney Jake Steisel on Substack.

In it, they walk through how the dealer allegedly sold military-grade weapons to buyers openly discussing smuggling them across the border to the cartels. They explain why using terrorism statutes against dealers, not just straw purchasers, marks a promising shift in strategy that needs to be followed by sustained enforcement. 

Read the full article here: In A Promising Step in Cutting Off the Gun Trafficking Pipeline to Mexico The Trump Justice Department Charges A Gun Dealer With Supporting Terrorism

Following the Substack is free and one of the best ways to gain a deeper understanding of the legal side of gun violence prevention. Expect more soon!