Seeing orange

While some Americans may be seeing red over gun violence, they’ll be wearing orange this coming weekend. June 2-3 will be the second annual National Gun Violence Awareness Days and citizens are encouraged to wear orange in solidarity for gun safety. Durango will be joining the cause, and hundreds of other towns across the country, with a #WearOrange rally at Buckley Park starting at 2 p.m. this Sunday. The event, which is sponsored by Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, is meant to honor victims and survivors of gun violence and promote efforts to save lives, protect schools and communities from gun violence, and increase gun safety. The rally will include talks from various local officials, students and gun safety advocates as well as Third Congressional District challenger to Scott Tipton, Karl Hanlon. In addition to addressing the crowd, Hanlon will also be on hand afterward for a meet and greet.

Since Columbine High School in 1999, 68 students have been killed in mass shootings at schools across America, including two in Aztec last year. According to the Washington Post, 187,000 children have been exposed to gun violence while at school. A CNN report this week found that so far this year, there have been 23 school shootings where someone was hurt or killed. That averages out to more than one shooting a week.

In addition to rallying in person, folks are asked to rally in orange on social media and to share their photos on Facebook or Twitter with #WearOrange or to upload a photo at wearorange.org and tell why they "#WearOrange.”

For more info, email momsdemandaction durango@gmail.com