Never Give Up: Together, Hoosiers Can Defeat Gun Violence

BY REBECCA MCCLUNG

The incidence of shootings in the US is staggering, with national statistics that are worse than any other advanced democracy or high-income country in the world. Research has demonstrated a reciprocal relationship between strong gun safety laws and deaths by gun violence. June is National Gun Violence Awareness Month, so I’m thinking more about guns, and especially about what’s happening in Indiana around the issue.

Polls such as the 2024 Hoosier Survey and a 2019 poll by the Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund show the majority of Hoosiers support common sense laws. And yet, Indiana is considered a “gun-friendly” state because it has very few of these laws in place. Everytown’s research division scores every state in the US based on the strength of its gun laws and compares this data to its gun violence rates. Indiana is considered a “weak system”, having enacted merely 11 of the 50 key policies identified by the organization.

I went to the Indiana General Assembly website and perused the 543 senate bills (SB) and 1,714 house bills (HB) that were introduced in the 2025 session. Only 12 of them were related to gun safety. One of them, HB 1095, passed into law unanimously, and is a positive step since it expands the existing Indiana Crime Guns Task Force to include Lake County. However, the other eleven were referred to committee after the first reading, and never made it to the second reading! My conclusion is that - overall - our legislators show shamefully little interest in working on ways to make Hoosiers safer!

I also discovered there were a few bad bills proposed. I was appalled to see that representatives Zach Payne (HD 66) and and Lorissa Sweet (HD 50) actually introduced a bill,  HB 1653, that called for repealing our existing red flag law which provides a process to temporarily remove firearms from someone deemed a risk to themselves or others. Rep. Payne argued that the law is a form of gun confiscation that infringes on individual liberties. Another bad bill, HB 1170, was introduced by Rep. Jim Lucas (HD 69). If passed, this bill would have eliminated -with very few exceptions - gun-free zones in our state, including state educational institutions.

Indeed, we live in a nation that’s experiencing a public health epidemic. Gun-related deaths and injuries are among the highest cause of death, especially in young people. It’s easy to feel  overwhelmed and hopeless, but there is so much that can be done with strong gun laws to keep our citizens and our children safe. And you can make a difference! I urge you to take one or all of the following actions:

First, tell your legislators what you want. Be persistent. Call often. Remember, they represent you! It’s easy to find your legislators here. Put them in your contacts and call EACH TIME you hear about another gun-related injury or death in Indiana.

Second, empower yourself by learning more about the issue (& solutions), and by joining the efforts of groups that already exist. Follow them on social media. Attend their events. Take action when they announce a specific call to action. I’ve listed some Indiana-specific organizations below:

• Moms Demand Action has an Indiana has a chapter.  

• Hoosiers Concerned About Gun Violence

• Indy Peace

Finally, every single Hoosier must exercise their right to vote,in local as well as state elections! Indiana has essentially been a one-party state for 20+ years. This is never good no matter which party is in control, but the current party has had twenty years to make progress on this and has accomplished very little for gun safety. We need more balance at the state house so that the voices of all Hoosiers can be represented at the table. What if we achieved a more balanced representation at the State House in 2026 and 2030 elections? What if, as a result, the redistricting following the 2030 census was drawn so that representation was actually distributed fairly? The 2026 election seems far off, but candidates have already launched their campaigns, and as soon as they are officially announced by the state, you can find out who your candidates are here. Research your candidates’ websites and follow them on social media to see their stances on gun safety.  Regardless of you party affiliation, look for candidates that align with your values regarding improving the safety of our citizens… and of our children.

Most of all, do not give in to a feeling of hopelessness. As Brian Stevenson, social justice activist, and the founder of the Equal Justice Initiative says, "Hope is your superpower. Don't let anybody or anything make you hopeless. Hope is the enemy of injustice”.

Rebecca McClung

Martinsville, Indiana