Following the tragic school shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Conn. that left 27 dead, many of them children, celebrities and politicians have taken to Twitter to ignite a conversation over gun control and mental health. The shooting, which was carried out by 20-year-old Adam Lanza, also led President Barack Obama to promise to launch an effort to reduce gun violence in the United States.
New York politicians, NYC Mayor Mike Bloomberg and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, have been among the most vocal in their demands for greater gun control. Bloomberg, who issued a joint statement with Boston Mayor Thomas Menino against illegal guns, tweeted on Sunday, "This tragic event in #Newtown is just one in a series that happens again & again. #DemandAPlan to end gun violence."
Gillibrand joined in the talk over gun control and tweeted, "I strongly support reinstating an Assault Weapons Ban and I urge my colleagues to pass it when the new Congress begins next year."
Celebrities from musicians to actors also weighed in on the controversial issue. Most sent their condolences to the family and friends of the victims while also encouraging an active conversation on gun control and mental health issues.
Actor and musician Bryan Greenberg tweeted, "now can we have an honest conversation about gun control without everyone freaking out?! #Newtown." Fellow actress Sophia Bush added, "We need to reform our laws AND our way of thinking. It shouldn't be easier to get a gun than to get mental health."
'Bones' actor John F. Daley tweeted, "We can't limit the crazy people in the world, but we can limit what they have access to." Film actor Ben Stiller added, "Shocked and saddened by what happened today in Connecticut. We have to stop the access to guns in our country."
Some celebrities choose to be more active, promoting the hashtags #guncontrol and #DemandAPlan to their followers. 'Once Upon a Time' actress Ginnifer Goodwin tweeted, "I just emailed my representative & it was super easy. https://m.house.gov/ #guncontrol." Writer and director Adam McKay added, "Tell @BarackObama that you #DemandAPlan to end gun violence in America: https://www.demandaplan.org."
Several petitions involving conversations on gun control have found their way to the White House's "We the People" website. One particular petition, entitled "Immediately address the issue of gun control through the introduction of legislation in Congress," has over 142,000 signatures. Only 25,000 signatures are required for a response from the White House.
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