Bloomberg: "Gun Violence Is A National Epidemic And A National Tragedy"

In the wake of the Newtown shooting, Mayor Bloomberg continued his criticism of politicians for not acting in the face of multiplying gun violence. Yesterday, on Meet the Press, he said, "It’s time for the president, I think, to stand up and lead and tell this country what we should do. Not go to Congress and say, 'What do you guys want to do?' " Today, he gathered dozens of survivors of gun violence as well as victims' relatives at City Hall to "demand a plan" from leaders to take action.

Bloomberg, who co-chairs the Mayors Against Illegal Guns with Boston Mayor Thomas Menino (they aired an ad during the Super Bowl this year), said, "Gun violence is a national epidemic - and a national tragedy - that demands more than words. It demands immediate national action, from the President and from Congress. It needs to be at the top of their agenda."

Politicker described his tone as "flat" as he emphasized, "The time for talk is over. Congress and the White House has to come up with something that stops this carnage no matter what the political ramifications are. Somehow or another, we’ve come to think that getting reelected is more important than saving lives. That political power is more important than saving lives. That partisan politics is more important than saving lives. Enough!" And Buzzfeed's Edward-Isaac Dovere Tweeted, "Bloomberg still won't talk financial commitment to fight NRA, but says he'll do what he can and "shame on me if I don't."

Mayors Against Illegal Guns, which notes that 34 Americans are killed by gun violence each day, also released 34 videos from the survivors and victims' families—they range from stories from Aurora and Virginia Tech to ones in Brooklyn and Staten Island. The group says, "The diverse voices hail from urban and suburban areas across the country, young and old, of different races and religious backgrounds. Every story is different, but all survivors are united in their belief that something must be done to prevent more tragedies like the one in Newtown, Connecticut and like the tragedy they personally experienced."