John Mellencamp Part of Billboard Magazine's Open Letter To Congress: Stop Gun Violence Now

John Mellencamp, along with over 200 other artists, music-industry executives and Billboard Magazine, have signed an Open Letter To Congress: Stop Gun Violence Now. The open letter is the front and back cover of the current issue of Billboard Magazine. John's signature and the Open Letter can be seen HERE.

From the editors of Billboard Magazine: Like the rest of the country and the world, Billboard editors were horrified by the mass killing at Orlando’s Pulse nightclub on June 12, and by the murder of singer Christina Grimmie the night before. Both tragedies occurred where musicians and music fans gathered. And so faced with another gun-related tragedy, the staff organized this special “Open Letter to Congress” cover of Billboard.

With the help of leading gun-violence prevention group Everytown for Gun Safety, editors reached out to those we cover in the music industry, and asked for their support and their signatures to help seek a sane and safe end to gun violence. Billboard, artists and music-industry executives join so many members of the House and Senate this week proudly advocating for common-sense gun safety.

AN OPEN LETTER TO CONGRESS:
STOP GUN VIOLENCE NOW

As leading artists and executives in the music industry, we are adding our voices to the chorus of Americans demanding change.

Music always has been celebrated communally, on dancefloors and at concert halls. But this life-affirming ritual, like so many other daily experiences—going to school or church or work—now is threatened, because of gun violence in this country.

The one thing that connects the recent tragedies in Orlando is that it is far too easy for dangerous people to get their hands on guns.

We call on Congress to do more to prevent the gun violence that kills more than 90 Americans every day and injures hundreds more, including:

Require a background check for every gun sale
Block suspected terrorists from buying guns

Billboard and the undersigned implore you—the people who are elected to represent us—to close the deadly loopholes that put the lives of so many music fans, and all of us, at risk.

Sincerely,

[See the signatures and full list of artists and music industry members at http://www.billboard.com/open-letter/ ]