Colorado woman's billboards send gun reform message: 'Columbine happened 20 years ago and nothing has changed'

Hope Schreiber
·Writer
Updated

A woman from Boulder, Colo., was inspired to purchase billboard advertising in Weld County earlier this month in a bid to raise awareness of gun reform. Lindasue Smollen believes that more has to be done to end gun violence and that elected officials have failed their constituents.

“Columbine happened 20 years ago and nothing has changed,” Smollen told FOX31.

The six billboards scattered along Highway 34 in Greeley make more than 200,000 weekly impressions, according to Lamar, which is the company that owns the billboards. The signs read: “More Americans have died of gun violence since 1970, including murders, suicides and accidents (1.4 million) than in all the wars in American history (1.3 million). Thoughts and prayers are not enough.” The claim was verified by PunditFact.

Smollen specifically chose to rent the billboards in Weld County as the county commission unanimously voted to declare it to be a so-called "Second Amendment sanctuary county." The declaration followed Colorado Gov. Jared Polis signing the "red flag" bill, which would allow family and household members or law enforcement to petition a judge to remove firearms from a person who is deemed a significant risk to themselves or others. It goes into effect in 2020, according to FOX31.

"Today we might be saving the life of your nephew, niece or grandchild," Polis said during the signing of the bill.

"I struggle with the price that we paid to get where we are today," Rep. Tom Sullivan, a sponsor of the bill, said. Sullivan's son was killed in the Aurora theatre shooting.

The billboards, however, have not changed the stance of Weld County Sheriff Steve Reams.

“When I started speaking out against the bill, it was in hopes that we could modify the bill or change the bill,” Reams said. “I would rather risk the punishment of violating a court order that comes out of this 'red flag' law and potentially end up in my own jail before I would want to go down the path of violating someone’s constitutional rights."

Reams shared on Facebook: “I've been asked about these signs that went up in Weld County. My opinion; I'm glad the person who spent the money on these has the protection of the 1st Amendment to do so. I'll keep her in my thoughts and prayers as I continue to stand for our Constitution and the 2nd Amendment as well as the 4th, 5th and 14th that are being attacked through the Red Flag Law.”

He continued: “One additional point, if this person were truly concerned about public safety they would understand that about 1.3 million people (world wide) are killed in motor vehicle accidents every year yet the signs were posted along a busy highway... .” However, according to a recent study, billboards may actually make people safer drivers.

The billboards are paid to stay up until at least early May. Smollen has set up a GoFundMe page in hopes that others will donate to ensure the billboards stay up longer.

Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle:

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day.