UNL Professor invited to meet President

Posted by: Laura Wilson
lwilson@klkntv.com

LINCOLN–Nebraskans Against Gun Violence is in the national spotlight, after ten of its members were invited to attend President Barack Obama’s public address in Omaha, on Wednesday.

"We think that it speaks both to his policy priorities and we hope it also calls to the attention the importance of gun violence here in Nebraska,” said Amanda Gailey, with Nebraskans Against Gun Violence.

Gailey is a UNL English Professor and founded the group in 2014.

She says it was created in an effort to support evidence–based public policies and reduce gun violence across the state.

"We were small at first,” Gailey explained.  “In the last 9 or 10 months, we’ve really been rapidly growing our membership.”

“I think that there has been a lot of gun violence incidents in that time period that have really opened up a lot of eyes,” she added.

Gailey’s efforts appear to have caught the eye of President Obama.

She received a personal invitation to meet him in the greeting line Wednesday, before he delivers a speech inside Baxter Arena.

I’m not counting on an extended conversation with the president, but I’m honored to get to be there at all,” Gailey said.

The president is not expected to address gun control during his speech.

But Gailey believes the presence of Nebraskans Against Gun Violence members at Baxter Arena will not go unnoticed by politicians.

"We hope it will also sort of grab the eyes of some of our state legislatures who we are trying to persuade to vote against some pretty damaging gun bills that are coming up this session,” she said.

About 8,000 people are expected to attend the president’s speech, which is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m.