Paul McCartney supports Voices Against Violence campaign

From USA TODAY, April 17, 2013:

You don’t need to be a celebrity to help pass legislation. It doesn’t hurt, either.

Paul McCartney is giving a big star boost to Voices Against Violence, billed as a grassroots campaign in support of common-sense gun control laws.

The Beatle has added his name to the celebrity pot ahead of today’s Senate vote on gun bill amendments, joining a text-to-call drive established by Tony Bennett and his son, Danny. Other celebrity backers include Alec Baldwin, Gloria Estefan, Josh Groban, k.d. lang, Juanes, Romeo Santos, Rosie O’Donnell, Mia Farrow, Ana Carolina, Vicentico and Maria Cuomo Cole.

Callers who text “MYVOICE” to 877877 get a return call with McCartney’s message and are automatically connected to a Senate office.

“Tell a congressperson that you support common-sense laws that keeps guns out of the hands of the wrong people,” McCartney says in his recording. “Enough is enough, please add your voice … to end gun violence.”

Tell a congressperson that you support common-sense laws that keeps guns out of the hands of the wrong people. Enough is enough, please add your voice … to end gun violence.

Paul McCartney

Paul McCartney has just added his voice! Text MYVOICE to 877877 to receive his call. #myvoice

Tony Bennett – from Twitter, April 17, 2013

From Bennett voices in on gun laws fight – POLITICO, April 16, 2013:

Tony Bennett is the latest celebrity to add his voice to the ongoing debate over gun control in the wake of the Newtown shooting. The crooner has partnered up with the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence and Voices Against Violence on a text message campaign that connects users with U.S. Senate offices.

“I grew up in an era where, if you lived in a house — which I was lucky to do — you could leave your door open and not worry about somebody breaking in and doing something ridiculous to your family,” Bennett told POLITICO. “There’s something that’s gone astray in our great country.”

Bennett says his audience sees assault weapons as “too far out.”

”We should think of violence in moderation and that’s not the way it is today where everybody wants to feel that we have to watch one another and be afraid of one another,” Bennett said. “There’ something that’s gone wrong and, as citizens, we should protest what happened in Connecticut. It should never happen again anywhere in the United States and we should be the country that teaches the rest of the world that we, the citizens of America, want peace and not violence.”

The Voices Against Violence program, dubbed “text-to-call” allows users to text “MYVOICE” to 877877, which will be followed by a return phone call that helps users connect with their Senate office and Bennett is the voice of the recorded message.

“This is a job for the people, not for the politicians, not for businessmen that sell weapons. We should definitely have the public tell every one of their senators and congressmen that they’re against the assault weapons,” Bennett said. “We’re living in the greatest country in the world and why should we get so distorted and frightened about one another?” […]