On Presidents’ Day, take a look at how you can make our democracy work better

While Presidents’ Day, which is actually George Washington’s birthday, is usually an appreciated day off for many, it’s also a good time to take a look at our democracy and see what you can do to make it work better.

With 17 people being killed in a Parkland, Florida, high school this week, people are organizing to get the leaders of this country to strengthen gun control laws.

There are many ways you can join those efforts. These groups are among those working for safer gun policies in this country:

1. Everytown for Gun Safety

2. Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America

3. The Brady Campaign

4. Americans for Responsible Solutions

5. Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence

6. Coalition to Stop Gun Violence

      7. Giffords: Courage to Fight Gun Violence

Also important is running for public office. Check your members of Congress, state legislators, and governor to see if any of them receive funding from the National Rifle Association. If one of them does, run against him or her. Filing is usually in the spring for the fall elections.

Running for public office is challenging, but this year is different. We need people to stand up at candidates’ meetings and throughout the campaign season and say stronger gun control laws are needed. The elected officials who have allowed children and adults to be massacred need to be called out.

You can do it. I ran for public office once, and, although it was challenging, my friends helped me figure out how to do it.

I predict 2018 will be a year many of these NRA puppets are going to go down. You can help make it happen.