While they normally would wait for breakfast in bed, flowers and cards, thousands of mothers from across the nation will instead march on the nation's capital on Mother's Day.
The rally, known as the Million Mom March, is in response to the recent rash of school shootings and other examples of youth violence. Gun control awareness and advocacy will be central to the the march's message, which calls for "sensible gun laws" such as increased background checks for handgun purchasers and required licensing and registration of handguns, and mandatory safety locks, the Washington Post reports.
The effort is spearheaded by Donna Dees-Thomases, who described herself as a "frightened and angry mom" from New Jersey. Her march has become a $1.7 million campaign backed by over 300 organizations including the YWCA, the National PTA and the NAACP, the Post reports.
Also helping the cause are celebrities including Rosie O'Donnell, Roseanne Cash, and Emmylou Harris. Sports team owner Abe Pollin is also getting into the act, allowing women representing the March to distribute leaflets at the home finale of the NBA's Washington Wizards basketball team, the first private organization ever allowed to do so.
The rally is expected to draw 100,000 to 200,000 people to protest the lack of recent legislative movement on gun control. The National Park Service has prepared, doubling the rally space to cover Fourth and 12th streets NW.
Interest has grown from a mass publicity effort, ranging from appearances at the Feminist Expo in Baltimore, protesting National Rifle Association President Charlton Heston's appearance at Georgetown University, and handing out flyers outside "Arthur Live" at George Mason University's Patriot Center.
One impassioned mother, who lost two sons to gunfire, has called people randomly out of the phone book to urge them to attend the rally, the newspaper reports.
Local organizations also are helping. Falls Church (Virginia) Presbyterian has offered its basement to house out-of-towners, and the Richmond City Council approved ten city-financed charter buses to take supporters to D.C.
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