PEOPLE publishes Congress’ phone numbers, urges action on gun laws

In his letter, he adds, “We need to know that our representatives in Washington, D.C., are looking for solutions and not giving up, and they need to know if we agree or disagree with their strategies”.

The latest issue not only pays tribute to the victims of the recent Oregon shooting, but it also includes two pages with the phone numbers of all 535 members of congress (which you can find here).

But the magazine also anticipated accusations of advocacy journalism.

People magazine is taking a stand on gun violence, and encouraging its readers to do the same. Cagle said in an interview with the Associated Press that People was not trying to insert itself into politics.

The magazine says that the editors “took pains not to [take a political stand]” writes ABC News.

“What are we doing about gun violence in America?” he asks.

“All we’re saying is, “Hold your representatives” feet to the fire, ‘” he told the news outlet.

“Who knows if this will help?”

In his editor’s note, Cagle said the move was prompted by the October 1 Oregon college shooting, when nine people were killed on campus by a lone gunman.

In the past 1004 days in the USA, there have been 994 mass shootings – defined as four or more people shot in the same incident – in the US. Cagle asked. “It’s just so hard to read and write about these shootings and not want to do something about it”. “And as we covered this one, it was just so horrifying to think how many times we’ve been doing it”.

People – generally known as the most cautious and celebrity-trusted of the tabloids – frequently devotes its pages to very serious stories among the lighter Hollywood fare, though this is the first time the magazine has done this type of “call to action”.