The New York Mets have become the first sports team to join the nationwide anti-gun campaign, aligning with celebrities like Piers Morgan and Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel to back today's National Gun Violence Awareness Day.

Sponsored by the Michael Bloomberg-backed Everytown for Gun Safety, people with some 200 organizations are wearing orange to draw attention to the issue.

According to the group, the Mets even dressed in orange to show their support. Said Everytown in a statement:

"The New York Mets became the first pro sports franchise to join the campaign and will today release a photo of the entire team wearing orange in support of efforts to reduce gun violence. The team will also release a photo of the Mets' front office staff wearing orange in support of the campaign."



In Chicago today, Emanuel is helping to host a "Wear Orange Party for Peace."

The group chose orange because it is "a color that hunters use to protect themselves in the woods."

Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner's "Washington Secrets" columnist, can be contacted at pbedard@washingtonexaminer.com.