Gun ViolenceMessaging Guide PDF-1

8/22/2019 Gun ViolenceMessaging Guide PDF-1

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HANDGUN

PREVENTING

GUN VIOLENCE

THROUGH EFFECTIVE

MESSAGING


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PREVENTING GUN VIOLENCETHROUGH EFFECTIVE MESSAGING

PREPARED BY:

FRANK OBRIEN | OMPJOHN NEFFINGER AND MATTHEW KOHUT | KNP COMMUNICATIONSAL QUINLAN | GREENBERG QUINLAN ROSNER RESEARCH

OVERVIEW: HOW TO USE THE GUIDE PAGE1

SUMMARY OF RESEARCH FINDINGS PAGE3

OVERALL MESSAGING GUIDANCE PAGE6

FOUR KEY TOPICS PAGE10

The Toll Taken By Gun Violence

How Gun Violence Can Be Prevented

Role of the NRA

Second Amendment

THE BASIC MESSAGING MATCH-UP PAGE32

AUDIENCE VARIATIONS PAGE34

HIGH-PROFILE GUN VIOLENCE INCIDENTS PAGE40

TOPIC-BY-TOPIC GUIDANCE PAGE45 Shoot First Laws

Background Checks

Concealed Carry Reciprocity

Fast and Furious

Gun Trafficking

Assault Weapons


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COPYRIGHT 2012 BY FRANK OBRIEN. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.


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OVERVIEW:HOWTOUSETHISGUIDEIn the second hal o 2011, Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research conducted an extensive survey research

project that took a deep look at American attitudes towards guns, gun violence, and advocacy around gun

violence prevention.

The research drew a vivid portrait o the attitudes and opinions o a number o key audiences and oered

clear messaging guidance or those advocating more vigorous eorts to build public support or critical gun

violence prevention measures.

This messaging guide builds on that research. It has been prepared by a team o communicators who have

brought to the table decades o experience advising organizations on message development and strategic

communications:

FRANK OBRIEN, creative director and ounder o OMP, a communications and undraising rm thatconsults to a host o brand name charitable and advocacy organizations. Mr. OBrien is widely rec-

ognized as one o the leading direct response strategists in the country.

AL QUINLAN heads Greenberg Quinlan Rosners team o U.S. political analysts and campaign pollsters.Mr. Quinlans specialty is delivering strategic consultation and issue management advice to a broad

range o issue groups, corporations and political campaigns.

JOHN NEFFINGER AND MATTHEW KOHUT, principals in KNP Communications, a highly-regarded commu-nications consulting rm. Nenger and Kohut have more than a decade o experience preparing

politicians, corporate executives, and others to communicate eectively.

This guide is intended to help organizations and individuals choose eective arguments and language when

communicating with the public on behal o stronger public policies to prevent gun violence. It is not intend-

ed to oer media training advice on topics such as how to prepare or a media appearance or advice about

specic media such as how to write a press release or prepare a compelling email message.

Its purpose is to oer clear advice about eective rames and messages across a broad variety o communi-cation opportunities.

We recognize that actors within the gun violence prevention movement dont move in lockstep when it comes

to which policy approaches they advocate or and what specic stance they take on any given issue. This guide

seeks to provide eective guidance to get groups message across within the range o policy choices.

OVERVIEW:HOWTOUSETHEGUIDE|1


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We also realize that individual spokespeople and organizations have their own personalities and modes oexpression when discussing gun violence and what can be done to prevent it. But, our hope is that this guide

will provide a solid oundation or a range o personalities, organizations, and styles and a general sense o

direction that communicators nd helpul.

The guide is divided into seven sections:

A brie summary o the research ndings

General messaging guidance

Four key topics that are at the center o almost any gun violence conversation

A look at the basic messaging match up between gun advocates and gun violence prevention groups

A discussion o audience variations in messaging

Recommendations or dealing with high-prole gun violence incidents

Guidance on a series o individual topics

We encourage you to read through the guide to amiliarize yoursel with its contents. Our hope is that it will

be something you use on a regular basis to address individual topics or situations. We also hope you will

provide eedback so that the utility o the guide will grow and improve over time.

2|PREVENTINGGUNVIOLENCETHROUGHEFFECTIVEMESSAGING


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SUMMARYOFRESEARCHFINDINGSWe wont, by any means, attempt a complete report on the research ndings. But, it does seem worthwhile to

highlight a ew o the points most relevant to ongoing messaging eorts.

THEOVERALLLANDSCAPE

1. Advocates or gun violence prevention win the logical debate, but lose on more emotionalterms.

2. There is an intensity gap that has built up over years. In the general public, those who view

themselves as supporters o gun rights are more deeply committed to and emotionally

invested in their position than those supporting stronger gun violence prevention measures.

3. Generally speaking, people are unamiliar with and surprised to learn how easy current

laws make it to acquire guns and carry loaded weapons.

4. There is wide personal experience with gun violence. 40% o respondents report that they

or someone they know personally has been a victim o gun violence.

KEYMESSAGES1. Three key themes drive the most powerul arguments or gun violence prevention:

ONE: The serious personal toll that gun violence takes on peoples lives.

TW0:Peoples right to be free from violence in their communities.

THREE: The changing nature of weapons towards more powerful, military-style ones that

make us less safe.

2. The notion that todays weapons are dierent in kind rom what was available in the past is

an especially powerul idea and helps make the case or new levels o concern and scrutiny

around access to weapons.

SUMMARYOFRESEARCHFINDINGS|3


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MATCHINGMESSAGESTOAUDIENCES

1. On the gun violence issue as on most public issues it pays to know as much as possible

about who you are talking to.

2. The weight and power o the three key themes we have mentioned varies substantially by

audience.

3. As a result, when the opportunity arises to target your message, there is great advantage to

doing so.

4. For example, when talking to men, it is important to know that they are much more moti-

vated by protecting people rom gun crime than preventing gun violence. Women are

motivated by both.

5. How to discuss the NRA is another example. Its critical to know that our base supporters are

very critical o the NRAs role in enabling gun violence. But, most general audiences view the

NRA as a mainstream organization.

ACTORSTHE GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION MOVEMENT

The gun violence prevention movement is dormant in the public imagination. Thats not to say there isnt

an interested audience out there. Its just that there is a major lack o awareness o where to go to becomeengaged on gun violence prevention.

THE NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION (NRA)

The NRA is seen as a mainstream organization by most Americans although elements o our base see its leader-

ship and organizational stance as extreme. Engaging the NRA as i it is one side o a political ght is counterpro-

ductive because it eeds into a view o the debate over gun violence as an unengaging interest group confict.

It is ar better to discuss the NRA in terms o the role its ocials play in preventing people and communities

rom protecting themselves rom the terrible personal toll that gun violence takes on peoples lives.

The issue is how to talk about the NRA with dierent audiences, not how requently to discuss the NRA.

Because o the organizations name and identity, it is more powerul especially when talking to the base to

discuss the specifc NRA rather than the generic gun lobby.



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LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS

Police and other law enorcement ocials have excellent standing with most Americans and are a crucial

ally to gun violence prevention advocates. For most audiences, the testimony o police and other law

enorcement ocials is compelling and trustworthy.

Whats more, the act that policies advocated by the NRA put law enorcement ocials at risk seriously

weakens the NRAs arguments.

POWERFULFACTSANDIMAGES

1. Alarming acts open the door to action. And powerul stories put eeling and emotional

energy behind those acts.

2. Its not helpul to try to drown your audience in a furry o acts and statistics. It is ar more

eective to zero in on a handul o simple acts that are both compelling and memorable.

3. Here are some o the acts that met that test in the research:

There are no background checks or ID requirements in most states or private

sales, including private sales at gun shows.

There are virtually no restrictions on the type o weapons available or purchase in

America, including assault weapons and ammunition magazines that store up to

100 bullets and can shoot 20 rounds in 10 seconds.

Police and law enorcement ocers are more at risk, due to the availability and

power o new weapons.

Reinorcing example: Police orces in places like Chicago and Miami are outtting

ocers with assault weapons so that they arent outgunned by criminals.1

4. Its not just about words. Powerul and emotionally-engaging images are vitally important

reinorcers o strong messages. For example, intimidating images o military-style weapons

help bring to lie the point that we are dealing with a dierent situation than in earlier

times.

SUMMARYOFRESEARCHFINDINGS|5


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OVERALLMESSAGINGGUIDANCE

KEYMESSAGINGPRINCIPLES

#1 :ALWAYS FOCUS ON EMOTIONAL AND VALUE-DRIVENARGUMENTS ABOUT GUN VIOLENCE, NOT THE POLITICALFOOD FIGHT IN WASHINGTON OR WON KY STATISTICS.

Its critical that you ground your messaging around gun violence prevention by making that

emotional connection. Dont skip past emotional arguments and lapse into a passionless public

policy voice. And dont make the gun violence debate seem as i it is a political ood ght between

two interest groups.

There is a reason why the NRA alls silent at times o high-prole gun violence incidents. The lastthing they want is an American conversation centered on the terrible toll that gun violence takes on

peoples lives.

#2:TELL STORIES WITH IMAGES AND FEELINGS.

Our rst task is to draw a vivid portrait and make an emotional connection. We should rely on

emotionally powerul language, eelings and images to bring home the terrible impact o gun violence.

Compelling acts should be used to back up that emotional narrative, not as a substitute or it.

WARNING: Dont break the power and undermine the value o emotionally powerul images and

eelings by appearing squeamish or apologetic in presenting them.


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OVERALLMESSAGINGGUIDANCE|7

#3:CLAIM MORAL AUTHORITY AND THE MANTLE OF FREEDOM.

We should emphasize that one undamental reedom every American should have is the reedom to

be sae in our homes and neighborhoods reedom to live our lives without the constant threat o

gun violence hanging over our heads.

The NRA likes to talk about its work as the deense o American reedom. Recognize that, depending

on the audience, both sides o the debate have the opportunity to claim moral authority. But, dont

yield that ground. Fight or it by emphasizing that a reckless disregard or the gun violence that plagues

so many peoples lives is morally bankrupt and doesnt have anything to do with protecting reedom.

#4:

EMPHASIZE THAT EXTRAORDINARILY DANGEROUS, MILITARY-STYLE

WEAPONS ARE NOW WITHIN EASY REACH ACROSS AMERICA.

We have to make clear to people that this isnt a conversation about your grandathers hunting rife.

The act that military-style assault weapons and high-capacity magazines are routinely available to

people in most states is alarming and surprising news to many Americans.


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#5:EMPHASIZE THAT AMERICA HAS WEAK GUN LAWS

AND DONT ASSUME THAT PEOPLE KNOW THAT.

It is important to emphasize that current laws allow easy access to guns or criminals, mentally un-

stable people, and even terrorists. Generally speaking, the public makes the assumption that our

nations gun laws are much stronger than is actually the case.

The truth is, it is ar worse than most people think. And when they learn what is really true about our

gun laws, it raises serious concerns.

#6:CHALLENGE THE NRA ON YOUR TERMS, NOT THEIRS.

We will discuss the NRA in more detail in the next section. But, at the very outset, it is important to

emphasize two critical points:

Whether to spend much time talking about the NRA depends upon whether we are talking

to our base (where an NRA ocus is oten worthwhile) or broader audiences (where an NRA

ocus is ar less likely to be helpul).

Even with the base, we need to always connect our comments to the NRAs role in exposing

people to needless violence.

Simply taking on the NRA as i deeating the NRA is our mission never serves our interests. Point-

ing out the direct link between laws the NRA promotes or blocks and the tragic human impact o gun

violence is almost always more eective.

Its eective to emphasize that the vast majority o NRA members are law-abiding gun owners who

agree with common sense laws to keep dangerous weapons out o the hands o dangerous people

the NRAs ocials and lobbyists are the problem.


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LANGUAGEDOSANDDONTS

OVERALLMESSAGINGGUIDANCE|9

DOtalkaboutpreventing

gunviolence.

DOadvocatefor

strongergunlaws.

DONTtalkabout

guncontrol.

DONTusetheterm

strictergunlaws.


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FOURKEYTOPICSLater in the guide, we oer messaging advice on a series o gun violence prevention topics. In this opening

section, we address our critical topics that are at the heart o almost any conversation or debate about gun

violence.

On each topic, we cover the ollowing:

The key principles that should guide our messaging strategies (and, where appropriate, the

most dangerous messaging pitalls to avoid).

Back o the envelope acts that are especially helpul to have at hand. (These arent a

comprehensive statement o the most critical acts about the issue just a quick guide to a

ew items with powerul communications potential.)

Examples o powerul language to use.

Examples o ineective language to avoid.

When they say x, you say y guidance on arguments and counter-arguments.



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TOPIC:THETOLLTAKENBYGUNVIOLENCE


#1:ALWAYS START WITH THE PAIN AND ANGUISHTHAT GUN VIOLENCE BRINGS INTO PEOPLES LIVES.

#2:USE STATISTICS TO REINFORCE AN

EMOTIONAL ARGU MENT, NOT TO REPLACE IT.

The death, injury and heartache caused by gun violence are devastating and thats what makes

people care about it and want to do something to end it. The threat and reality o gun violence

disrupt and send ear rippling through whole communities.

It is a stark daily reality in the lives o millions o Americans. Perhaps most unsettling o all is the act

that these levels o violence, ear and turmoil are so unnecessary. We know what can be done to lessen

and prevent gun violence, but it takes political will and organized public pressure to get it done.

Statistics, properly used, can be a powerul way to make people understand the human reach and

impact o gun violence in America. But they should always be used to undergird an emotionally

persuasive case.

Never let a dry recitation o the acts disguise the act that you are deeply saddened and moved by

the terrible human toll that gun violence claims.

FOURKEYTOPICS|11


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#3:USE IMAGES THAT BRING YOUR MESSAGE HOME.

#4: TELL STORIES WITH FEEL ING AND ENER GY.

Even when you are only using words to make your case, use them to draw a persuasive portrait o

the way gun violence disrupts peoples lives. And, wherever possible, strengthen your message with

compelling images.

Its not enough to have a persuasive story at hand, you have to tell that story in a way that comes

across. That means being emotionally present as you tell it and conveying it not only as i its the rst

time your listeners have heard it, but as i its the rst time youve conveyed it.

#5: IF YOU SPEAK IN A VICTIMS VOICE, MAKE

YOUR STORY ACCESS IB LE, NOT EXCLU SION ARY.

Many o the most active advocates and voices in the gun violence prevention movement are people

who have personally lived through a lie-changing gun violence experience. That painul reality

gives such spokespeople special moral authority.

But, its crucial how a person coming rom such a personal place conveys his or her story. I there isa you will never walk in my shoes element to a victims presentation, it can have an unintentional

distancing impact on those on the receiving end o the communication.



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BACKOFTHEENVELOPEFACTS

Unlessweact,morethan

120,000peoplewillbekilledbygunsduringthenext

presidentialtermofoffice. 2

Between1955and1975,theVietnamWarkilledover58,000AmericansoldierslessthanthenumberofcivilianskilledwithgunsintheU.S.inan

averagetwo-yearperiod.4

40%ofAmericanshave

themselvesorpersonallyknowsomeonewhohasbeen

avictimofgunviolence. 3

TheUnitedStateshas5%oftheworldspopulationand50%oftheworldsguns.5

FOURKEYTOPICS|13


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Itbreaksmyheartthateverydayinourcountry(stateorcity)childrenwake

upworriedandfrightenedaboutgettingshot.

Theresaclearbodyofresearchdemonstratingthehighsocialcostofgunviolence.

Just imaginethepainthatamotherorfatherfeels whentheir young

childisgunneddown.

Thepolicyoutcomeswereafteraretheonesthatcanhavethemostbeneficial

impactontheratesofviolenceamongthemostaffectedpopulations.

Therealoutragethethingthatmakesthisviolencesounforgivableisthatweknowhowtostopitandwerenotgettingitdone.

Ofcourse,gunviolenceaffectspeopleslives.But,italsohasadevastating

economicimpacttothetuneofover$100billionayear.Thatsanumberthat

shouldgeteveryAmericantaxpayersattention.

EXAMPLESOFPOWERFUL LANGUAGE

SOMEINEFFECTIVE LANGUAGETOAVOID



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WHATTHEOTHERSIDESAYS... AND HOW TO COUNTER

FOURKEYTOPICS|15

SILENCE(Ifyoupaycloseattention,youll

noticethatouropponentsseldomaddress

gunviolencedirectly.)

Ifanhonestcitizenwithagunwere

present,thismightnothavehappened.

YoudonthearmuchfromtheNRAand

theirallieswhenviolencestrikes.Thats

becausetheycantpossiblydefendtheir

recklessagendainthefaceofsuchterriblehumanpainandsuffering.

Theresnotashredofcredibleevidence

thatmoregunsandmoreshootingsave

peopleslives.Moregunsandmore

shootingmeanmoretragedy.

STRONGESTOPPOSINGARGUMENT

BESTWAYTOCOUNTER


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TOPIC:HOWGUNVIOLENCECANBEPREVENTED


#2: MAKE IT CLEAR THAT WEAK AND RECKLESS POLICIES

PUT WEAPONS IN THE HANDS OF DANGEROUS PEOPLE.

It doesnt have to be this way. Always emphasize the needless nature o gun violence. Make it clear

that gun violence is rampant in America because sensible gun laws have been undone, reckless new

measures have been passed, and glaring loopholes in our current laws have been allowed to remain

open.

#1:START WITH PEOPLE, NOT LAWS.

In discussing why so many people are needlessly dying rom gun violence, dont all immediately

into a discussion o laws. Start with the act that people are needlessly dying as a result o gun

violence. Laws matter because, i theyre strong enough, they can keep people alive.



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#3:WITH BASE AUDIENCES, EMPHASIZE THE

UNIQUELY DESTRUCTIVE ROLE THAT THE NRA PLAYS.

When talking to base audiences, put responsibility or the stunning lack o common sense in Americas

gun laws where it belongs at the eet o the NRA. For decades, NRA ocials, the rearms industry,

and their allies on Capitol Hill have waged a relentless eort to gut common sense gun laws and to

pass reckless measures that put more people at risk. This has been matched by an equally vigorous

eort to hamper the enorcement o gun laws at every turn. For example, the NRA has advocated or

guns in sensitive places, such as in national parks,6 bars, and college campuses,7 and or loaded gun

carrying without a permit.8

#4:EMPHASIZE THE EXTRAORDINARY SCALE AND SCOPE

OF WEAPONS THAT ARE LEGALLY AVAILABLE IN AM ERICA.

#5:BE CLEAR THAT WE KNOW HOW TO PROTECT PEOPLE FROM

GUN VIOLENCE, WHICH MAKES FAILURE TO ACT INEXCUSABLE.

Make sure people understand the ease with which even the most dangerous o weapons can be

acquired in the United States. There are ew meaningul restrictions on the scope and scale o

weapons that can be legally bought across America including deadly, high-capacity military-style

weapons.

This isnt a situation where we dont know what to do or are stymied in the ace o an intractable

problem. We know what it would take to prevent so many people rom dying or being injured by

gun violence. But those steps arent happening because o a ailure o leadership.

People will keep dying and being maimed or no good reason until concerted public pressure

orces elected ocials to act.

FOURKEYTOPICS|17


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Americansownfarmorefirearmsincludingmilitary-styleweaponsandhandgunsthanpeopleinotherindustrializednations.

Wehave5%oftheworldspopulationand50%ofthe

worldsguns.11

TheU.S.hasthehighestrateoffirearmdeathsamong25high-incomenations.9

MorechildrenareshotandkilledintheU.S.thananywhereelseintheindustrializedworld.Infact,theoverallfirearm-relateddeathrateamongU.S.childrenunder

theageof15isnearly12timeshigherthanthatamongchildren

in25otherindustrializednationscombined.10



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Theresnomysterytowhysomanypeoplearedyingandbeingmaimedbyguns

inAmerica.Wehavesomeoftheweakestgunlawsintheworld.

Justimaginethepainthatamotherorfatherfeelswhentheiryoungchild

isgunneddown.

Ourpoliceofficersareatriskeverydaywhentheyconfrontcriminalswho

arearmedtotheteethwithmilitary-styleweaponsthatarefreelyavailable.

The NRA wants powerful, dangerous weapons in every neighborhood.Thatsnotfreedom,itsfear.

Dontbelieveforaminutethatthisisaboutyourgrandfathershuntingrifle.Weretalkingaboutassaultweaponsbuilttodothemostdamage

possibleintheshortestamountoftime.


FOURKEYTOPICS|19

OurexperiencepromotinggunviolencepreventionmeasuresinCongressandstatelegislatureshasbeenthatwealwaysrunintoabrickwallof

oppositionbuiltbytheNRA.

Weredoingourbesttopassstrongerlaws,buttheNRAisincrediblypowerful

andtoofewpoliticianshavethecouragetotakethemon.



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Thebestwaytoreducegunviolenceis

toenforcethelawsthatareonthebooks,

notpassmoreunenforceableones.

Ifwewanttoreducegundeaths,weshould

emphasizegunsafetyeducationand

training.

Ourpoliceofficersworkhardeveryday

toenforcethelawswehave.Buttheyarehamstrungbythegapsandloopholes

inourlawsthatfloodourneighborhoods

withpowerful,dangerousweapons.As

theNRAslobbyistsworktoweakenour

gunlaws,theyaremakingthejobofthe

policeharderandputtingallofusatrisk.

Imallforgunsafety.Imalsoforstronger

lawsandtougherenforcement.Thatshow

yousavepeopleslives.

STRONGESTOPPOSINGARGUMENTS

BESTWAYSTOCOUNTER


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TOPIC:ROLEOFTHENRA

When talking about the NRA and its role in the gun violence conversation in America, it is critical to be alert

to audience dierentiations. The act is, our base supporters and the general public have undamentally

dierent views o the organization and its role in American lie.

When talking to our base, it is both worthwhile and eective to challenge directly the role the NRA plays in

exposing people to senseless gun violence. But, even in this context, we need to be alert to two concerns:

We need to make it clear that were taking on the NRA because we are alarmed by the way it

blocks eective eorts to end gun violence and advances dangerous laws and policies that

put people at risk.

We need to avoid being drawn into a contest that looks like a struggle between competing

interest groups rather than a determined eort to protect people rom gun violence.

When we are communicating with the general public, we need to be aware o the act that, beyond our base,

people have a positive impression o the organization and its role.

Some organizations may choose to take on the long-term task o redening the general publics relatively

benign sense o the NRA and its role. But, unless youve made that your mission, we should be aware that, ontodays acts, raming our arguments in anti-NRA terms or those broader audiences is, at best, ineective

and, at worst, counter-productive.

FOURKEYTOPICS|21


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#1:EVEN WITH OUR BASE, ITS NEVER JUST ABOUT THE NRA.ITS CRITICAL TO CIRCLE BACK TO THE DESTRUCTIVE ROLE NRA

OFFICIALS PLAY IN EXPOSING PEOPLE TO SENSELESS GUN VIOLENCE.

#2:EMPHASIZE THAT NRA LOBBYISTS HAVE NOT ON LY

GUTTED COMMON SENSE LAWS, BUT ACTIVELY PROMOTED

RECKLESS MEASURES THAT PUT MORE PEOPLE AT RISK.

There is clear benet in challenging the power, tactics and policies o the NRA when talking to our

base. But, because o the outsized role the NRA plays in determining how America deals with guns,

there can sometimes be a tendency to use a kind o communications shorthand ocusing on the

NRA itsel. It is essential to not skip past connecting our concerns about the NRA to a much more

undamental concern: people who are dying every day because NRA ocials and lobbyists stand in

the way o common sense measures that could keep people sae.

The question we need to ocus on isnt What are we going to do about the NRA? Its How are we

going to push past the NRA lobbyists and nally deal with the terrible toll that gun violence is taking

on peoples lives?

Its easy to all into talking about the NRA as a orce that blocks eective gun violence prevention

measures rom being enacted. That understates their role. The NRAs lobbyists have actively gutted

sensible measures that were once on the books. And they have relentlesslyand, ar too oten,

successullypressed or passage o reckless new laws. In addition, o course, they have worked

around the clock to hamper and block the enorcement o Americas gun laws.

For example, the NRA has advocated or the ollowing policies:

A ederal law allowing gun carrying in Americas national parks;12

A ederal law allowing guns on Amtrak trains;13

Congressional appropriations riders that prohibit policy makers, law enorcement,

researchers, and advocates rom accessing crime gun trace data;14 and

State laws that allow people to carry loaded handguns in bars, schools and places

o worship.15




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#3:AVOID BEING DRAWN INTO A HEATED INTEREST

GROUP VERSUS INTEREST GROUP BATTLE WITH THE NRA.

#4: REMEMBER THAT MOST AMERICANS CONSIDER

THE NRA TO BE A MAINSTREAM ORGANIZATION.

NRA ocials would like nothing better than to keep provoking a political ood ght between them-

selves and interest groups pushing or gun control. Thats the ramework that serves their interests,

not ours.

It draws attention away rom the human tragedy o gun violence, drains the emotion rom the con-

versation, and disengages people who have no interest in being dragged into such a disheartening

exchange.

We want to keep the ocus on what really matters the pain and turmoil that gun violence brings into

peoples lives and the indeensible ways NRA lobbyists stand in the way o eorts to end that violence.

When we move beyond our base, the view that gun violence prevention advocates have o the NRA andits role doesnt align with public perceptions. When asked which o the ollowing statements comes clos-

est to their own opinion, 35% o registered voters chose the rst and 57% selected the second.

The NRA is an extreme organization with too much power in Washington that blocks any

attempts to reduce gun violence in America.

The NRA is a mainstream organization that protects our Second Amendment rights and

provides inormation about gun saety.

But, there is a sharp ideological divide. People who consider themselves liberals choose the

extreme statement by a 2 to 1 margin (60% to 27%). Conservatives are even more dramaticallytilted in the other direction. 81% choose the mainstream description and only 13% the extreme

one. Moderates are split right down the middle.

All o this is to say that, outside o our base, an easy assumption that people think o the NRA as an

out-o-control, extreme organization would be misplaced.

FOURKEYTOPICS|23


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#5:ALWAYS DRAW DISTINCTIONS BETWEEN NRA OFFICIAL SAND THE ORGANIZATIONS RANK-AND-FILE MEMBERS.

As numerous polls in recent years have shown, there is oten a stunning gap between the extreme

positions taken by NRA ocials and the opinions o rank-and-le NRA members. Thats a divide that

should be quite troubling to the NRA.

What it means or us is that we should avoid lumping NRA lobbyists and the members o the NRA

into the same category. And, where possible, we should point to the support that common sense

measures like universal background checks have even within the ranks o the NRA.



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74%ofNRAmemberssupportrequiringbackgroundchecks

ofanyonepurchasingagun.

75%ofNRAmembersbelievepermitsshouldonly

begrantedtoapplicantswhohavenotcommittedanyviolentmisdemeanors,includingassault.

87%ofNRAmembersagreethatsupportforSecond

Amendmentrightsgoeshand-in-handwithkeepinggunsoutofthehandsofcriminals.

The NRAs own members are oten at odds with the groups extreme leadership. For example, a 2012 poll

or Mayors Against Illegal Guns16 revealed that:

FOURKEYTOPICS|25


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TheNRAofcialsliketotalkaboutfreedom.Well,howaboutourrighttobefree

fromthegunviolencekillingourchildrenandravagingourneighborhoods.

TheNRAisanextremistorganizationandtheyhavetobestopped.

TheresareasonwhyNRAofficialsgosilentwhentragedystrikes.Nothing

theysaycanexplainwhytheyconstantlyblockstepsthatcouldpreventgun

violencefromtearingpeopleslivesapart.

NomatterwhattheNRAsays,werenottryingtotakeanyonesgunaway.

Weneedpoliticianswhocareaboutthepainandturmoilgunviolencecreates

ratherthanworryaboutirritatingtheNRAslobbyists.





31/80

FOURKEYTOPICS|27


TheNRAisaboutonethingdefending

Americanfreedom.

WeredefendingtheConstitution,which

protectsourrighttobeararms.

IfitwerentfortheNRA,elitesinour

countrywouldbeinfringingonourrightseveryday.

Weallloveourfreedomincludingbeing

freefromgunviolenceandallthepainit

bringsintopeopleslives.

MaybetheymissedtheDeclarationof

Independence,whichdefendslife,liberty

andthepursuitofhappiness.

TheNRAshigh-poweredlobbyistsarent

defendingeverydayfolks.Theyreagiant

operationdefendingpowerfulgunmanu-

facturersateveryturn.

STRONGESTOPPOSINGARGUMENT

BESTWAYTOCOUNTER


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TOPIC:SECONDAMENDMENT


#1:DONT LET OUR OPPONENTS OVERSTATEWHAT THE SUPREME COURTS RULINGS DID.

Many o our opponents seek to interpret recent Supreme Court decisions as a game over moment

that rules out a wide range o eective measures to prevent gun violence. Thats simply not the case.

Yes, there is a right to possess a handgun in the home or sel-deense, but the Court also indicated

support or sensible regulations on the types o weapons, who can possess them and the places

where they are permitted.


#2:EMPHASIZE THAT THE SUPREME COURTS RULINGS DO NOT,

BY ANY MEANS, RULE OUT SMART GUN REGULATIONS.

The Supreme Courts rulings do not prevent eective gun regulations. Far rom it.

In the District o Columbia v. Hellerruling, Justice Antonin Scalia wrote: Like most rights, the right

secured by the Second Amendment is not unlimitednothing in our opinion should be taken to cast

doubt on longstanding prohibitions on the possession o rearms by elons and the mentally ill, or

laws orbidding the carrying o rearms in sensitive places such as schools and government build-

ings, or laws imposing conditions and qualications on the commercial sale o arms.17

And, since Heller, courts nationwide have ound a wide variety o rearms laws constitutional

because they can help prevent gun deaths, injuries, and crimes in communities across the country.


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#3:LOOK FORWARD. DONT RE-LITIGATE THE COURTS RULINGS.

In discussing the Second Amendment and the Courts rulings, its important to look to the uture

emphasizing that gun violence prevention groups are condently moving orward. We should em-

phasize in our public communications that the Courts rulings have let plenty o room or eective

eorts to prevent gun violence.

In act, the Court made it clear that the right secured by the Second Amendment is not a right to keep

and carry any weapon whatsoever in any manner whatsoever and or whatever purpose.18

FOURKEYTOPICS|29


SinceHeller,courtsacrossthenationhavefoundawiderangeoffirearmslawsconstitutional.21

InDistrictofColumbiav.Heller,theCourtruled,forthefirsttime,thattheSecondAmendmentguaranteesanindividualrighttopossess

ahandguninthehomeforself-defense.19

InMcDonaldv.Chicago,the

CourtruledthatitsinterpretationoftheSecondAmendmentextendedtostateandlocalgunlaws,notjustthoseinthe

DistrictofColumbiaandotherfederalenclaves.20


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Inthecourtoflawandthecourtofpublicopinion,wewillneveryieldinour

effortstousestronglawstoprotectpeoplefromgunviolence.

ThelegalinterpretationofSecondAmendmentprotectionsiscomplex.The

nuancesofthesedecisionswilltakeyearstosortout.

WerenottryingtotakeawayanyonesSecondAmendmentrights.Thathas

neverbeenourgoal.




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FOURKEYTOPICS|31


TheSupremeCourthasruledveryclearly.

Itstimeforouropponentstostop

advancinglawsandregulationsthattheyknowviolatetheConstitution.

Idontcarewhattheysay.Anti-gunpeople

aretryingtotakeawayourSecond

Amendmentrights.

Thegunlobbyistryingtousethesecourtcasestowipeoutawholegenerationofgun

violencepreventionlawsthatsavepeoples

lives.Wewontletthemgetawaywithit.

ThebigSecondAmendmentissueshave

beensettledhere.Thisisabouttakingrea-

sonablestepstokeepdangerousweapons

outofthehandsofdangerouspeople.


BESTWAYSTOCOUNTER


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THEBASICMESSAGINGMATCH-UP

THECOREGUNVIOLENCEPREVENTIONMESSAGEGun violence takes a terrible personal toll, claiming over 30,000 lives every year. For every person who dies

rom a gunshot, two others are wounded. We all hear about mass shootings like in Tucson or Aurora, but

senseless gun violence happens every day to people we never hear about.

Mothers and athers across America wouldnt be suering the pain and heartache that come with shootings

i we had stronger gun laws on the books. But, rather than working or stronger laws, powerul orces in our

society are driving to weaken, gut and obliterate those laws. Their recklessness puts our amilies and our law

enorcement ocers at risk.

Were ghting or our reedom reedom to be sae and secure in our communities, rom the violence

plaguing our neighborhoods, reedom rom the ear and anguish that gun violence brings into our lives.

Every day, more and more Americans all victim to the NRAs extreme, ear-based agenda. They want any

gun to be available to anyone, no questions asked. They want powerul military-style weapons to be in every

community.

Our country is headed in the wrong direction on guns. Nearly anyone including terrorists, convicted crim-

inals or the dangerously mentally ill can buy a gun rom a private party seller. In most states, there are no

background checks or even proper ID required or people who buy guns rom private sellers, including at

gun shows.

Federally, there are virtually no restrictions on the type o weapons available or purchase in America includ-

ing assault rifes and ammunition magazines that store up to 100 cartridges and can shoot 20 rounds in 10

seconds.22 And only a handul o states ban such weapons and magazines.23

To make matters worse, the NRA keeps orcing reckless laws through in state ater state rom Shoot First

statutes that encourage gun-toting vigilantism to open and concealed carry laws that allow loaded weaponsin even the most inappropriate places.

The NRAs dream is to have weaker laws . . . easy access to guns or those who should never have one . . .

increasingly more dangerous weapons. It all adds up to putting more and more people at risk. None o this

will change until we push back, break the NRAs grip, and demand eective action to reduce the needless

toll that gun violence is taking on peoples lives.



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THECOREGUNRIGHTSMESSAGEAmerican reedom is under attack. Media and political elites in our country have an anti-gun agenda that

they are trying to orce down our throats. These anti-gunners will do anything to attack your right to keep and

bear arms. They think the Second Amendment is a government-granted privilege. You and I know that it is a

God-given birthright one the NRA and our allies will never relinquish.

Our opponents see an America where only criminals have guns . . . where deending your amily against a rap-

ist, a murderer or a thug is illegal . . . where women are let deenseless on Americas streets and even in their

own homes.

We have a right to protect our amilies and will never yield to those out to create an America with more crime

and less reedom.

The anti-gun elites in this country want people to believe that guns are evil. They say we cling to our guns and

our religion. You bet we do. And we will never yield as they try to orce us to register and relinquish our weap-

ons. We will always insist on our right to be responsible or our own saety, protection, and survival.

Every so-called reorm they advocate, every sensible measure they put orward is just one more step toward

their real goal an America with ewer guns and less reedom.

Fortunately, millions o Americans are alert to their schemes and irrevocably opposed to their eorts to under-

mine American reedom. We will never yield an inch to their anti-gun agenda. And any politician who acts to

put our reedoms at risk does so at his or her own peril.

THEBASICMESSAGINGMATCH-UP|33


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AUDIENCEVARIATIONS

The guidance oered throughout this document is intended to be solid, general messaging guidance

useul and eective in a wide range o situations. However, we always want to take advantage o opportunities to

shape and nuance our message when we know we are talking to a specic targeted audience.

So, with the survey data as our guide, this section o the guide looks at the places where message variations

or dierent audiences are the most critical:

Talking to our base

Dierences by gender/age combinations

Communicating with minority audiences

SOMEKEYMETRICSIn the sections below, we will use shorthand to describe various audiences responses to a handul o key

survey questions. Here is the complete wording o the survey questions reerred to by this shorthand.

GUN LAWS SHOULD BE STRONGER: In general, do you eel that the laws covering the sale o guns

should be made stronger, less strong, or kept as they are now?

NRA EXTREME OR MAINSTREAM: Please tell me which statement comes closer to your own view even

i neither is exactly right.

The NRA is an extreme organization with too much power in Washington that blocks any

attempts to reduce gun violence in America.

The NRA is a mainstream organization that protects our Second Amendment rights and

provides inormation about gun saety.



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BEST REASON TO ACT

Respondents were asked which o the our ollowing reasons was the most important in their own mind as a

reason to do something about reducing gun violence in America:

The NRA and the gun lobby are too powerul and have too much infuence over politicians and laws

without anyone to stop them. (Our shorthand: NRA too powerul)

Every death rom gun violence is a tragedy and no amily should have to go through that pain. (Our

shorthand: tragedy)

All Americans should have the reedom to be sae in their own communities. (Our shorthand: ree

to be sae)

It is too easy these days or dangerous people to get their hands on dangerous and powerul

weapons. (Our shorthand: easy and dangerous)

EXPOSED TO GUN VIOLENCE: Have you or anyone you know personally ever been a victim o gun

violence?

AUDIENCEVARIATIONS|35


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TALKINGTOOURBASE

DATAPOINTSThere are a couple o dierent ways to identiy what we might call a base audience or gun violence

prevention. One is those respondents who identied themselves as liberal and the other more specic

to the issue at hand is the 35% o the respondents who agreed that the NRA is an extreme organization.

We report below on both audiences. Our base is:

Far more likely to believe gun laws should be stronger. (51% or all respondents, 66% or

liberals, 80% or NRA is extreme.)

More likely to consider the NRA extreme. (35% or all respondents, 60% or liberals.)

Less ocused on ree to be sae. (32% or all respondents, 18% or liberals, 17% or NRA is

extreme)

More ocused on NRA too powerul. (13% all respondents, 25% liberals, 26% NRA is

extreme.)

Slightly more open to personal tragedy as a reason to act. (19% or all respondents, 25% or

liberals, 23% or NRA is extreme.)

MESSAGINGGUIDEPOSTS

1. Feel ree to be more pointed and skeptical about the NRA and its motives.

2. Still avoid a political ood ght ramework. Always oppose the NRA because it recklessly

exposes people to terrible gun violence.

3. Focus on the link between the NRA and easy access to guns or dangerous people.

4. Dont dwell on the ree to be sae argument.

5. Give people places where they can step in and have an impact. (opposing a policy that puts

people at risk, exposing an NRA outrage, etc.)

6. Talk about a hard ght, but dont make it seem like a hopeless one.



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TALKINGTOMINORITYAUDIENCES

DATAPOINTSIn terms o sample size and reliable data, the clearest divide in the research is between white and non-

white respondents. Here is what stands out:

A majority o non-white audiences report being or personally knowing someone who was

a victim o gun violence. (39% or white and 51% or non-white respondents.)

Non-white audiences are more than twice as likely to say they are likely to take action on

reducing gun violence. (20% or white and 48% or non-white respondents.)

Support or making gun laws stronger is substantially higher among non-white audiences.

(44% or white and 71% or non-white respondents.) Non-whites are more likely to consider the NRA extreme. (32% or white and 45% or non-

white respondents.)

But, there is little dierence when it comes to which reason or acting against gun violence is

most important. See the chart below:

MESSAGINGGUIDEPOSTS

1. Be alert that it is more likely than not you are talking to someone who has personal experience

with gun violence.

2. Know that you go into the conversation with a strong presumption that the person not only

avors stronger gun laws, but may be interested in acting against gun violence.

3. Keep a balance between the easy and dangerous and ree to be sae arguments just as you

must with all audiences.

4. Dont make it about the NRA. Make it personal.


REASON WHITERESPONDENTS NON-WHITERESPONDENTS

Free to be sae 32% 27%

Easy and dangerous 27% 29%

Tragedy 20% 24%

NRA too powerul 13% 15%


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AUDIENCEVARIATIONSACROSSGENDER/AGEGROUPS

DATAPOINTS

Women are ar more likely than men to express a willingness to take action to reduce gun

violence.

But, when the wording shits to reducing gun crime, men (especially older men) put them-

selves strongly back in the picture.

A single-minded ocus on gun crime doesnt make sense when talking to women, but it is

worthwhile to occasionally work in the phrase gun crime and violence.

Women are ar more likely than men to support making gun laws stronger.

Women, especially older women, are more likely to consider the NRA extreme.

Men gravitate to the ree to be sae argument. Women to the easy and dangerous argu-

ment.

Younger women are ar more likely to report personal experience with gun violence. (56%

or young women, in the 30s or all other audiences.)

MESSAGINGGUIDEPOSTS

1. Remember that men, especially older men, more easily adopt the mantle o crime fghter

than someone concerned about gun violence.

2. Appeal to men by emphasizing our right to be sae rom violence in our communities.

3. Appeal to women more out o concern that its too easy or dangerous people to get their

hands on dangerous weapons.

4. Remember that, or a majority o young women, their attitudes towards gun violence stem,

in part, rom direct personal experience.



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COMMUNICATINGTOAUDIENCESTHATDISAGREE

Weve talked about how to persuade dierent types o audiences. What about situations where you nd

yoursel communicating to individuals or audiences who are openly hostile to your point o view?

DATAPOINTSThere are a lot o hostile audiences out there. Some regard any discussion o gun violence prevention as merely

a pretext to inringe on their Second Amendment reedoms and/or way o lie. Even mainstream audiences may

have deep sympathies or these arguments. Although many Americans support our positions, some o the argu-

ments that stand in the way o stronger gun violence prevention laws also have broad mainstream appeal. A per-

son advocating rom an NRA perspective would nd substantial public agreement with assertions such as these:

Gun violence prevention laws only aect law-abiding citizens.

Criminals get guns illegally now and they will get guns illegally in the uture.

We dont need more gun laws, we just need to enorce the laws on the books so criminals

cant get guns so easily.

Note there is an inherent contradiction in these positionspeople see laws as ineective at stopping criminals

rom getting guns, and yet say that stronger enorcement o existing laws will do just that. Regardless, it is

important to anticipate the better enorcement argument rom our opponents.

MESSAGINGGUIDEPOSTSThere are a number o things you can do when conronted by an audience that may be unriendly or even

hostile to your arguments.

1. Remember, your goal is not to convince hostile audiences that you are right; your goal is to

establish that you are a reasonable person who understands their point o view. Time spent

demonstrating that you understand and sympathize with their concerns is time well spent.

2. When elding a hostile question, always begin your answer by identiying a point (or points) o

agreement with your audience. Examples o connecting language might include:

We all deserve the right to be sae and ree.

For lots o Americans, when they were growing up, their dad had a hunting rife. Theres

a tradition o gun ownership in this country that we can all respect.

Our Constitution and our laws are what keep us sae and ree.

We can all agree that military-style weapons should not be in the hands o criminals,

terrorists, or people who are dangerously mentally ill.

3. Keep in mind the previous guidance about separating NRA members rom their ocials and lobbyists.

4. Remember that protecting people rom gun crime is more appealing to male audiences than

preventing gun violence.



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HIGH-PROFILEGUNVIOLENCEINCIDENTS

OVERVIEWThe debate over gun violence in America is periodically punctuated by high-prole gun violence incidents,

including Columbine, Virginia Tech, Tucson, the Trayvon Martin killing, Aurora, and Oak Creek. When an

incident such as these attracts sustained media attention, it creates a unique climate or our communicationseorts.

The purpose o this section o our guide is to present some advice about how to make sure our communications

are powerul, impactul and appropriate to these unique circumstances.

We believe that the ollowing nine guideposts should be helpul both when we encounter high-prole

incidents that attract national attention and when a similar dynamic occurs in a local community.

#1:DONT HESITATE TO S PEAK OUT.

There can be a tendency to adopt a quiet wait and see attitude when a high-prole gun violence

incident happens. The truth is, the most powerul time to communicate is when concern and

emotions are running at their peak. While we always want to be respectul o the situation, a

sel-imposed period o silence is never necessary.



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#2:EXPRESS CONCERN FOR VICTIMS (WITHOUT A BUT).

#3:DONT ASSUME THE FACTS AND DONT WAIT FOR THEM.

Its appropriate to open with an expression o concern or the victims and their amilies.

No family should ever have to go through what the families of these victims

are going through right now. Our hearts go out to them.

However, all too oten, such expressions o sympathy are ollowed by a but statement. (But, the real

issue here is . . . But, what we have to ocus on is . . .But, what I want to draw your attention to is . . . etc.)

That has two negative consequences. The but makes the expression o concern seem less heartelt

and more like something we had to get out o the way beore getting to what we really wanted to say.

But can be read as a way or the speaker to say I didnt really mean what I just said.

And, the but breaks the link between the violence people are shocked by and the next thing were

about to say. Our goal is to establish that link, not break it.

So, we need to use language where our message fows rom the expression o concern into our

broader argument. It cant be an abrupt pivot. In these situations, expressions such as look,

actually, and thats why work a lot better than but.

Losing a child, a mother or a husband is every familys worst nightmare. Thats

why we have to tell our political leaders we wont wait for the next tragedy

before they act to prevent the gun violence thats tearing peoples lives apart.

Experience tells us that the specic acts o a high-prole gun incident are revealed over time. I we jump

to conclusions about those details, we could nd ourselves at odds with reality as events unold.

So, the smartest thing to do is avoid linking our message and arguments to any one set o partial-ly-revealed acts. We shouldnt assume the acts.

But, we also shouldnt argue ourselves into inaction while we await clarity about details.

The clearest course is to advance our core message about preventing gun violence independent o

acts that may shit on us over time. (While we dont know the specics o this tragedy, we know ar

too many people are killed by weak gun laws in this country.)

O course, once a act is clearly established, it makes sense to rely on it to advance your case.

HIGH-PROFILEGUNVIOLENCEINCIDENTS|41


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#4:ASK HARD QUESTIONS.

#5:NEVER APOLOGIZE.

One way to link our arguments to an event without being trapped by shiting circumstances is to ask

questions ones that point to approaches and policies that we avor, but that resonate with special

emotional power at the time o a high-prole shooting.

Where did the gun come rom? Did the shooter have to undergo a background check beore he got

the gun? Did the shooter have a permit or the gun? Did the shooter own more than one gun? Did

he have high capacity ammunition magazines with him? How many rounds did he have on him? Did

the shooter have to observe any kind o waiting period beore he got his hands on the guns? Or did

he get them right away no questions asked?

The worst thing to do in a situation like this is to apologize or disclaim an unworthy motivation. (The

last thing I want to do is politicize this situation . . . Im not trying to take anyones gun away . . . I

know this is a time or mourning and refection, but)

Your audience cant be comortable with what youre saying i you signal your own discomort.



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#6:RECOGNIZE THAT YOUR AUDIENCE HAS BROADENED.

#7:SEEK A LONGER-TERM RELATIONSHIP IN A PERIOD OF HIGH ATTENTION.

A high-prole gun violence incident temporarily draws more people into the conversation about

gun violence. It opens the eyes and ears o olks who, in more normal circumstances, dont pay

much attention to the issue o gun violence prevention. (A parallel is the expanded audience that

relie groups have when a tsunami or devastating hurricane hit.)

That means we should seek out opportunities to engage these newly accessible audiences through

mainstream media appearances, online outreach, and other channels. But, it also means we have to

be alert to the dierences in talking to our established base and to the uninitiated.

When talking to our base, the emphasis should be on the need or urgent action to respond to the

crisis at hand. Were picking up a long-running conversation with a special ocus and intensity.

But, when talking to broader audiences, we want to make sure we meet them where they are. That

means emphasizing emotion over policy prescriptions, keeping our acts and our case simple and

direct, and avoiding arguments that leave people thinking they dont know enough about the topic

to weigh in.

In terms o building support, our goal at moments such as this should be to make a connection with

someone that will be sustainable ater the individual incident ades rom memory. Among other things,

that means raming our calls to action more broadly than a response to the individual situation at hand.

I we convince someone to act quickly in response to what has happened, we need to move just as

quickly to broaden the conversation and pivot to a longer-term commitment to ending gun violence.

HIGH-PROFILEGUNVIOLENCEINCIDENTS|43


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#8:DONT LET POLICYSPEAK DRAIN THE EMOTION FROM THE MOMENT.

#9:CHALLENGE THE NRAS SILENCE.

There is oten a compelling case to be made or immediate action, pivoting rom the emotion o

a high-prole incident to calls or legislative action or specic policy changes. Those who seek to

make that pivot have to be careul not to drain the emotional power out o the moment.

An emotionally-driven conversation about what can be done to prevent incidents such as the one

at hand is engaging. A dry conversation about legislative process and policy is ar less engaging.

Choice o language, constantly connecting the policy to how it impacts peoples lives, and avoiding

being dragged into the nuances o specic policy prescriptions are all critical here.

There is a balance to be struck between broadening public engagement at moments like this and

advancing specic policies.

The NRAs communications stance during high-prole gun violence incidents is easy to describe:

They go silent.

Thats because they know they have nothing to gain rom being dragged into a conversation where

both the acts and the emotional energy work against them.

We should reely and openly challenge their silent treatment approach.

Its no accident that, at times like this, the NRA disappears into the woodwork.

Thats because they know that their reckless agenda is indefensible especiallyin the face of this kind of tragedy. Thats why theyve gone into hiding.



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MAKE IT CLEAR THAT THESE LAWS ARE NEEDLESS IN THE FACE OF

AMERICAS ROBUST SELF-DEFENSE LAWS.

Since the ounding o our country Americans have enjoyed the right to sel deense. We have

also repeatedly and resoundingly rejected vigilantism. American law has long acknowledged

our right to deend ourselves in our own homes.24 The law also recognizes our right to deend

ourselves outside the home i we are in situations where the threat cannot be saely escaped.

So-called Stand Your Ground laws recklessly distort these well-worn sel-deense principles,

creating situations where a person can escape legal responsibility or his actions simply byclaiming that he elt threatened.

EMPHASIZE THAT THESE LAWS ESCALATE EVERYDAY CONFLICTS INTO LETHAL EVENTS.

One o the biggest dangers with Shoot First laws is that they make it righteningly easy or simple mis-

understandings to become lethal events. With these laws, everyday conficts can now escalate more

easily into deadly shootouts and killers can escape prosecution just by claiming they elt threatened.

ONE

TOPIC:

SHOOTFIRSTLAWS


These laws raise a requently-conronted question. Should we buy into the language and positioning o

our opponents or seek to dene the debate with our own language?

Their proponents call these statutes Stand Your Ground laws. But, Shoot First and Kill at Will laws are ar

more accurate and persuasive. I a phrase such as Stand Your Ground laws gains broad usage among

both proponents and the media, we may need to use it as a reerence point. But, we should quickly shit to

language that positions our argument more persuasively.

Another phrase that we should avoid whenever possible is duty to retreat. It may be an established legal

principle, but in the public square, it sounds weak and hard to deend.

TOPIC-BY-TOPICGUIDANCE|45

TWO

TOPIC-BY-TOPICGUIDANCE


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MAKE IT CLEAR THAT SHOOT FIRST LAWS PROVIDE COVER FOR

GUN-TOTING VIGILANTES.

Many o these laws give drug dealers, domestic abusers, and other gun-toting vigilantes a

ree pass and more leeway than on-duty police ocers and soldiers on the eld o battle.

Sel deense should not be judged only rom the view o the shooter. Otherwise, anyone

can claim to have elt threatened and, as long as there are no surviving witnesses, he can

all too readily escape responsibility or a reckless act o violence.

LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT PASSAGE OF SHOOT FIRST LAWS IS PART OF A

CONCERTED NRA CAMPAIGN.

The NRA orced the rst Shoot First law through in Florida in 2005. And now, thanks to

a sustained NRA campaign to impose these laws, 26 states currently have some variation

o a Florida-style Shoot First law.25 Its all part o an active campaign to weaken our gun

laws and expose more and more Americans to the tragic personal toll that gun violence

is taking on our communities.

We need to get these dangerous laws o the books and out o our lives.

THREE

FOUR


Acrossthecountry,26states

havesomekindofShootFirstlawonthebooks.26

Insomestates,ShootFirst

lawsgiveuntrainedciviliansmoreleewayintheuseofforcethananon-dutypoliceofficerorasoldieronthefrontlinesinAfghanistan.27



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Theserecklesslawshavegun-totingvigilantesroamingthestreetsmakingall

ofuslesssafeinourownneighborhoods.

Ithaslongbeenestablishedinlawthat,outsidethehome,apersonhasa

dutytoretreatfromaconfrontationifheorshecandososafely.

Whocouldthinkitmakessensetogiveuntrainedpeoplemoreleewayinthe

useofforcethanwegiveon-dutypoliceofficersorsoldiersatwar?

Allapersonthatshootssomeonehastodoisclaimthattheyfeltthreatenedatthetimeandtheyliterallygetawaywithmurder.

Nowanyonewithaguncanclaimtheywereafraidandgetawaywithmurder.





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Theywantustoremainunarmedand

defenselessagainstcriminalsand

thugs.

Therighttoself-defensedoesntendatsomeonesfrontdoor.

Ifwedontpassandpreserveself-defenselaws,innocentpeoplewillbeleftin

danger.

Thatscrazy.Theselawsgivecriminals,

drugdealersandotherthugstheability

togetawaywithmurder.

Everyonehastherighttoselfdefense.

ShootFirstgivesvigilantesapasswhen

theykillinnocentpeople.

Theserecklesslawsdontprotectinno-

centpeople.Theyallowout-of-control

vigilantestoguninnocentpeopledown.


BESTWAYSTOCOUNTER

Noonecantellyouthatyouhaveadutytoretreatwhenthreatened

byamurderer,rapist,orrobber. Iagree.Noonehasadutytoretreatiftheyve

beencorneredbyacriminal.But,ifyoucan

avoidaconfrontation,itsnotjustthelegal

thingtodo,itsbyfarthesafestthingtodo.



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EMPHASIZE BACKGROUND CHECKS AS ONE OF THE MOST

POWERFUL WAYS TO KEEP GUNS OUT OF THE HANDS OFDANGEROUS PEOPLE.

Sometimes the simplest ideas can have the most dramatic impact. Since its launch in

1998, the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) has blocked more

than 1.6 million permit applications and gun sales to elons, the seriously mentally ill, drug

abusers and other dangerous people who are prohibited by ederal law rom possessing

rearms.28

Completing the necessary paperwork or a background check takes a gun buyer mere

minutes, and more than 91 percent o these electronic screens are completed instanta-

neously.29

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TOPIC:BACKGROUNDCHECKS




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POINT OUT THAT BACKGROUND CHECKS WONT HAVE THEIR

FULL IMPACT UNTIL EVERY GUN SOLD IN AMERICA IS SUBJECT TOA BACKGROUND CHECK.

A critical faw in the background check system is the loophole that results in two out o

every ve guns sold in America changing hands without a background check.

What we need is a background check or every gun sold in America.

This loophole is known as the private sale loophole. The law allows occasional sellers

not engaged in the business o selling rearms to sell guns without a licenseand

without processing any paperwork.30 At gun shows and in other settings, many sellers

abuse that loophole by calling themselves occasional sellers.

We should emphasize the need to stop private sales rom being a device where criminals,

people with severe mental illness, and terrorists can easily acquire the most dangerous

weapons. All we are asking is or all gun purchasers to be required to pass background

checks that help keep guns out o the hands o criminals, terrorists and the seriously

mentally ill.

EMPHASIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF MAKING SURE MILLIONS

OF MISSING RECORDS ARE ADDED TO THE DATABASE.

Serious gaps in the system are allowing rearms to be sold to dangerous people. Time

and again we let dangerous people slip through the cracks.

It happens in high-prole situations like the Virginia Tech massacre and the Tucson

shootings that took six lives and wounded 13 others including Congresswoman Gabrielle

Giords. And it happens all too oten in the gun violence that claims 86 lives every

day.

Thats because millions o records identiying seriously mentally ill people and drug abus-ers as prohibited purchasers are missing rom the ederal background check database

because o lax reporting by state agencies.

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THREE



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FOCUS ON THE SIMPLICITY OF BACKGROUND CHECKS. AVOID MAKING

THE SYSTEM SOUND COMPLEX OR BUREAUCRATIC.

At heart, were calling or two relatively simple steps that would make the NICS background

check ar more eective at keeping guns out o the hands o dangerous people:

Making sure that millions o missing records are added to the database.

Eliminating loopholes and requiring a background check or every gun

sold in America.

We need to keep the conversation ocused on that reality. That means avoiding the

temptation to delve into more complex explanations o exactly how the law works and the

intricacies o implementation.

IMPORTANT NOTE: In addition to making sure missing records are added to the data-

base, there is a strong argument or expansion o the prohibitions to include other cate-

gories o persons who pose a danger to themselves or others.

This would necessitate adding a third element to our argument about whats needed to

make background checks really work:

A background check or every gun sold.

No missing records.

Stronger prohibitions or those with convictions or violent misdemeanors

and who are dangerously mentally ill.31

FOUR



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InaYouTubevideo,analQaedaspokesmanurgedtheterroristgroupssympathizersintheU.S.toexploitweakAmericangun

lawstogettheirhandsonweaponstouseagainstAmericans.32

86%ofAmericans34and82%ofgunowners35supportrequiring

allgunbuyerstopassabackgroundcheck,nomatter

wheretheybuythegunandnomatterwhotheybuyitfrom.

AllfourgunsusedintheColumbineschoolmassacrewereboughtatgunshowswithoutbackgroundchecks.33



57/80

WhenanalQaedaspokesmanisopenlytalkingaboutourloosegunlawsasa

toolforterrorists,dontyouthinkitstimetoact?

Background checks are one of several measures that, taken together,

couldamelioratetheimpactofgunviolence.

Atgunshowswecanseetheprivatesaleloopholeinaction.Wecantletgun

showsbeaplacewherecriminals,terroristsandthedangerouslymentallyill

cangetthegunstheywouldntstandachanceofpurchasingfromalicensed

gundealer.

Imnotbotheredifwepasssomelawsthatmakeitalittleharderforaguyto

gethishandsonagun.

Thefewminutesittakestocompleteabackgroundcheckwillsavepeoples

lives.Howcanwenotdothat?

You wouldnt believe the stuff that happens at these gun shows. It s like

nothingyouorIhaveeverexperienced.





58/80


Backgroundchecksarejustonemoreway

thatanti-gunpeopletrytokeepguns

outofthehandsoflaw-abidingcitizens.

Wedontneedthefederalgovernment

steppingintotellmewhetherIcan

sellmyrifletomybrother-in-law.

Thereisnogunshowloophole.The

lawisthesameatgunshowsasitis

everyplaceelse.

Actually,thevastmajorityofgunowners

supportbackgroundcheckstomakesure

dangerouspeopledontgettheirhandson

guns.

Look,wecanhavemodestexceptionsfor

closefamilysales.Butthatsnotwhats

goingon.Millionsofgunsarebeingboughtandsoldwithoutabackgroundcheck.

YouandIbothknowthatgunshowsarea

placewherethedangerousprivatesale

loopholeinthelawgetsexploited.


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59/80

Thisisjustanefforttoshutdowngun

shows,theplacewhereSecond

Amendmentdefenderscanmeet

andconnectandmobilize.

Dontfoolyourself.Mostcriminalsdont

gotogunshowstogettheirweapons.

Whatwewanttoseeisanendtogun

showsbeingshoppingbazaarsfor

criminals,terrorists,andtheseriouslymentallyill.

AccordingtoanATFstudy,30percent

ofgunsinvolvedinfederaltrafficking

investigationsareconnectedtogun

shows.36Thatssomethingweneedto

bringtoanend.


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60/80

EMPHASIZE THIS PROPOSAL AS A BRAZEN ATTEMPT TO TAKE DECISIONS

ABOUT WHO IS TOO DANGEROUS TO CARRY A LOADED, HIDDEN GUN INPUBLIC OUT OF THE HANDS OF LOCAL LEADERS.

States and cities across the country have always had the authority to decide whether some

people are just too dangerous to carry a loaded,37 hidden gun in public. These are decisions

that have traditionally been let to the states or good reasons. But the NRA and the gun

lobby want to change that.

The NRA is pushing or ederal control o state laws. The NRA wants Congress to take the

decision about who is too dangerous to carry a loaded weapon in public out o the hands

o local leaders. These proposed laws one o which has already passed the House o

Representatives would override state laws, orcing states that have tight restrictions on

who can carry a loaded, hidden gun in public to allow hundreds o thousands o gun-tot-

ing people rom other states to carry these dangerous guns into their communities.

TELL A SIMPLE STORY: CONCEALED CARRY RECIPROCITY WOULD PUT

PEOPLE AT RISK BY OVERRIDING LOCAL PUBLIC SAFETY LAWS.

Under orced reciprocity, all 49 states that allow concealed carry would be orced (in the

case o visitors to their state) to honor permits rom every other state.

Except or residents o their own state, the state with the strictest restrictions on concealed

carry would be orced to honor permits rom the state with the most lax restrictions.

ONE

TWO

TOPIC:CONCEALEDCARRYRECIPROCITY




61/80

DRAW ATTENTION TO THE MOST OUTRAGEOUS EXAMPLES OF THE KIND

OF PEOPLE A STATE WOULD BE FORCED TO LET INSIDE ITS BORDERS

WITH A LOADED WEAPON.

Point out that reciprocity would orce states to allow the carrying o hidden, loaded gunsin public places by out-o-state permit holders who we know nothing about but have

been ound to have records o domestic violence or who havent even completed basic

gun saety training to carry loaded guns in public.

Passing these laws amounts to letting Congress gut local laws designed to keep people sae.

IF THE FACTS DONT FIT YOUR STATE, CONSIDER AN ALTERNATIVE LINE

OF ARGUMENT.

Because the strength o state laws varies dramatically across the country, the leave

these decisions in local hands argument may not resonate in some states especially

those that have terrible state-level laws and leadership unriendly to gun violence

prevention measures.

In those cases, it may make more sense to rely on the argument that more guns in more

places will make us less sae.

THREE

FOUR



82%ofgunownersbelievethestates,notWashington,should

decidewhocancarryhidden

gunsinpublicplaces.38

Concealedcarrypermitholdershavekilledover460people

including14lawenforcement

officerssince2007.39


62/80

Theresrealwisdominlettinglocalcommunitieshavetherighttodecidewho

cancarryaloaded,concealedweaponinpublic.

Concealedcarryreciprocitypermitsthecarryingofloadedweaponscontrary

tothestandardssetbyastatewiththeexceptionofthehomestaterestriction.

Ifsomeoneiscarryingahidden,loadedgunin[insertstate-specificplace,e.g.

TimesSquare]youwanttoknowsomethingaboutthem.Thatstruenomatter

whereyoulive.

ImnottryingtointerferewithpeoplesSecondAmendmentrights.

HowdareCongressjumpinandoverridethedecisionsoflocalleadersand

policeaboutwhatittakestokeeppeoplesafefromgunviolence?





63/80


Congressshouldrecognizethatthe

righttoself-defensedoesnotend

atstatelines.

Weretryingtoprotectpublicsafety

andreducecrime.

Whatabouttherightinnocentpeoplehavetokeepuntrained,out-of-state

peoplefromcarryingloaded,hidden

gunsintotheircommunities?

Thatsjustcrazy.Publicspacesshouldbe

placeswherefamiliescangofreelyand

safelyandnotbeoverrunbyunknown

peoplecarryinghidden,loadedguns.


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64/80

ACKNOWLEDGE FAST AND FURIOUS AS A BOTCHED OPERATION AND

THEN PIVOT TO WEAK GUN LAWS.

There is no need to get drawn into a detailed deense or re-litigation o Fast and

Furious. We are better o acknowledging that it was a botched operation and then

quickly moving on to a broader conversation about weak gun laws and guns fowing

into the hands o drug cartels.

MAKE CLEAR THAT THE ROOT PROBLEM IS WEAK GUN LAWS THAT

MAKE IT EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO STOP THE FLOW OF DANGEROUSWEAPONS INTO MEXICO.

This whole episode reminds us how weak our gun laws are in this country especially

when you consider that some o the states with the weakest laws are right along the

border. That makes it alarmingly easy and convenient or U.S. weapons to fow into

the hands o Mexican drug lords.

The ATF has long been hampered by lack o resources to enorce ederal laws, and

diculties convincing ederal prosecutors that there are sucient grounds to seize

guns and arrest straw purchasers, cases made more dicult because o notoriously

weak ederal and state gun laws.40

WHEN TALKING TO THE BASE, DONT HESITATE TO CHALLENGE THE

MOTIVES OF THE NRA.

It is the height o hypocrisy or the NRA to be attacking the ATFs enorcement

capabilities ater they have waged a decades-long eort to hamstring the agencys

ability to enorce the nations gun laws.

ONE

TWO

TOPIC:FASTANDFURIOUS


THREE



65/80


Between2006andnow,more

than50,000peoplewerekilledindrugcartelviolencesouthoftheborder.41Whentherecoveredgunsthatareusedinthesecrimesaretraced,itturns

outthat69%ofthesegunsoriginatedfromgundealersin

theUnitedStates.42

Illtellyouwhatsreallyfastandfurioushere.ThewaytheNRAanditsallies

play fastandloosewiththefactsandhow furioustheAmericanpeople

shouldbe that theNRAs constantattackson theATFhelpgun-runnersget

awaywithmurder.



FastandFuriouswasacomplicatedprogram,butstoppinggun-runningisa

complicatedbusiness.

FastandFuriousmaynotberight.But,thedamageitdidpalesincomparison

toourongoinginattentiontoU.S.gun-runningintoMexico.



66/80


Itsanoutragewhenfederalagents

looktheotherwayashundredsofguns

flowintothehandsofmurderousdrugdealers.

Apparently,anti-gunpeoplearentalways

opposedtopeoplebeingkilledbyguns.

IftheNRAwantstostopgun-running,theydstopthrowingroadblocksinthe

wayoffederalagentswhoputtheirlives

onthelinetostopgun-runningthugs.

Thebestwaytostopthekillingisto

strengthenthelawsandgivetheATF

alltheresourcesitneeds.TheNRA

hasdonejusttheopposite.


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67/80

EMPHASIZE THAT GUN TRAFFICKING LEADS TO THE SCOURGE OF VIOLENCE

CLAIMING THOUSANDS OF LIVES EVERY YEAR.

Wherever it takes place, gun tracking always leads directly to incredible levels o

violence. Military-style weapons sold in the U.S. to gun trackers play an alarming role in

arming Mexicos brutal drug tracking cartels.43

And here in the U.S., when the NRA and its allies work to weaken gun laws in a particular

state, they arent just putting people in that state at more risk o gun violence. Research

shows that states with weak gun laws end up being the top source o illegal guns recovered

in out-o-state crimes. In act, in 2009, ten states accounted or nearly hal o the guns that

crossed state lines beore being recovered in a crime.44

MAKE IT CLEAR THAT FAILURE TO CONTROL GUN-RUNNING LETS INCREDIBLY

DESTRUCTIVE WEAPONS FLOW INTO THE HANDS OF BRUTAL DRUG CARTELS

IN MEXICO AND BRUTAL CRIMINALS HERE IN THE UNITED STATES.

Dont assume that people realize how easy it is to acquire destructive military-style

weapons in the U.S. whether or use domestically or across international borders.

AK-47s, capable o discharging a 30-round magazine in less than a minute, are widelyavailable in gun stores just a short distance rom the Mexican border. With AK-47s and

other similar weaponry, trackers have repower that equals -- i not exceeds -- that o

Mexican police and military personnel.45

The middlemen who organize the straw purchasers to buy these weapons can resell them

or three times or more what they paid in the U.S.

ONE

TWO

TOPIC:GUNTRAFFICKING




68/80

POINT TO SOLUTIONS RESTRICTIONS ON STRAW PURCHASERS, CLOSING

THE PRIVATE SALE LOOPHOLE, BANNING ASSAULT WEAPONS AND HIGH

CAPACITY MAGAZINES AND ENFORCING THE BAN ON FOREIGN-MADE

ASSAULT WEAPONS, AND CRACKING DOWN ON CORRUPT GUN DEALERS.

Gun tracking involves multiple sources and constraining it will require a multi-prongedeort. But, that doesnt mean we cant point to specic steps that we know would help

end the fow o guns and the murderous trail o gun violence that they leave behind. But,

our government has so ar ailed to act even though we know that weak gun laws give gun

trackers virtually unettered access to military-style weapons.

One key step would be eliminating the private sale loophole. Under ederal law, background

checks are not required or private sales by unlicensed sellers, making them a perect

point o purchase or trackers working to arm domestic criminal enterprises and

Mexicos drug cartels.

The most common channel in domestic gun tracking is straw purchasers someone

buying rearms on behal o a convicted elon, juvenile or other prohibited purchaser.

One reason gun tracking fourishes is that eorts to trace and enorce illegal guns

have been hampered by underunding and a long-running intentional eort to hamstring

ATF.46

Stronger U.S. gun laws on sales o multiple weapons and ending the severe restrictions

that are currently placed on the ATFs ability to trace weapons are essential to genuine

progress stopping the fow o weapons into the hands o brutal drug-trading organizations.

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Corruptlicenseddealersareahugethreattopublicsafety.Acomprehensive2000ATFreportfoundthatonepercentof

federallylicensedfirearmsdealersareresponsibleforsellingalmost60percentoftheguns

thatarefoundatcrimescenesandtracedtodealers.47

Strawpurchaserspeoplewhobuygu

Documents

Gun ViolenceMessaging Guide PDF-1