The Views

Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence

Beliefs:

The Brady Campaign Group is a special interest group that believes in the prevention of gun violence in America. In 1981 when an assassination attempt almost took the lives of President Ronald Regan and his assistant Jim Brady, Brady and his wife Sarah became strong advocates of gun control and began the fight against the National Rifle Association. Members of their organization, the Brady Campaign, are devoted to keeping Americans safe from gun violence in their homes, schools, work and communities. The group works to pass restrictions on gun usage on a state and national level.  One of their prime beliefs is that it should be harder for convicted felons, those with mental illnesses or other people of this nature to acquire guns in this country.  They believe that laws should be passed which restrict the amount of guns that a person can purchase at one time and require consumers to pass a background check before purchasing a gun. Brady Campaign also believes that any military-assault style weapons should be banned entirely and that law enforcement needs to be strengthened in their efforts to stop illegal gun trafficking. An important aspect of the Brady Campaign to realize is that its members believe that the prevention of gun violence can be achieved without the complete prohibition of guns.  Members agree that sensible, law-abiding citizens should be allowed to own a fire arm for protection. These people who wish to own guns for their own self-defense should be trained to the highest standard of gun safety and should keep their weapon secure at all times. One of the primal beliefs of the group is that guns need to be kept away from the wrong hands to decrease the amount of injuries and deaths which occur every year due to reckless gun use.

Political Activity:

The Brady Campaign partakes in almost every form of political activity possible. The prime goal of the group is to lobby for legislation, state and federal, which regulates and restricts gun usage in America. Before President Obama was even sworn into office, the Brady Campaign sent his administration a memo outlining recommendations for the nation’s new gun reform policies. These recommendations included laws that would make it harder for convicted felons, mentally ill and other restricted persons from obtaining guns. New “common sense” laws were outlined as well that would work to reduce the numbers of injuries and deaths that occur each year from gun violence. Brady Campaign also works vigorously to raise funds to which go entirely to support passing gun control legislation. For example, Brady has recently supported Congressmen such as Senator Frank Lautenberg and Representatives Carolyn McCarthy and Mike Castle to support their legislation which closes the loophole which allows people to purchase guns at gun shows without having to go through a proper Brady criminal background check.  The Brady Campaign is also famously known for their “protesting and disruption” in 2000’s “Million Mom March.” The Brady Campaign collaborated with Million Mom March on Mother’s Day of 2000 in front of Washington D.C.’s national mall and in the streets of the city to promote stricter regulations on guns in order to keep them out of the hands of criminals and children. In doing all of this, Brady Campaign continues to raise public support by their use of the media. Their Facebook and YouTube account continue to keep their followers informed of their actions and allow for people to make contributions easily through online transactions.

Current Lobbying or Legislation Attempts:

The Brady Campaign is continuously lobbying against the gun lobby, a group devoted to keeping the peoples’ gun rights intact. Groups such as the NRA are a constant block to the Brady Campaign’s agenda. Recently, Brady Campaign has focused their efforts on lobbying for an act of legislation titled Gun Show Loophole Closing Act of 2009. This act would prevent convicted felons and the mentally ill from walking into any gun show in the nation and purchasing a gun from an unlicensed seller.  Survivors of the Virginia Tech shooting and Columbine High School shooting testified on behalf of this legislation and more than 105 House members have already cosponsored it.

Do they form a Political Action Committee?

Yes- This organization lobbies Congress on a regular basis, has local chapters nationwide, and also organizes protests and media-worthy events such as the Million Mom March (www.bradycampaign.org/home).

Known Political Supporters:

This organization has many known political supporters, such as Bill Clinton, Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY), and Dr. Mark Borinsky (who founded the National Council to Control Handguns). Democrats in general tend to want more gun control; not only is it part of their party platform, but part of their ideology of government intervention into social affairs.

Common Supporters:

The most notable common supporter is Jim Brady, who founded the organization after he was shot during an assassination attempt on President Regan (Brady was the press secretary, who happened to be standing in the way of the bullet). Victims of gun violence, along with those who witness gun violence, are also more likely to support stricter gun control laws. Nelson Shields (former DuPont executive) and Charles and Mary Leigh Blek are amongst the ranks of the victims of gun violence, and have used their influence and money to help the Brady Campaign Group. Other common supporters include mothers (hence the Million Mom March), women (who are generally considered the “softer” gender), and pediatricians.

Extra Info:

This campaign group is effective for a number of reasons, not the least of which is a strong emotional appeal to women in general, mothers, and victims of gun violence. There is, for example, a gadget on their website that gives an up-to-the-minute count on how many people have been shot this year and today in the United States. Their efforts are greatly aided by the use of a professional-looking, fully-functional, interactive website that gives information about the group as well as its history, mission statement, and goals for the future; there is also a function that allows the viewer to see which states are pro-gun.

NRA

National Rifle Association

Est. 1871

Founders: Colonel William C. Church, General George Wingate (Union veterans)

Beliefs

The NRA is a pro-2^nd Amendment organization.

“The primary goal of the association would be to ‘promote and encourage rifle shooting on a scientific basis,’ according to a magazine editorial written by Church” (NRA).

Since its founding on November 17, 1871, the NRA has kept “its commitment to training, education and marksmanship” (NRA).

Political Activity

The NRA advocates, first and foremost, for the preservation of 2^nd Amendment rights, to keep and bear arms. They promote this on both the state and federal levels, drawing membership from pro-2^nd Amendment citizens and firearm enthusiasts, hunters, and collectors.

Reaching out to citizens across the country, they promote gun safety, especially through their youth-oriented programs.

Recent political activity includes: opposition to the appointment of Andrew Traver to Head Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (BATFE), support of the right to hunt and fish, and the protection of the gun rights of veterans.

Current Lobbying/Legislation Attempts

The case of McDonald vs. Chicago has been one of many cases that have concerned the NRA lately, as it ultimately protected the “fundamental, individual right to keep and bear arms for self-defense nationwide” (http://www.nraila.org/Legislation/Federal/Read.aspx?id=6063). This case “reversed the decision of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, which upheld the [handgun] bans” (http://www.nraila.org/Legislation/Federal/Read.aspx?id=6063). 

Another point of close attention from the NRA are “federal laws that prohibit law-abiding Americans 18-20 years of age from legally purchasing a handgun through a federally licensed firearm deal” (NRA). The NRA believes that the right to purchase and carry a gun belongs to eighteen year-old citizens.

Common Supporters

Many gun owners support the NRA and pro 2^nd Amendment enthusiasts. Many people believe that NRA members are very “hard-core” but they are actually very moderate in comparison to the creators of the group. Many conservatives have made 2^nd Amendment rights part of their campaigns, so conservatives support the NRA more so than liberals.

Known Political Supporters

Sarah Palin (AZ), Mississippi Governor, Haley Barbour, former United Nations Ambassador John Bolton, South Dakota Senator John Thune, South Carolina Senator Jim DeMint, and Indiana Representative Mike Pence are all known political supporters of the NRA.

Did They Form a PAC?

Yes, the NRA has formed a Political Action Committee by the name of “The National Rifle Association Political Victory Fund (NRA-PVF). They have used this PAC to fund pro second amendment groups around the US.

Sources

"Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence : History of the Brady Campaign." Brady        Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence : Home. Ed. Brady Campaign. Brady         Campaign. Web. 21 Nov. 2010. <http://www.bradycampaign.org/home>.

Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. (n.d.). Retrieved from   http://www.bradycampaign.org/

 “Los Angeles Times.” Gun control’s NRA supporters. (n.d.). Retrieved from             http://articles.latimes.com/2009/dec/16/opinion/la-ed-guns16-2009dec16

“NRA-ILA.” McDonald v. Chicago Oral Arguments Audio Released. (n.d.). Retrieved     from http://www.nraila.org/Legislation/Federal/Read.aspx?id=6063

“NRA-ILA.” NRA-PVF Celebrates Landslide Victories in 2009 Elections. (n.d.).   Retrieved from http://www.nraila.org/News/Read/InTheNews.aspx?ID=13079

Walsh, Kenneth. “Politics.” Sarah Palin Headed to NRA Convention. (n.d.). Retrieved      from http://www.ihavenet.com/politics/Sarah-Palin-Headed-to-NRA-Convention-          PB.html