So first, we have to keep at our work in the states. Second, I really think that addressing the community violence that is disproportionately impacting Black and brown communities is really critical. It is the kind of thing that saves lives, immediately, and we’ve seen that over and over again. And then third is transforming the national cultural conversation on guns. That’s not an overnight thing. But holding corporate companies accountable in court and educating the public on their role in the crisis, I think, will have a pretty dramatic impact in how this issue is seen.
Obvious question, but how critical is this election in November to continuing that progress? I say that knowing that, when you’re talking about the last 10 years of progress, some of that occurred under a Republican administration. So, you know, it’s not to say that this progress would be completely impeded, necessarily, but what are the stakes for this election? And how does that factor into the work that you’re looking to do in this next chapter?
The stakes couldn’t be higher here. Gun violence prevention is a big part of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris’s argument, and it should be. President Biden has a very strong record to run on here. And I think, if you’re looking at the research, public safety is consistently ranking as a top priority and a worry for American voters, as is gun violence itself increasingly. And we see this particularly with young Americans, where the issue is both top of mind and very motivating.
There is a myth that this is a Democratic issue. But if you look at our research, you see that the majority of independents—and almost half of Republicans in battleground states—really want stronger gun laws. So it’s a very clear majority.
I think that the stakes are there and the momentum is there. And it ties into a larger conversation we’re having in this country, I think, about fundamental freedoms and rights. There’s zero ambiguity about where Donald Trump stands on this issue. You may have seen, he recently assured the NRA that he would be their most loyal friend if elected once again. It’s important to remember that.
It’s important to remember that gun homicides rose considerably during his presidency. So I think we expect this issue to play a major role in getting people out to vote this fall. And I would say that, for gun safety, winning the election this year—as well as elections across the country—is particularly critical.
— Eric Lutz in How the Gun-Reform Movement Can Finally “Break” the Grip of the Firearm Lobby
2 Responses
Once again a lefty spews more B S. “There is a myth that this is a Democratic issue.” Myth, my ass! Eric et al, can’t handle the truth.
“There is a myth that this is a Democratic issue. But if you look at our research, you see that the majority of independents—and almost half of Republicans in battleground states—really want stronger gun laws. So it’s a very clear majority.”
There’s a *tiny* grain of truth in there, unfortunately for them, when you drill down into the specifics of what they really want, that ‘support’ evaporates like Hillary’s hopes on 9 November, 2016, and the sitting president is forced to tell her to call Trump and congratulate him on winning.
What I would have given to be a fly on the wall in that room when *that* happened… 😉