GunControlAdvocates GenesisContreras October15,2013 IDAP370Fall2013

Introduction Morethan100,000Americansareshotinmurders,assaults,suicides,suicideattemptsor accidents.ThelateststatisticsfromtheFBIshowthatthenumberofmurdersbyfirearmincreasedin 2012insteadofdecreasingasithadinthepastfouryears.Thedebateoverguncontrolissparked evenmorewhenmassshootingstakeplace.ThemostrecentonebeingtheoneattheNavyYardin Washington.Therearemanyorganizationsthathavecomeaboutinordertoraiseawarenessofthe neededchangeinlawsforstricterguncontrol.OneofthemostprominentorganizationsisTheBrady Campaign,whosemaingoalistopass,enforce,andprotectsensiblelawsandpublicpolicythat addressgunviolenceatthefederalandstatelevel(BradyCampaigntoPreventGunViolence,2013). Dr.MarkBorinskyfoundtheNationalCounciltoControlHandgunsin1974.Theorganizationwas renamedHandgunControl,Incin1980sandlaterrenamedin2001theBradyCampaigntoPrevent GunViolencein2001(BradyCampaigntoPreventGunViolence,2013).Thispaperwilltakeacloser lookattheorganizationbyidentifyingitstargetaudience,takingalookatrecentpublicopinion, analyzingitthroughSWOT,andexaminingtheirPRstrategies. TargetAudience AfterexaminingTheBradyCampaignswebsitetheorganizationstargetaudienceisnotlimited toanyparticularage,gender,orrace.BradyCampaignstargetaudienceisallguncontroladvocates andpeoplewhoareunsureonhowtheyfeelaboutguns.TheywishtoincludetheAmericanpublicin takingactionandinformingthemselvesaboutthegunviolenceinAmerica.Theyencourageengagement andparticipationthroughBradyChapters,theiradvocacycampaignsandMomMillionMarch.Brady andMomMillionMarchChaptersareanationwidenetworkofgrassrootsvolunteerswhoworkfor sensiblegunslawstoprotectyou,yourfamily,andyourcommunity(BradyCampaigntoPreventGun Violence,2013).TheBradyCampaignreachesouttoavarietyofpeoplefromalldifferentculturesand agestoinformallofthedangersofgunsifnotstrictersensiblelawsareputinplace. PublicOpinion ThemostrecentsurveysincludedaCNNInternationalpollreleasedinApril2013indicatesthat 86%ofthepublicsupportssomeformofbackgroundchecksthatarenotcurrentlyrequired.Thispoll coincideswithpastsurveysshowingnopartisandivideonthequestionofhavingbackgroundchecks.

AccordingtoCNNPoliticsalotofDemocrats,independents,andevensomeRepublicanssupportthe backgroundchecks.ThisbillwasbackedbyPresidentBarackObamaearlierthisyearandsincethey SandyHookshootingbutitdidnotreceivethesufficientvotesinCongressearlierthisyear(CNN Politics).PresidentObamahasbeenanadvocateforfindingandpassingguncontrollegislation.Hehas influencedpublicopinioninresponsetorecentmassacresinhisproposalstotightenguncontrollaws. TheNationalRifleAssociationgenerallybelievesthatitispeoplesfaultnotguns.Theybelievethatif morelawabidingcitizenscarriedweapons,criminalswouldnothaveasafeplacetocommitmass murdersandotherviolentcrimes(PublicIssuesandDebatesCase84).

SWOTAnalysis AfterresearchingthevarioussocialnetworkoutletsTheBradyCampaignusesandthegoalsof thisorganizationaSWOTanalysiscanbeformulated.TheBradyCampaignhasmanystrengthsthat includetheiractiveroleinsocialmedia,theirextentinformation/facts,theirofferingofsolutionsto possiblethreats,andtheireffortstoencouragethepublictoparticipate.Weaknessesincludethe SecondAmendmentbeingtherighttobeararms,theeconomicimpactifuniversalbackgroundcheck wasenacted,andthewebsitedoesnotoffereasytofindstatisticsofthepasttwoyears.Therearemany opportunitiesthattheBradyCampaignhasintheirfavor.Theseopportunitiesincludethesupportof PresidentObama,theirChapters,theirYouTubecampaignofWeareBetterThanThis,theLegal ActionProgramthatusescourtstoreducegunviolence,andLivingfor32documentarythatshows ColinGoddardsstoryoftransformationfromgunshotsurvivortoadvocatewiththeBradyCampaign (BradyCampaigntoPreventGunViolence,2013).AndfinallythethreatsthatBradyCampaignsfaces istheNRA,thosewhosupportguns,thosewhoownguns,thosewhousegunstohunt,andtheSecond Amendment. PublicRelations BradyCampaignusesvariousstrategiesthatincludesocialmediapresence,mediacoverage,the useofspokespeople,theirChapters,andtheencouragementtotakeaction.Thetacticsusedtoexecute thesestrategiesseemtobethoughtoutquitewell.TheyhaveaFacebook,aTwitter,aYouTube,and anofficialwebsite.Alloftheirsocialnetworksareinterconnectedallowingforwhoevervisitsanyof theirsitestoeasilyfindtheothers.BradyCampaignusesthetacticsofpressreleases,mediahighlights,

andmediacontactinformationtomaintaintheirmediacoverage.ThehavePDFstodownloadas reportstokeepupdated.Asforspokespeople,theyusetheirleadersoftheirorganizationandtheir Chapters.TheChaptersaremainlycomposedofvolunteersthatwanttosharetheirstoriesormakea difference(BradyCampaigntoPreventGunViolence,2013).Thetacticsusedtoencourageactionare theabilitytosignpetitionsregardlessofwhereoneislocated,totakepartofachapter,todonate,and theemailingofregularupdates.Thesestrategiesandtacticsarewhatkeeptheirfollowingupdatedon whatBradyCampaignisdoing. Recommendations PersonallyIbelievethattheBradyCampaigncouldusemoreoftheiremotionalappealtothe public.Thisemotionalappealcanbedonebypostingpicturesorvideosofpersonalstoriesofthose whohavebeenaffectedbyguns.Alsotheycouldreachouttoopinionleadersandnonprofitsfor partnerships.TheycouldorganizeaFriendathontorecruitmorevolunteersormembersfortheir Chaptersandtofundraisemoneytobeabletoputoncommercials/adstoreachagreaterpublic.They couldalsocreateandhavereadilyavailableontheirwebsiteafactsheetaboutBradyCampaignand eachofitsinitiatives.IfmoreattentionneedstobecalledtowardstheChapters,thedocumentary,and theirgoalsthenapitchlettersentouttothemediaforafeaturecouldalsohelpintheirgoalofraising awareness. Conclusion TheBradyCampaignhasmanystrategiesandtacticsputinplacetosucceedandbeeffectivein thisguncontroldebate.Thestrategiesandtacticsputinplacearegoodbutcandefinitelybeenhanced tobringmoreattentiontotheirmovement.TheirbiggestthreatsareexternalthatincludetheNRAand theSecondAmendment.Ontheotherhandtheyhavegreatopportunitiesthattheycanuseintheirfavor andthebiggestopportunityisthebackingofPresidentObama.TheBradyCampaigncanhavegreater successiftheirstrengths/opportunitiesaretakenfulladvantageofandiftheirweaknessesareaddressed. TheBradyCampaignhascomealongwaysince1974andcancontinueleavinglegacy.

WorksCited "BradyCampaigntoPreventGunViolence."BradyCampaigntoPreventGunViolence.Brady Campaign,2013.Web.13Oct.2013.<http://bradycampaign.org/>. Center,AllenH.,PatrickJackson,andPatrickJackson."PublicIssueCampaignsandDebates." PublicRelationsPractices:ManagerialCaseStudiesandProblems.UpperSaddleRiver, NJ:PrenticeHall,2003.N.pag.Print. Steinhauser,Paul."PublicOpinionGetsTrumpedinGunControlDefeat."CNNPoliticalTicker RSS.N.p.,Apr.2013.Web.13Oct.2013. <http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2013/04/17/publicopiniongetstrumpedinguncon troldefeat/>.