Let's face it. The NRA and it's fellow travelers have gone silent for the moment. Their high-priced crisis management consultants have no doubt instructed them to lay low, and the word has quietly gone out to their public surrogates to say nothing, or almost nothing, for the time being. The calculus of how long it will take for 20 shooting deaths in a single elementary school population to recede from public cosciousness has, without doubt, already been done. Calculations like that are no longer guesswork. They are, frighteningly, based upon pure science -- reams and reams of research into human behavior. We already know what to expect to hear when the gun lobby reemerges. We also know what levers of power they will once more begin to pull. The question for individuals truly wishing to work toward a culture change is what the most effective response(s) might be. See below for one possibility.
One idea that popped into my head yesterday might have some potential. The NRA is what it is. In a leadership sense, the NRA is a clearly defined entity that has done a great job of controlling and presenting consistent messaging on gun rights, and has been effective in getting legislative action to support their wishes and/or demands. In short, if they were on our side we would be thrilled with the organizational aspects they embody. We can rail against their successes all we want. As long as they are allowed to push their opposition into the corner labeled "gun grabbers" they will continue to win.
So what might be a first step in counteracting the powerful position the gun rights lobby has created for itself? The one weakness the gun lobby cannot protect itself from is the same weakness the GOP faced this last election. The names were Todd Akin, Richard Mourdock, and yes, Mitt Romney/Paul Ryan. They have been forced, willingly or unwillingly, into opposing any legislation on gun rights, no matter how sane and reasonable. Meanwhile, the role of gun-related tragedies continues to roll across the screens of all Americans like the credits of a Star Wars movie -- that is, endlessly. Columbine, Tuscon, Denver, Va. Tech, Newtown, Some-place-else, and Some-place-else...... There is an elephant in the gun lobby's front room they must continue to feed. It is called extremism, and they now cannot back away from it, even though that position does not match the beliefs of a large number of Americans, individuals who might grab onto a sane alternative to the NRA or the Gun Owners of America (GOA) if another organization existed that was closer to their true beliefs, and if supporting it did not meant one had to reconcile the picture of 20 dead children with the wish to own personal firearms.
One possible alternative already in place is the Brady Center, but they strike me as not perfectly positioned for the struggle. I haven't spent a lot of time on gun rights, and from that perspective the Brady Center seems to be kind of quiet and attached to an event that occurred in the 1980's. They are quoted after the fact every tragedy, a very reactive position to occupy. This might be completely wrong, but it is a personal observation that may have some validity, and needs to be considered. Their policy positions seem to be right where they need to be on the topics that the upcoming national conversation will build around. Automatic weapons restrictions, etc.
What I would prefer to see, however, is a group that touts itself as a clear, true alternative to the NRA, with a "You're not the only player on the field any longer, Big Boy, we're here now." sort of approach. That approach should be proactive, and appeal to a lot of different segments of the population with differing views on guns vs. no guns, etc.. This organization can only succeed if the tent is big enough. (Remember the inherent, extremist weakness of the other side....) That means true no-gun folks must coexist with gun owners of various stripes. The core belief of the group, however, should be that cultural change must be allowed to happen; that we cannot solve this sort of problem by arming everyone in our society. Common sense laws must be passed, at least for automatic weapons, and some sort of messaging on the true role of firearms in society be ramped up that matches the visibility of national efforts on on the dangers of tobacco, drunk driving, etc. This could be the Brady Center if they modify their focus a bit, I would think. But it might also be a new organization that comes into being with the sole intent of being a safe, sane harbor for all who seek shelter form the insanity that so recently visited us again. Someone with current public visibility might be able to get such an effort off the ground in a timely fashion as the national debate unfolds, to the credit and benefit of the entire country.