It happens after every mass shooting. Organizations for and against gun control take their communications into high gear to advocate for their positions.
After 59 people were killed and more than 500 injured at a music festival in Las Vegas on Sunday night, the first wave of messages were focused on shock and sympathy. Many groups mixed in their advocacy, suggesting ending the National Rifle Association’s influence on Congress or insisting that stricter gun laws would not have stopped the mass shooting.
Check out how six pro-gun-control and pro-gun-rights groups have reacted.
Name: Everytown for Gun Safety
Message: #RejectTheNRA
Example: The group has been singling out politicians supported by the NRA and urging people to connect with their representatives about ending the pro-gun group’s influence on elected officials. It has also set up a text system to help social media users find their representatives.
The NRA bought @LamarSmithTX21 for $29,900, and now we're all paying for it.
— Everytown (@Everytown) October 3, 2017
Tell Congress to #RejectTheNRA: Text REJECT to 64433 to connect with your Rep
Gun Owners of America
Message: More gun laws won’t stop mass shootings
Example: In several blog posts written since Monday, the group has been pointing to Europe and other regions where gun laws are much tighter than in the U.S. but where shootings still take place. It has also been claiming that extensive background checks or gun bans would not have stopped the Las Vegas attack.
Gun control in Europe is almost total. It hasn't stopped mass shooting attacks like Las Vegas: https://t.co/9cA0hFOG7d pic.twitter.com/Dzw29qkxOJ
— GOA (@GunOwners) October 3, 2017
Brady Campaign
Message: Working with congressional representatives who support gun control
Example: The Brady Campaign held an event on Tuesday with four senators who talked about how to stop future attacks like that in Las Vegas. It has also been tweeting photos with other representatives that the group’s leadership is meeting with about preventing gun violence.
"Evil attacked Las Vegas, but we can do something about it. We can say ENOUGH is enough." GVP champion @SenBlumenthal #LoveVegas #ENOUGH pic.twitter.com/my9DiuRl6E
— Brady Campaign (@Bradybuzz) October 3, 2017
Americans for Responsible Solutions
Message: Working with Congress to pass gun control
Example: The organization gathered Democratic representatives in the House of Representatives on Wednesday for a press conference showing their support for laws to prevent gun violence. It has also been asking its supporters to sign a petition pledging to vote in a Congress that "puts communities’ interests ahead of the gun lobby’s."
"Stopping gun violence takes courage." -@GabbyGiffords pic.twitter.com/FyBQa0xVFK
— ARS (@resp_solutions) October 4, 2017
Coalition to Stop Gun Violence
Message: Denouncing politicians who support the NRA
Example: The organization has used much of its messaging to call out specific politicians, from Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R-WI) to President Donald Trump for connections to the NRA.
Coalition to Stop Gun Violence
Message: Denouncing politicians who support the NRA
Example: The organization has used much of its messaging to call out specific politicians, from Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R-WI) to President Donald Trump for connections to the NRA.
Vote on deregulating silencers - delayed. There is too much #GUNviolence, @SpeakerRyan can't find right time to further weaken our gun laws.
— CSGV (@CSGV) October 3, 2017
NRA
Message: None
Example: The NRA has a history of going radio silent after a mass shooting. The group hasn’t tweeted since Friday afternoon on its main account and since Sunday on its NRA Blog account. Its other social channels have also gone dark.