Brady Campaign
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The Brady Campaign or The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence or The Brady Campaign united with the Million Mom March was founded in 1974 as The National Council to Control Handguns (NCCH) by Dr. Mark Borinsky, a victim of gun violence.[1] The NCCH was re-named Handgun Control, Inc. from 1980 until 2001. On June 14, 2001, Handgun Control, Inc. was renamed the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence has always been, and still is, a political lobbying group promoting the cause of gun control.
Some critics claim that the Brady Campaign has been largely ineffective since the Democratic Party lost control of Congress in January 1995. Since then the "assault weapons" ban has been allowed to expire; legislation protecting gun manufacturers and dealers against lawsuits by crime victims has been enacted in Congress and in several States; and the pro-gun opinions of former senator John Ashcroft were no impediment to his confirmation as Attorney General in 2001.
The affiliated Million Mom March, started as one of the largest marches on Washington, is now a national network of 75 Chapters around the U.S. that work locally in their fight against gun violence and the devastation such violence causes. The Million Mom March partially collapsed immediately after its first event, financially as well as in terms of recruitment. Its web site shows that the organization developed grassroots membership in 75 chapters across the country but has not yet become the "anti-NRA" its organizers had hoped it would become. The Million Mom March was additionally supported by the League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan political advocacy organization that does take positions on many political issues.[2]
The Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence is a sister organization that was also spun out of Handgun Control, Inc. on June 14, 2001. It is a registered not-for-profit organization which focuses on education and litigation and not political lobbying.
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[edit] Leadership
James Brady and his wife, Sarah, have been influential in the organization since at least the mid-80s. Sarah Brady became the Chair of Handgun Control, Inc. in 1989, replacing Pete Shields, who had held that position since 1978.
From 2000 to May 2006 former Maryland Congressman Michael D. Barnes was the president of the Brady Campaign. He was succeeded by former Fort Wayne, Indiana mayor Paul Helmke.
[edit] Stated Mission
As stated on the Brady Campaign's website, "we work to enact and enforce sensible gun laws, regulations, and public policies through grassroots activism, electing public officials who support gun laws, and increasing public awareness of gun violence." The Brady Campaign and its child organizations have also historically helped spearhead gun-control legislation at state and national levels, including the institution of the national instant background check system.
[edit] Past Efforts and Actions
The Brady Campaign was the chief supporter of the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act, known as the "Brady Bill", enacted in 1993 after several years of debate; and successfully lobbied for passage of the first-ever Federal assault weapons ban, banning the manufacture and importation of so-called military-style "assault weapons", a provision that gun-rights critics called arbitrary and symbolic.
[edit] Identity confusion
As noted previously, the Brady Campaign was founded in 1974 as The National Council to Control Handguns (NCCH). Unfortunately, this name was often confused with the similarly-named "The National Council to Ban Handguns", subsequently known as "The Coalition to Stop Gun Violence" also started in 1974. [3],[4] These two organizations, The National Council to Control Handguns (NCCH) and "The National Council to Ban Handguns" were entirely separate organizations.
[edit] Criticism
The Brady Campaign, as a partisan and visible presence in the highly polarized U.S. firearm rights debate, has frequently drawn criticism from those who feel it falls short or fails to be sufficiently aggressive in its efforts, and those who believe the organizations' very existence and goals are repugnant, including those who see the Campaign's gun-control efforts as entirely unconstitutional.
One of the Brady Campaign's major efforts, the 1994 Assault Weapons Ban, was severely derided. Gun control advocates felt the ten-year expiration would mitigate any benefits, and that the bill left too many loopholes to be effective. Critics also noted that the definition of "assault weapon" was based upon arbitrary features, such as "pistol grips", flash reduction devices, adjustable or foldable shoulder stocks, and the screw threads to attach the flash reduction "flash hiding" device.
[edit] Further reading
- "A Reporter At Large: Handguns," The New Yorker, July 26, 1976, pp. 57-58
[edit] See also
- Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence
- List of United States firearms topics
- Coalition to Stop Gun Violence
