Why gun violence can't be our new normal | Dan Gross

Confession: Obsession with Advertising

The speaker confesses their obsession with advertising and how it led them to their dream job at a New York ad agency. However, everything changed when their brother was shot in a tragic incident.

Childhood Fascination with Advertising

• As a child, the speaker was captivated by advertising while watching Saturday morning cartoons.

• They paid more attention to commercials than the shows themselves, trying to understand their persuasive techniques.

Dream Job in Advertising

• The speaker pursued a career in advertising and became a partner at a prominent New York ad agency.

Tragic Incident

• On February 23, 1997, the speaker's younger brother was shot in the head on the observation deck of the Empire State Building.

• This event turned their family's life into a nightmare.

• The brother survived but had to undergo multiple emergency brain surgeries and continues to recover from a traumatic brain injury.

Gratitude for Survival

• The speaker considers their brother as their hero for his courageous recovery from such a devastating injury.

Reflecting on Others' Losses

• While acknowledging the tragedy that affected their own family, the speaker emphasizes that many other families experience even worse losses due to gun violence.

• They mention the 90 families who lose loved ones every day without making national headlines.

National Epidemic of Gun Violence

• The speaker criticizes society's acceptance of gun violence as some kind of new normal.

• They express determination to take action against this disgraceful national epidemic.

Engaging People to Prevent Gun Violence

The speaker explains how they left their job in advertising to address gun violence. They highlight the importance of finding common ground and engaging people in order to save lives.

Leaving Advertising for Gun Violence Prevention

• Inspired by their love for advertising and its ability to engage people, the speaker quit their job to combat gun violence.

Finding Common Ground

• The speaker emphasizes the need to find common ground between different perspectives on gun ownership and gun violence prevention.

• They mention that even among people who love hunting and believe in the Second Amendment, there is common ground for keeping guns out of dangerous hands.

Importance of Background Checks

• The speaker advocates for comprehensive background checks to prevent guns from ending up in the wrong hands.

• They highlight the effectiveness of Brady background checks in blocking gun sales to convicted criminals, domestic abusers, and the mentally ill.

Overwhelming Public Support for Background Checks

• The speaker cites statistics showing that 90% of Americans support expanding Brady background checks to all gun sales.

• This support extends across political affiliations, including Republicans, gun owners, and even NRA members.

Addressing Existing Guns and Misinformation

The speaker discusses the issue of existing guns in homes and challenges misinformation spread by the corporate gun lobby.

Responsible Gun Owners

• The majority of guns are owned by law-abiding citizens who prioritize safety for themselves and their families.

• Many people choose to own guns because they believe it makes their homes safer.

Influence of Misinformation

• The corporate gun lobby has spent billions of dollars blocking research into gun violence as a public health epidemic.

• They have also hindered discussions about the dangers of guns in homes with pediatricians.

• Additionally, they have opposed smart-gun technology that could prevent accidental shootings involving children.

Tragic Consequences

• People are dying every day due to this misinformation campaign.

• Children are particularly vulnerable, with unintentional shootings and suicides involving parents' guns being significant concerns.

School Shootings and Home Guns

• Two-thirds of school shootings involve a gun taken from someone's home.

• The speaker expresses heartbreak over meeting parents who have experienced the devastating consequences of such incidents.

Manipulation by Bad Actors

• The speaker emphasizes that these parents are not bad people but victims of manipulation by those who prioritize profit over lives.

New Section

The speaker discusses the dream of a better and safer future, specifically focusing on reducing gun deaths in the US by 50% by 2025. They highlight the tipping point that has been reached in the movement to end gun violence and how it is gaining support from various sectors of society.

The Dream of a Better Future

• The speaker's organization, the Brady Campaign, aims to cut the number of gun deaths in half by 2025.

• They emphasize that this dream is shared by many and reflects a desire for a safer future.

Reaching a Tipping Point

• The speaker believes that the movement to end gun violence in America has reached a significant moment of change.

• They mention that millions of Americans have come together to say "Enough" to mass shootings and daily gun violence.

• There is a growing consensus among diverse groups, including celebrities like Kim Kardashian, who advocate for expanded background checks.

• Political candidates are now addressing gun violence as an important issue, indicating a shift in public opinion.

Cultural Change and Activism

• The speaker highlights how issues transition from political advocacy to becoming part of pop culture, with voices from various platforms advocating for change.

• Social media and online organizing tools have democratized activism, allowing millions to show their support for common-sense gun control measures.

Closing the Disconnect between Public Opinion and Politics

• Efforts are being made at both state and national levels to push for legislative changes regarding gun control. Congress is being pressured by public demand for action on this issue.

• Recent tragedies have prompted increased activism, resulting in a vote on gun control legislation that was previously unlikely to happen.

• The influence of the corporate gun lobby is being challenged, and there have been positive steps taken by President Obama through executive actions to expand background checks.

Creating Lasting Change

• Activists are not solely relying on Congress but are also taking their cause directly to the people through marches and grassroots efforts.

• The speaker believes that change will come when the American public continues to demand action and holds elected leaders accountable.

Inspiring Change for a Safer Future

• The speaker draws inspiration from how societal norms have shifted over time, such as smoking or driving without seat belts becoming stigmatized behaviors. They envision a future where gun violence is similarly stigmatized and eradicated.