selling CCW to the public

[Monkeyleg]

Over in the General Discussion forum, Oleg has a thread going about a poster he created for CCW in Wisconsin.

The poster makes reference to a woman's great-grandmother being able to carry a pistol for defense, but the woman's right to self-defense today in WI is not recognized.

I see that as a historically-based argument: we once had rights; where did they go?

My suggestion for changes to the poster was to make reference to the fact that, in nearly every other state, the woman would have the right to self defense, but not in Wisconsin.

That's what really motivates me to work for CCW. People in other states have a right/privelege that I do not.

Until I joined The Firing Line many years ago I, like many, thought that only a couple of states had legal CCW. When I found out I was wrong, I was angry.

When I started the WCCA, I tried using logic and statistics: John Lott, FBI Uniform Crime Reports, etc. People's eyes would glaze over.

It was a case of "my statistician can beat up your statistician." It didn't work.

Neither did logic.

As I thought about how to frame the argument, I went back to what motivated me, which was a very base human emotion, but a powerful one: envy. Someone in Michigan has something that I can't have.

That's been effective for those who would want that "something" that they can't have.

But how do you sell CCW to people who aren't envious, and don't care whether they have the same rights or priveleges as other citizens?

I'm not asking how to get people to not care if we have CCW or not. My impression is that the general public doesn't much care if WI had shall-issue or not. I don't think it's on their radar.

How do you get people who are not affected by something they don't have, and something they may not particularly be interested in having, to at least want others to have that "something?"

As I type this, I'm thinking back to the 1960's, when the civil rights movement was really overwhelming the public discourse.

As a white suburban teenage kid, I wasn't affected by segregation, or racism. Yet I was drawn to the movement, as were millions of others.

Why?

Answer that question, and you may hit on the way to sell CCW to people who aren't particularly interested.

 

[Art Eatman]

Speaking only to what Texas requires for a CHL:

"I've been checked out by the FBI, which means I have as clean a background as any policeman you know. I'm finger-printed and photographed and those are on file with the state. I've demonstrated to a state-certified instructor that I'm competent with a handgun. I've had several hours of discussion of anger management and non-violent conflict resolution; have you? Why, then, would it matter to you if I have a CHL?"

That general line of reasoning works with most rational folks.

Otherwise, about all you can do is point out that nothing bad has happened in any state where CHL laws have been recently passed. The state police in Florida and Texas have been publicly laudatory toward those who have gotten CHLs, via press releases.

If nothing bad has happened in other states, is one to believe that Wisconsin people are crazier than in, say, Texas? Florida? More likely to run amok?

Art

 

[Zundfolge]

As a white suburban teenage kid, I wasn't affected by segregation, or racism. Yet I was drawn to the movement, as were millions of others.

Why?

Because racism and its manifestations in the law were very obviously unjust and had a serious, deep and lifelong impact on blacks. Plus white folk felt guilt for the mistreatment of their fellow citizens just because of the color of their skin.

I think CCW and civil rights for blacks are apples and oranges.

You not being allowed to pack heat is not ever going to seem as serious as a black man not being allowed to vote.


Unfortunately the only thing that will move people toward demanding CCW (not just accepting it) are more Luby's Diners ... although this can have the opposite effect (like Port Arthur and Dunblane had in Australia and England)

 

[MattC]

Send out a positive message

No single argument will win the state to support the right of the individual to keep and bear arms. I was one of those people logically convinced about CCW who previously had no familiarity with the subject. The envy of rights will motivate other people. A sudden awareness of people needing to protect themselves will motive some people. Appeals to emotion for those who only oppose firearms based on emotions will motivate many people. Dismissing the acculturated myth of the “guns cause violence” mentality is the goal of all approaches, and support of legal recognition of the right to self protection and carrying a firearm will follow.

I think the first step is helping people feel good about firearms. They do not need a desire to own one or shoot one, but to not feel afraid when somebody says the word “gun.” This starts with an emotional appeals campaign. Show people smiling in positive firearm situations. A father teaching his son/daughter how to target shoot with a .22lr. Later, a husband and wife together at the range with handguns, competing for the best grouping. Simultaneously, ads running about women being able to protect themselves and families sleeping better at night, which depict firearms as tools of protection. Positive has to be the overriding message to the general population, not SHTF or EOTWAWKI zombie protection (nearly everyone who is already concerned with these scenarios already supports RKBA). The majority of Wisconsin residents consider these scenarios to be radical fringe ideas not worth supporting—the majority wants stability and happiness. How can firearms increase stability and happiness?

After breaking down the negative emotional barrier a little, add in the envy of other states and reminders of RKBA. Revive the logical statistics argument.

But visual ad campaigns cost big money. The new marketing fad is low-budget buzz marketing. Get a viral message out that people pass on to friends and acquaintances. The goal is to get as many people talking positively about the topic based on testimonies and experiences of other friends. Convince one person, and that person will start convince his or her social circles.
--An organized letters-to-the-editor campaign is a starting place.
--Orchestrating “free rental” days at local ranges, indoor and outdoor, might also help if awareness is spread around (increased ammo sales could provide a financial incentive to range owners). A larger audience would be reached through newspaper ads, flyers, or direct mail pieces. However, with a low budget, have those connected with the event actively inform acquaintances and have quarter-sheet flyers ready for more information beyond an initial conversation and recommendation. Enlist women (i.e. wives and girlfriends) especially to help circulate the event to those that they know.
--Start a group of coworkers into a little club to “just have some fun” once a week at a local range. Invite others each week, and if they are first-time shooters, they are sure to talk about it to family, friends, and other coworkers. Make it a fun novelty experience for them, not a serious legal issue. Seriousness about RKBA will come up later, after several trips, and then only peripherally for awhile. The goal would be to inspire, covertly, the new shooters to start the first big discussion about legal issues.

I wasn’t around in the 60s, so I cannot speak to the motivation of the civil rights movement. But I am sure that subverting the acculturated negative stereotypes of the firearm held by the majority of Wisconsin citizens is the necessary catalyst to regaining public support of the individual right to bear arms.

Thoughts?

 

[Standing Wolf]

You not being allowed to pack heat is not ever going to seem as serious as a black man not being allowed to vote.

Unless, of course, you happen to get killed.

I'd like to suggest testimonials from people in other states who've saved their lives and the lives of their families by keeping and bearing arms on a daily basis. The tag line for all could be something along the lines of:

If I'd been in Wisconsin, I'd have died.

 

[Monkeyleg]

Thanks for the replies.

The plight of black people was largely ignored until the late 1950's and early 1960's. "Amos and Andy" was a very popular radio program. Al Jolson was a popular entertainer who did his routine in blackface. Blacks were routinely made fun of, derided, and stepped on by the media.

Something changed.

The media already does the obligatory human-interest story about the father and son sharing time in the field hunting, or at the range target-shooting.

This is non-threatening to the public.

But, "hidden guns?" The media spins that angle to no end.

We've had a very poweful and emotional case that we've presented to the public, and to the media: Theresa Sweet.

Theresa Sweet is the emodiment of Every Woman. She's your typical, middle-class mother and professional.

She was gang-raped several years ago, directly across the street from her town's police station.

The rapists have never been caught.

She has testified at every public committee hearing for the last three legislative sessions. Her testimony is gut-wrenching, particularly because she presents it without tears or emotion. It's a chilling story to listen to.

In 2004, the NRA ran radio ads in targetted legislative districts in which Theresa told her story in her own voice. I've never heard ads so powerful.

But even these ads don't motivate people to want the right to self defense. After all, this sort of stuff happens to other people, right?

I was in part drawn to the civil rights movement in the 1960's by the words of the likes of Bob Dylan, who asked pointed questions in his songs. ("How many roads...")

We have no contemporary counterparts to such a movement. Instead, we have a media that mockingly asks, "how many Wyatt Earp's?"

And we don't have the money to outspend the liberal media.

I looked into the cost of doing a four-color direct mail piece to every voter in WI. The cost, including postage, was roughly $250,000.

Even if we didn't mail them, but could rely on volunteers to distribute them door to door in every city and town, the printing costs alone would be $25,000.

Theresa Sweet's story alone wasn't enough. Maybe we need the murder of a prominent and wealthy white woman to get attention.

Maybe we need to have the woman's family agree to have her casket brought to Governor Doyle's office, and have the family demand that he explain her death.

And, yes, I know that such a scenario is nearly impossible.

Something did happen in the late 1950's and early 1960's that brought people out into the streets, demanding justice. And it wasn't the fact that black people had been suffering for centuries.

The injustices suffered by blacks for hundreds of years are no more or less intolerable than the injustices suffered by victims of violent crimes today.

We need a voice and a message. I just don't know what that would be.

 

[harrygunner]

One suggestion

I've noticed a lot of gun clubs require new members to be sponsored by an
existing member. Perhaps, that could be replaced with requiring applicants
to provide safety or proficiency certification.

It's a way around the "old boy network" while demanding safe, responsible
applicants.