Hundreds attend inaugural “Bridging the Divide” conference
New gun safety org announces it will conduct ongoing research with gun owners
LOS ANGELES, CA (May 6, 2021) – Hundreds of gun rights and gun safety activists, educators, researchers, and elected officials participated today in the inaugural conference of 97percent: a new, pro-second amendment organization named for the 97% of Americans who support universal background checks.
Panelists included former Republican Congressman Charlie Dent, Democratic Congressman Eric Swalwell, Democratic Congresswoman Lucy McBath, Republican consultant Mark McKinnon, former NRA lobbyist John Goodwin, gun violence victims Fred Guttenberg and Taylor Schumann, activist and Station 19/Grey’s Anatomy star Jason George, author and commentator Bakari Sellers, researchers from Boston University, Harvard University, Johns Hopkins University, and more.
The virtual conference entitled “Bridging the Divide: Understanding How Gun Owners and Non-Gun Owners Can Come Together For Real Reform” emphasized 97percent’s unique approach to tackling the issue of gun violence: bringing gun owners directly into the conversation. 97percent Co-Founder Staci Miller concluded the conference by announcing ongoing, quarterly research with gun owners.
“The reality is we have more guns than people. They’re here to stay. What we need is meaningful controls and to bring gun owners to the table. They’re the missing link,” said William Bratton, who served as chief of the Los Angeles Police Department and commissioner of the New York City Police Department, dramatically reducing crime in both cities during his tenure.
Dr. Michael Siegel of Boston University made the case that gun owners are the “game changer.” Alluding to how the tobacco industry pitted smokers and non-smokers against each other, he explained how once smoking was treated as a public health issue – no value judgements and character attacks – smokers started coming out in support of smoking laws. Siegel sees engaging gun owners as the most viable strategy for reform by:
dispelling fears of confiscation – his research found that 59% of gun owners said reformers wanted to take their guns away
respecting gun owners’ decision to own a gun for self-defense – 85% said it’s the main reason they own a gun
focusing the conversation on removing guns from the highest risk people
Siegel added, “While controversial, emphasizing an assault weapons ban every time after a mass shooting can exacerbate the ‘slippery slope’ mindset.”
In the “Guns, Race, and Social Justice” panel, author Charles Cobb and Harvard University’s Caroline Light examined some of the factors driving Black Americans to gun stores: 2020 saw a 56% increase in Black gun ownership. And Abené Clayton, of The Guardian’s “Guns & Lies” series, highlighted a few lies undercutting the gun violence conversation: most notably, the popularly-held belief and headlines after the spa murders in Georgia and the King Soopers shooting in Boulder that “gun violence is back, ignoring the people shot on city blocks every day” and the 24,000 people who committed suicide with a gun last year.
During the “Which Policies Actually Save Lives” session, Dr. Daniel Webster of Johns Hopkins University shared data from Connecticut, where a handgun purchase licensing law was instituted that required applying with law enforcement and fingerprinting. He also shared data from Missouri, where their licensing law was repealed. CT saw a 28% reduction in gun homicides and a 33% reduction in gun suicides, whereas MO saw a 47% increase in gun homicides and 24% increase in gun suicides. Webster’s research found that 75% of Americans support handgun purchase licensing laws. Claire Boine of Boston University then presented research that revealed gun laws aimed at the who (i.e. licensing, background checks, red flag laws) vs. the what (i.e. assault weapons ban, large capacity magazines ban) proved significantly more effective, as past violence is the biggest predictor of gun violence.
In the panel featuring six Members of Congress, the panelists tackled “voter intensity” and Congressman Seth Moulton spoke of the need to “be very targeted about how to support moderate Republicans (interested in gun safety legislation),” bringing law enforcement and evangelicals into the coalition.
“I’ve never talked to a gun owner who wanted their kid to find their gun,” said BioFire Founder and CEO Kai Kloepfer in a technology panel moderated by 97percent Co-founder Adam Miller. Kloepfer and Timothy Oh, founder and CEO of Vara Safety, spoke about their biometric-enabled products designed to provide security and access while reducing accidental gun deaths in children and gun suicides.
In the session entitled “It’s Not What You’d Expect,” gun violence victims and advocates Fred Guttenberg, Taylor Schumann, and Station 19/Grey’s Anatomy star Jason George shared their devastating personal experiences with gun violence but also their attitudes toward guns and gun laws. Jason George described himself as “a good shot,” and Guttenberg spoke of his son going to shooting ranges. Schumann referred to herself as “very pro gun,” viewing any laws as an infringement on her 2nd amendment rights, until she was shot at a community college in Virginia in 2013. She didn’t change her mind instantly. She did her research first and started to make the connections. Schumann stressed, “We need to break through the extreme rhetoric. We assume the worst about each other, but most people want gun safety.”
The day’s final panel debated “Where Do We Go from Here?” Republican strategist Mark McKinnon identified that the message is not necessarily the problem, with the vast majority of Americans supporting gun safety legislation. “The problem is trust and the messengers,” said McKinnon. Former NRA lobbyist John Goodwin pointed out, “The fact that I’m here is a great step in the right direction.”
Recordings of each session can be viewed HERE.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Alberto Lammers
alammers@1p.org
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About 97percent
97percent is a bipartisan group of gun owners and non-gun owners representing the vast majority of Americans who believe in gun safety and responsible gun ownership. Founded by 1P.org, 97percent is taking back the conversation from the extreme voices in the gun debate. Working with everyday Americans, gun owners and non-gun owners alike, 97percent is identifying pragmatic solutions to reduce gun violence in America. Learn more at www.97percent.us.
About 1P.org
1P.org brings the power of entrepreneurial thinking, deep consultative research, strategic partnerships, and technological innovation to address some of the most intractable problems facing our one planet. Founded by Adam and Staci Miller in 2020, 1P.org extensively researches what has, and has not, worked by governments and nonprofits in the past to address these challenges and then applies a mix of philanthropy, advocacy, impact investing, technology and operational initiatives to enable real social impact. Learn more at www.1P.org.