Ind. mom of 5 takes on the gun lobby

[SecularMotion]

INDIANAPOLIS -- Shannon Watts didn't set out to start a national movement on the day of the Newtown, Conn., shooting in 2012. She was only looking to vent her frustration about the state of gun control in this country, with the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary as the latest example. So, she started a Facebook page.

Within a week, the 43-year-old Zionsville, Ind., mother of five had hooked up through social media with other mothers nationwide. Today, Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America has blossomed to nearly 130,000 members and chapters in every state.

Question: Did you know you were going to touch a nerve when you started your Facebook page?

Answer: I'm sort of the stereotype of the suburban mom. I was in yoga teacher training, and I could not focus. I literally fled. I drove home, and I created the Facebook page. Within a few days, my husband looked at me and said, "This is going to be a big deal."

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/01/05/ind-mom-takes-on-gun-lobby/4331555/

[friendly_iconoclast]

1. She honed her turd-polishing skills as PR director for Monsanto

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1172133670

"'Grassroots' gun control org "Moms Demand..." is utterly astroturf"

http://www.linkedin.com/in/shannontroughton

Shannon Watts's Overview

Current
Founder at Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America
Past
Freelance Senior Consultant/Counselor at Fleishman-Hillard
Founder and President at VoxPop Public Relations
Vice President, Corporate Communications at WellPoint

And not exactly run by a progressive, either:

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/launch-of-new-public-relations-agency-voxpop-public-relations-llc-shannon-troughton-named-40-under-40-by-pr-week-65339842.html

...At WellPoint, Troughton led a team of 40 public relations professionals responsible for implementing communications programs for the 14 states in which the company operates, as well as the company's business units.

Previously, Ms. Troughton served as director of Global Communications for GE Healthcare, a $15 billion medical diagnostics and device business within General Electric.

Troughton also served as director of Public and Corporate Affairs for Monsanto Company in St. Louis where she led external initiatives designed to generate positive, proactive media coverage of the company's agriculture biotechnology products.

In addition, Troughton was vice president of Corporate and Public Affairs at Fleishman-Hillard public relations agency in Kansas City, Missouri, where she developed strategic issues and crisis management programs to help protect and enhance the reputation of public and private organizations and corporations.

They also left out the part about their 'grassroots' org being paid for by Michael Bloomberg:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/12625359

U.S. Mayors' gun control group merges with Moms Demand Action

http://www.democraticunderground.com/12625359

[kcr]

2. Astroturf? What are you claiming her hidden agenda is? n/t

[friendly_iconoclast]

4. *They* claimed to be 'grassroots'. They're not:

http://momsdemandaction.org/about/

Who We Are

Moms Demand Action was founded by stay-at-home mom Shannon Watts on December 15, 2012, in response to the devastating shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School. The organization quickly flourished into a leading force for gun violence prevention, with chapters in all 50 states and a powerful grassroots network of moms that has successfully effected change at the local, state and national level. In December 2013, Moms Demand Action partnered with Mayors Against Illegal Guns to unite a nationwide movement of millions of Americans working together to change the game and end the epidemic of gun violence that affects every community.

Interesting that MDA merged with with MAIG just before they would have been required to
file a Form 990 with the Internal Revenue Service

http://www.guidestar.org/rxg/help/faqs/form-990/index.aspx#faq1942

What is an IRS Form 990?

Form 990 is an annual reporting return that certain federally tax-exempt organizations must file with the IRS. It provides information on the filing organization's mission, programs, and finances.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IRS_tax_forms#990

990

The Form 990 provides the public with financial information about a given organization, and is often the only source of such information. It is also used by government agencies to prevent organizations from abusing their tax-exempt status. In June 2007, the IRS released a new Form 990 that requires significant disclosures on corporate governance and boards of directors. These new disclosures are required for all nonprofit filers for the 2009 tax year, with more significant reporting requirements for nonprofits with over $1 million in revenues or $2.5 million in assets. In addition, certain nonprofits have more comprehensive reporting requirements, such as hospitals and other health care organizations (Schedule H). The Form 990 may be filed with the IRS by mail or electronically with an Authorized IRS e-file Provider.

The Form 990 disclosures do not require but strongly encourage nonprofit boards to adopt a variety of board policies regarding governance practices. These suggestions go beyond Sarbanes-Oxley requirements for nonprofits to adopt whistleblower and document retention policies. The IRS has indicated they will use the Form 990 as an enforcement tool, particularly regarding executive compensation. For example, nonprofits that adopt specific procedures regarding executive compensation are offered "safe harbor" from excessive compensation rules under section 4958 of the Internal Revenue Code and Treasury Regulation section 53.4958-6.

They were and remain Michael Bloomberg's creature.

[kcr]

6. They're not because you say they're not?

What does the IRS form 990 have to do with it?

[friendly_iconoclast]

10. Let's see: PR pro starts org, accepts donations- but reveals no information...

...about where the money's going or who's donating. Then the PR pro
merges said org with the largest gun control donor in the US just before years'
end when they would have legally been required to make their financial information
public.

Yep, it's a duck...

[kcr]

11. Oh, so you have nothing then

[friendly_iconoclast]

15. Granted, what I've got is circumstantial- but it still reeks of Astroturf

[Paladin]

43. Whadya know! 26% of your recent posts are in Gun Control/RKBA.

How completely unsurprising.....

[friendly_iconoclast]

48. Well, I've got to give the self-appointed zampolits *something* to do.

It gives them an opportunity to act like purity police and make a few innuendos
about other Democrats and DUers. FSM knows there's not much else for them to do
once others have discerned their planted axioms and hasty generalizations...

[friendly_iconoclast]

49. Guess I should start posting more in GD, including about guns.

Last edited Wed Jan 8, 2014, 09:14 PM - Edit history (1)

I mean, you "gun safety advocates" are all for threads about guns in GD- or is it only when they're
the "correct" sort of threads about guns?

[LanternWaste]

45. An effective and efficient means to rationalize one's own bias.

An effective and efficient means to rationalize one's own bias.

[madinmaryland]

19. An interesting attempt from the gun-nutter crowd to distract the discussion. nt

[friendly_iconoclast]

24. "An assault weapon enables humans to shoot 10 rounds in one minute."

https://twitter.com/shannonrwatts/status/396363030277414912

Yes, lets *do* discuss such gems; Troughton-Watts apparently has
the same off-the-cuff skills and incisive intellect as Sarah Palin.

That's the thing about PR- you don't actually have to believe (or be accurate
about) what you say, you just have to come across as sincere.

By that metric, Troughton-Watts is a true professional.

[spanone]

23. your post is a polished turd.

[friendly_iconoclast]

25. Your witty riposte cuts me to the quick

[spanone]

26. i was echoing your response, hence the lack of wit.

[Skip Intro]

32. +100 for Truth! n/t

[Hoyt]

3. Lots of dumb comments by gun fanciers at link.

And she says she has received death threats. Those law-abiding gun fanciers. . . . . .

[Shandris]

5. While I have absolutely no stake in this game...

...it's pretty silly to assume that every 'death threat' is sent by a 'gun fancier'. Haven't there been enough demonstrations at this point to show that some people have a vested interest in keeping things riled up, and those people won't hesitate to send those messages as a false flag?

I'm not saying that -is- what has happened, but likewise there is -no- evidence that it -isn't-. Agents provocateur exist in real life where it can actually be difficult to pull off; online, it's child's play.

[Hoyt]

7. Appears to me from the comments, it's your usual group of white wing gun lovers.

[Shandris]

8. And like I said, it may be.

In the end we'll never (likely) know for sure. I was merely being cautionary - as I said, I have no stake in the gun debate. I don't love guns, I don't despise guns. I am -wholly- neutral (ambivalent) on them. But too many people latch onto anonymous comments far too quickly as 'proof' -- the right wing does the exact same thing on their sites and you can just read the 'stupid liberal' comments and know it wasn't one of us who posted it. Kind of a 'you know your own' type thing, right?

[Hoyt]

9. Nah, those same comments appear everywhere gun lovers post.

Lots, the vast majority, of gun lovers are callous, hateful, bigoted right wingers. They care nothing about society and will demean this lady and the organization she helped establish.

[NutmegYankee]

12. Given the comments on most websites, one would assume the entire country is made of bigoted people

You're trashing millions of people based on the trolls known to comment on every news article? You do realize your statements are just hasty generalizations with no actual substantiation behind them right? And have you noticed that in constantly repeating those hasty generalizations, you are becoming more and more like those you claim to oppose?

[friendly_iconoclast]

14. He's got his planted axiom, and by God he's going to use it!

[NutmegYankee]

17. I just wish he could understand that it's a fallacy.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hasty_generalization

[friendly_iconoclast]

21. How hasty can it be if he's been banging on about it for years?

[Hoyt]

28. Go to any gun show or gun store and observe. Go to gun web sites.

Except for a small group of supposed liberal gun owners, you won't find more than few that aren't overrun by callous bigots, and that's who the sites are hoping to draw. But, I suppose we could wait 20 years for the NRA and the likes of Massad Ayoob to perform a study that refutes the obvious.

[NutmegYankee]

29. The classic Hasty Generalization fallacy demonstrated.

I chuckle at your comment "supposed liberal gun owners". Given your strong personal bias against gun owners, it's obvious that you have a substantial cognitive dissonance problem given the mere verifiable fact that MILLIONS of Democrats own them. Many of them are quite liberal. Cognitive dissonance explains your issue with accepting that other DUers are liberals and own guns. And hence the reliance on sophism to get you through that.

Your other problem is you will likely never get away from confirmation bias. You seek out only those examples that back your view. You see the kooks at a gun show as typical of all gun owners, but ignore the general crowd at the show.

[Skip Intro]

35. How many gun shows have you been to, Hoyt?

Where?

When?

[friendly_iconoclast]

13. Your power to diagnose those you don't know and have never met...

is matched only by that of Bill Frist:

https://www.google.com/search?q=Frist+diagnose+schiavo&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A48119-2005Mar18.html

[Hoyt]

30. I've met more than my share. I've read gun nut forums. I've

Been to lots of gun stores, gun shows, gun ranges, major competition, and I've known a boat load of gun fanciers, including those who really think they'd be a fool to walk down a city street without a gun tucked away. No doubt in my mind I'm right about majority of today's gun fanciers. I'm sure all those posting here are pure, but that ain't many. Gun fanciers only care about protecting their access to gunz, not the sordid truth.

[friendly_iconoclast]

36. I've no doubt you're entirely sincere about the gun owners you've *noticed*

However, it would seem you only notice the nutters

NutmegYankee pegged it upthread:

Your other problem is you will likely never get away from confirmation bias. You seek out only those examples that back your view. You see the kooks at a gun show as typical of all gun owners, but ignore the general crowd at the show.

[Hoyt]

37. There just aren't that many who are an exception if they tote and accumulate gunz.

The number of hunters are small, and they don't need to tote or accumulate a number of weapons. There are a few w with legitimate self dense needs, but not many. The rest. . . . . .

[friendly_iconoclast]

39. So why do you (allegedly) keep going to places filled with people you don't like?

Seems masochistic to me. After all, you don't seem to actually do anything
with all the insights you've supposedly gained about the gun lobby save carp about it here.

Quoth you, above:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024288066#post30

I've met more than my share. I've read gun nut forums. I've

Been to lots of gun stores, gun shows, gun ranges, major competition, and I've known a boat load of gun fanciers,

I suspect that in reality haven't been to any of these places in years and are reduced to
scrounging online for pictures of white guys in camo. You never post any links and
only comment on other peoples OPs and posts.

[Hoyt]

41. Grew up around gunz, right wingers, etc. Can't avoid where I live. Thankfully, grew out of it too.

Have spent a good bit of time responding to gun fanciers here, FB, Zman supporters, militia types, etc. They haven't changed much, other than to become more callous, bigoted, supportive of lax gun laws and stand your ground type crud, etc. Kind of, "Seen the needle and the damage done." Been to plenty of sporting goods stores with gun section, helped family sell off some antique gunz which included going to gun shows/stores, etc. Follow news. Member SPLC. Seen how gun manufacturers market their products, tells you a lot about potential purchasers (who can forget Bushmasters Man Card campaign). Looked at NRA board leadership and campaigns to promote more gunz, defeat Democrats, etc. Read reports of children killed, gun nuts screwing up, and the like. Read BS from T party, Massad Ayoob types, etc. More later.

[Packerowner740]

20. Make believe racism because you say so, huh?

[Skip Intro]

34. Gee, that's not racist at all.

[LanternWaste]

46. No more and no less than the demographic of NRA membership.

No more and no less than the demographic of NRA membership.

[Packerowner740]

16. 130,000 members? Is that likes or friend requests?

[friendly_iconoclast]

18. Hey, it takes some *serious* effort to log in to Facebook...

...and then click the "Like" box!

[spanone]

22. good for her. k&r...

[Eleanors38]

27. Again: gun-control is about elites talking to elites,

and having a free ride from MSM.

[Lizzie Poppet]

31. Yay, another gun thread in GD!

These always bring out the best in people, don't you think? And who gives a fuck about Skinner's pesky rules, anyway...

[Hoyt]

38. Yeah hide it so as not to hurt gun fanciers' feelings.

[Lizzie Poppet]

42. Oh, no no! Nasty infighting and vituperation for everyone!

Except, of course, if "gun fanciers" actually dare to give as good as they get, it gets alerted on. Because some animals are more equal than others...

[Skip Intro]

33. Bloomberg front group. n/t

[friendly_iconoclast]

40. If they weren't one before the MAIG takeover (and I'm fairly certain they were)...

...they certainly are now.

[Kingofalldems]

47. Evidence?

[badtoworse]

44. Big deal.

[mstinamotorcity2]

50. somehow I knew this thread would

bring on the The only person who wins with guns, are the weapons designers and manufacturers point blank. they love it when we argue about gun rights. the very next thing they say is that the President is taking away their gun rights and gun sales go through the roof. Oh and there's a three week back order on ammunition. Its stupid. And I will say it again. Just as someone has the right to own weapons, I have the right to want my Country free of guns. And yes my husband is a hunter, and we disagree on killing Bambi. But we will be in the same bed tonight. Its not going to be solved today.