Posted on 01/08/2002 7:15:19 AM PST by technochick99
The women and men profiled as Heroes of the Month are true leaders of the gun violence prevention movement. Their stories, told in their own words, can inspire, motivate and encourage others to become involved.
As we enter this new year and look ahead to the future with new hope and enthusiasm, we pause to honor a woman who has inspired and made invaluable contributions to the gun violence prevention movement. For the first Hero of the Month of 2002, we honor Sarah Brady, Chair of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence.
For nearly 20 years, Sarah Brady and her husband Jim have been tireless advocates for sensible gun legislation and laws. In the mid 1980's Mrs. Brady was Chair of Handgun Control, Inc. Two years later Sarah and Jim founded The Center to Prevent Handgun Violence. In 1993, their efforts paid off as Sarah and Jim watched President Clinton sign the Brady Bill into law, introducing a requirement for a five-day waiting period and background check on all handguns purchased through licensed dealers.
Most people think that what brought the Bradys to the gun control issue was the 1981 shooting of her husband during an assignation attempt on President Reagan. But the defining moment did not actually occur until four years later when she and her son, Scott, climbed into a friend's pickup truck. The then six-year-old picked up a gun he found on the seat and pointed it at his mother. After realizing that it wasn't a toy, she took it from him and was shocked to learn it was a fully loaded .22 caliber pistol, the same type of gun used in the 1981 shooting. Stunned that anyone would leave a loaded gun where a child could find it, Sarah decided that something had to be done, and that she would be the one to do it.
Coretta Scott King praises Sarah for taking "the painful and tragic violence that befell Jim and their family and transforming it as a powerful force for good." Maya Angelou has said that Jim and Sarah "have galvanized the voices throughout the land and are leading the charge to change our gun laws in order to make our beloved neighborhood, and indeed the Country, safer." Bill Clinton acknowledges, "If it weren't for the Bradys, there would never be a Brady law and a ban on assault weapons. Think of the many, many people who are alive today because of Jim and Sarah Brady."
It is fitting, as we face the future, that we pause to pay tribute and acknowledge one of the most significant founding parents of the gun violence prevention movement. Sarah Brady serves as an inspiration and role model to those who are concerned with the issue of gun violence and hence, she is our Hero of the Month.
JTO Interviews Sarah Brady
You have often been quoted as saying, "We have no hidden agenda to eliminate from law abiding citizens the right to own or purchase guns." But why should anyone, law abiding or otherwise, be allowed to own or purchase a gun? From a public health perspective, owning a gun places one at risk of injury and death and some studies have found that the risk is five times greater for those who have a gun in the home.
Well, first of all it's not my decision to make. Many people want to have guns for hunting, gaming, and for self-protection. Many, many people are responsible gun owners and do what is necessary to minimize unnecessary injuries and death. Recognizing that there are millions of guns in American homes, we must stress gun safety and teach and encourage gun owners to safely lock and store their firearms. Most importantly, we must take every possible step to keep guns out of the wrong hands. By this I mean prohibited purchasers, such as criminals and terrorists. We must have the tools available to make sure those who are not allowed to own guns do not have access to them.
It seems the rhetoric of the gun violence prevention movement is shifting from the prevention of gun violence to assuring gun safety. Do you have any thoughts on what the intent behind this shift is, and how it will impact the outcomes of the firearm violence prevention movement?
A rose is a rose is a rose. Prevention ought to be our number one goal. There is a lot to do on the prevention side of this issue. We must stress personal responsibility and that ranges from teaching kids to stay away from firearms to adults safely locking and storing their guns so they are out of harm's way. If there has been an effort to rename the movement, I believe that the public -- regardless of whether we call it "gun control" or "gun safety" -- will embrace a common sense solution to an important health and safety issue.
You have been an active leader of this movement for over 17 years and have witnessed the development of the movement. Which events or moments are you most proud of and which ones do you wish we could do over?
Well, of course we are most proud of the law that bears my husband's name -- the Brady Bill. The Bill had so much public acceptance and support. 87 percent of gun owners were in favor of it and 50 percent of members of the gun lobby were supportive of it. We were also happy about the passage of the Assault Weapons Ban, but sadly, there has been little done legislatively since the passage of the ban on assault weapons. I need to stress that we must take every step to stop guns from getting into the hands of the wrong people. We can do this by conducting better background checks on every gun purchase. We must provide enough time for law enforcement agencies to conduct a thorough background check. That's why the three-day waiting period was such an important part of the Brady Bill. By conducting these types of background checks at the point of purchase, we could stop millions of people who shouldn't have access to guns from getting them. This is especially important in light of recent terrorist activities.
The first Million Mom March was perhaps the first large-scale demonstration of America's support for stronger gun control laws. In your opinion, do you feel the movement took full advantage of its moment or did we somehow let it pass without achieving greater results?
We are thrilled that the Million Moms have joined together with us at the Brady Campaign. I have talked to them on several occasions and I am convinced that in 2002 this significant network of supporters and activists are ready to go and have their voices heard. They are committed, in light of the terrorist attacks, to take every possible step to make sure we are conducting background checks, closing loopholes and making sure law enforcement has the necessary tools to keep guns out of the hands of people who should not have them. I think you'll see a very active and vocal group working on the state, local and national level
It seems like you, Representative Carolyn McCarthy and a small group of selected others are targets of the gun lobby. How does it feel to constantly be under attack by them and how do you continue to survive that?
That doesn't really bother me. You survive it because you know that what you're doing is important and necessary. It would hurt me far more if the attacks came from within the movement, from those who are working toward the same goals. Every movement has people in it who hold different perspectives or points of view. I generally think that this could be a good thing because it lends itself to creative solutions. I think that those of us who are in this movement come together on issues we agree on and stay out of those that we do not.
Do you think it does any good to expose the ways the gun lobby tries to discredit those like yourself who are attempting to prevent gun violence?
It's important that we stay positive and focused and not allow ourselves or the movement to be on the defensive. Our work is about finding approaches to save lives. This is the issue at hand.
In the year 2002, with so much happening on the national level to address terrorism, why should the average American be interested and get involved in the gun violence prevention movement?
Americans must get involved in this movement to keep firearms out of the hands of terrorists and others that use guns in harmful ways. Presently there are so many ways they can get guns. If we do a better and more realistic way of conducting background checks we can significantly reduce the number of guns getting into the hands of terrorist and other criminals.
What are your hopes and wishes for the New Year in regard to the gun violence prevention movement? Any tips for how to get there?
Jim and I hope that the Congress will band together to pass legislation requiring background checks on every gun purchase and that this legislation includes a sensible waiting period. This will enable the best possible background check. We can do this if every person who is concerned about this issue gets in touch with their lawmakers at the state and national level to let them know that we want them to support this kind of legislation. If every Million Mom, if every concerned parent or guardian, if every grandparent, teacher, and doctor wrote a letter or made a phone call to their elected officials urging them to support this type of legislation, our voices would be heard. They would be heard loudly. We have to remember that the vast majority of Americans support sensible gun policies. In 2002 we believe that the "silent majority" will once again find its voice.
Join Together is accepting nominations for future Heroes of the Month. If you would like to nominate someone, email the nominee's name, contact information and brief description of why this person is a hero to bill@jointogether.org. Please include your own name, email address and telephone number.
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