Million Mom March

Last updated
Demonstrator with sign Million Mom March 911 (35728102).jpg
Demonstrator with sign
Demonstrators at the march 01.March.MMM.WDC.14May2000 (24579756139).jpg
Demonstrators at the march
Tipper Gore at the march Tipper Gore 03.March.MMM.WDC.14May2000 (24854052361).jpg
Tipper Gore at the march

The Million Mom March was a rally held on Mother's Day, May 14, 2000 in the Washington, D.C. National Mall by the Million Mom March organization to call for stricter gun control. [1] The march reportedly drew an estimated attendance of 500,000 to 750,000 people at the D.C. location, however, "The Park Police estimated turnout for that event at 300,000." [2] Including 150,000 to 200,000 people[ citation needed ] holding satellite events in more than 70 cities across the country, the total number of participants was about one million. [3] [4]

Contents

A counter-rally by the pro-firearm Second Amendment Sisters, was also held on the same day and drew approximately 2,500 people. [5]

History

The Million Mom March began as a grassroots movement sparked by Donna Dees-Thomases after she viewed broadcast coverage of the Los Angeles Jewish Community Center shooting in Granada Hills, California. [6] In October 1999, she and several Tri-State activists from the New York metropolitan area held a news conference in Manhattan, where they announced their intent to march in Washington. [7] The march was held on May 14, 2000 to coincide with Mother's Day, with the organization reporting a turnout of 750,000 supporters. [4] Following the event the organization became chapter-based and merged with the victim-led pro-gun control group Bell Campaign. [8] In 2001 the Million Mom March organization merged with the Brady Campaign. [9] [10] [11]

On the anniversary of the first march, more than 100 rallies were held across the nation calling for stricter gun laws at the state level. In New York, Republican Governor George Pataki joined Democratic U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton in a show of support for stricter gun laws. [12] Turnouts to the second Washington march and to further marches were diminished, with the 2001 march on Washington reporting about 200 in attendance. [13] [14] The group did not plan demonstrations in Washington in 2002 or 2003, instead focusing its efforts in the states. [15]

Debate

Gun rights advocates have routinely challenged the Million Mom March on its use of statistics on child gun casualties [16] [17] with individuals and organizations on both sides of the gun debate either verifying or criticizing the group's data. [18] [19] In 2004, Wendy McElroy estimated that only 5,732 children under the age of 17 died in gun related deaths, "or roughly 40 percent of what MMM asserts." [20]

An investigation by The New York Times reported that the incidence of accidental child firearm deaths occur "roughly twice as often as the records indicate" due to idiosyncrasies in how authorities in various states classify these incidents. [21] The report also asserted that the National Rifle Association and other gun rights groups utilize the lower statistics in order to lobby against more restrictive gun laws. [21]

See also

Related Research Articles

Pittsburgh Second-most populous city in Pennsylvania, United States

Pittsburgh is a city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in the United States and the county seat of Allegheny County. It is the second-most populous city in Pennsylvania, behind Philadelphia, and 68th-largest city in the U.S.. The Pittsburgh metropolitan area is the anchor of Western Pennsylvania; its population of 2.37 million is the largest in both the Ohio Valley and Appalachia, the second-largest in Pennsylvania, and the 27th-largest in the U.S. The city's population, as of as of the 2020, was 302,971.

National Rifle Association American nonprofit organization

The National Rifle Association of America (NRA) is a gun rights advocacy group based in the United States. Founded in 1871 to advance rifle marksmanship, the modern NRA has become a prominent gun rights lobbying organization while continuing to teach firearm safety and competency. The organization also publishes several magazines and sponsors competitive marksmanship events. According to the NRA, it had nearly 5 million members as of December 2018, though that figure has not been independently confirmed.

Brady Campaign American nonprofit gun control organization

Brady: United Against Gun Violence is an American nonprofit organization that advocates for gun control and against gun violence. It is named after James "Jim" Brady, who was permanently disabled and later died in 2014 as a result of the Ronald Reagan assassination attempt of 1981, and his wife Sarah Brady, who was a chairwoman of the organization from 1989 until her death in 2015.

Richard Mellon Scaife American Mellon family heir, and newspaper owner (1932–2014)

Richard Mellon Scaife was an American billionaire, a principal heir to the Mellon banking, oil, and aluminum fortune, and the owner and publisher of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. In 2005, Scaife was number 238 on the Forbes 400, with a personal fortune of $1.2 billion. By 2013, Scaife had dropped to number 371 on the listing, with a personal fortune of $1.4 billion.

Three Rivers Stadium Stadium in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania

Three Rivers Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from 1970 to 2000. It was home to the Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball (MLB) and the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL).

Wayne LaPierre American gun rights lobbyist

Wayne Robert LaPierre Jr. is an American gun rights lobbyist who is CEO and executive vice president of the National Rifle Association (NRA), a position he has held since 1991.

David L. Lawrence Convention Center Convention center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States

The David L. Lawrence Convention Center (DLLCC) is a 1,500,000-square-foot (140,000 m2) convention, conference and exhibition building in downtown Pittsburgh in the U.S. commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is served by two exits on Interstate 579. The initial David L. Lawrence Convention Center was completed on the site on February 7, 1981, but as part of a renewal plan the new, completely redesigned center was opened in 2003 and funded in conjunction with nearby Heinz Field and PNC Park. It sits on the southern shoreline of the Allegheny River. It is the first LEED-certified convention center in North America and one of the first in the world. It is owned by the Sports & Exhibition Authority of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County.

March for Life (Washington, D.C.) Annual anti-abortion rally in Washington, D.C.

The March for Life is an annual rally and march opposing both the practice and legality of abortion, held in Washington, D.C. on or around the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, a decision issued in 1973 by the United States Supreme Court legalizing abortion nationwide. The march advocates the overturning of Roe v. Wade and is a major gathering of the anti-abortion movement in the United States. It is organized by the March for Life Education and Defense Fund.

2006 United States immigration reform protests

In 2006–2007, millions of people participated in protests over a proposed change to U.S. immigration policy. These large scale mobilizations are widely seen as a historic turn point in Latino politics, especially Latino immigrant civic participation and political influence, as noted in a range of scholarly publications in this field. The protests began in response to proposed legislation known as H.R. 4437, which would raise penalties for illegal immigration and classify illegal aliens and anyone who helped them enter or remain in the US as felons. As part of the wider immigration debate, most of the protests not only sought a rejection of this bill, but also a comprehensive reform of the country's immigration laws that included a path to citizenship for all illegal immigrants.

Great American Boycott 2006 protest

The Great American Boycott, also called the Day Without an Immigrant, was a one-day boycott of United States schools and businesses by immigrants in the United States which took place on May 1, 2006.

Everytown for Gun Safety United States gun control advocacy organization

Everytown for Gun Safety is an American nonprofit organization which advocates for gun control and against gun violence. Everytown was created in 2013 when Mayors Against Illegal Guns and Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America joined forces.

Giffords is an American advocacy and research organization focused on promoting gun control. The organization draws its name from that of one of its co-founders, Gabby Giffords, a former Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives. Rep. Giffords was shot along with 18 others at a constituent meeting in Tucson in 2011. The organization has three parts: a 501(c)(4) lobbying arm, a 501(c)(3) research arm, and a super PAC. It was previously known in a different configuration as Americans for Responsible Solutions.

Voter identification laws in the United States Laws regarding the IDs that are required for voting in the US

Voter ID laws in the United States are laws that require a person to provide some form of official identification before they are permitted to register to vote, receive a ballot for an election, or to actually vote in elections in the United States.

Shannon Watts American gun violence prevention activist

Shannon Watts is an American gun violence prevention activist and the founder of Moms Demand Action, the nation’s largest grassroots group fighting against gun violence. Watts has campaigned for a number of gun control candidates across the country, including President Joe Biden. In 2016, Watts became a board member of Emerge America, an organizations for recruiting and training women to run for office.

March for Our Lives 2018 and 2022 student-led demonstration in Washington, DC

March for Our Lives (MFOL) was a student-led demonstration in support of gun control legislation. It took place in Washington, D.C., on March 24, 2018, with over 880 sibling events throughout the United States and around the world, and was planned by Never Again MSD in collaboration with the nonprofit organization Everytown for Gun Safety. The event followed the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting a month earlier, which was described by several media outlets as a possible tipping point for gun control legislation.

2018 United States gun violence protests

In 2018, protests against gun violence in the United States increased after a series of mass shootings, most notably at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on February 14 that year. An organized protest in the form of a national school walkout occurred on March 14. March for Our Lives was held on March 24. Another major demonstration occurred April 20, 2018.

March for Our Lives Portland 2018 protest in Portland, Oregon

March for Our Lives Portland was a protest held in Portland, Oregon, as part of March for Our Lives, a series of rallies and marches in Washington, D.C., and more than 800 cities across the world on March 24, 2018. Students organized the event, which included a march from the North Park Blocks to Pioneer Courthouse Square where a rally featured speakers, a performance by rock band Portugal. The Man, and a surprise appearance by rapper Black Thought of hip-hop band The Roots. The protest was the city's largest since the January 2017 Women's March on Portland; the Portland Police Bureau estimated a crowd size of 12,000.

References

  1. ↑ Dionne, E.J. (May 16, 2000). "Because they say so". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved January 22, 2013.
  2. ↑ Kelly, Jack (May 21, 2000). "A muddled mom march". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Opinion). Retrieved January 22, 2013.
  3. ↑ Gibson, Megan (August 12, 2011). "The Million Mom March". Time. Archived from the original on August 13, 2011. Retrieved January 22, 2013.
  4. 1 2 "Minnesotans Joined and Estimated 750,000 in Washington, D.C., on Mother's Day to Draw Attentionto Gun Violence". St. Paul Pioneer Press. May 15, 2000. Retrieved January 22, 2013.
  5. ↑ "Opposing Women Gird For Million Mom March". Reading Eagle. May 14, 2000. Retrieved January 22, 2013.
  6. ↑ Goodman, Ellen (May 5, 2000). "Idealism fuels Million Mom March". Deseret News. Retrieved January 22, 2013.
  7. ↑ James, George (October 31, 1999). "Politics and Government; Mothers Hope They're One in a Million". New York Times. Retrieved January 22, 2013.
  8. ↑ Deam, Jenny (September 5, 2000). "Million Mom March modeled after MADD". Denver Post. Retrieved January 22, 2013.
  9. ↑ Fuoco, Linda Wilson (July 24, 2002). "What happened to Million Mom chapter?". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved January 22, 2013.
  10. ↑ "About Us: Million Mom March". Brady Campaign. 2015. Retrieved January 30, 2015.
  11. ↑ "A Decade Later, Million Mom March Endures As a Force to Save Lives". Common Dreams (Press release). May 6, 2010.
  12. ↑ Nagourney, Adam (May 10, 2000). "Mrs. Clinton Backs Gun-Control Initiatives". New York Times. Retrieved January 30, 2015.
  13. ↑ "Reprise by anti-gun moms falls far short". Washington Times. May 14, 2001. Retrieved 22 January 2013.
  14. ↑ Payne, Elizabeth Anne (2011). Writing Women's History. University Press of Mississippi. pp. 172–195. ISBN   978-1617031731.
  15. ↑ "Million Mom March comes up a bit short". Star Tribune. March 16, 2005. Retrieved 22 January 2013.
  16. ↑ "Dueling Statistics on Gun Control, Both Sides Misfire". San Jose Mercury News (Editorial). May 21, 2000. Retrieved January 22, 2013.
  17. ↑ "Moms to march on misinformation". Washington Times. May 7, 2000. Retrieved January 22, 2013.
  18. ↑ "Ignores the Evidence". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. May 31, 2000. Retrieved January 22, 2013.
  19. ↑ Paulson, Amy (May 8, 2000). "'Million Mom March' organizers hope to spur congressional action on gun legislation". CNN. Archived from the original on August 18, 2000. Retrieved January 22, 2013.
  20. ↑ McElroy, Wendy (March 3, 2004). "Do Gun Control Activists Pad Gun Death Statistics?". FoxNews.com. Retrieved January 30, 2015.
  21. 1 2 Luo, Michael; McIntire, Mike (September 28, 2013). "Children and Guns: The Hidden Toll". The New York Times. Retrieved 28 September 2013.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.