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Stop Handgun Violence Celebrates 20th Anniversary

Stop Handgun Violence Celebrates 20 Years of Successful Advocacy and Results for Gun Violence Prevention in Massachusetts

Boston, MA – Last night, the leading gun violence prevention advocates in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts gathered to celebrate twenty years of progress towards making the Commonwealth safer. At the event, Stop Handgun Violence honored key individuals from both sides of the political aisle who have helped make Massachusetts the national leader in gun violence prevention. The honorees included: Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives Robert DeLeo, original SHV Board Member Matt Lindley, Former Massachusetts Senate President Robert Travaglini, and posthumous awards to Former Massachusetts Governor Paul Cellucci and SHV Co-Founder Michael Kennedy, which were presented to their families.

The event also included a video tribute to the organization’s work including messages from Jackson Browne, Congressmen Joe Kennedy, and Senators Ed Markey and Elizabeth Warren.

“We are extremely proud of what we have accomplished in just twenty years in Massachusetts.” Said Co-Founder John Rosenthal “The Commonwealth now has some of the strongest gun laws in the country and the second lowest gun deaths per 100,000 population in the U.S. Through our high profile billboard campaigns and advocacy work, we have successfully changed the historically polarized debate and enacted effective gun laws that have saved countless lives without banning guns. There is still much more work to do to hold neighboring states with lax gun laws accountable and we are recommitting ourselves to helping reduce the thirty thousand gun deaths every year in the United States.”

The video tribute is below:

Founder Honored by Eastern Bank for Social Justice Work

Last week, Eastern Bank honored John Rosenthal with the Wainwright Social Justice Award. The event included over 800 attendees. The attendees included representatives from 162 local non-profit organizations that the Eastern Bank Foundation has awarded $1.4 million in grants to this year.

Part of the presentation included a tribute video with messages from Representative Joe Kennedy, Mayor Marty Walsh, Senator Elizabeth Warren, Musicians Bonnie Raitt and Jackson Browne. The full video is below.

75,000 American Gun Deaths Since Sandy Hook Elementary School Shooting

STATEMENT OF STOP HANDGUN VIOLENCE

Boston, MA – May 5, 2015 — The electronic counter on the 252×20-foot Stop Handgun Violence billboard on the Massachusetts Turnpike, which records and tallies daily American gun deaths since the Newtown shootings based on historical averages (83 gun deaths per day), will hit 75,000 tomorrow – a number that is about seven times the number of Ebola victims worldwide last year. As previously announced, the billboard is set to come down soon.

That is 75,000 Americans killed by guns in just 29 months.

“This horrific death toll should be more than enough to convince Congress to at least require criminal background checks for all gun sales. Instead, during the same period, we have seen private sales background checks fail to pass in the US Senate and many states have actually made it easier for forbidden purchasers, including criminals, domestic abusers and the mentally ill to get guns,” said John Rosenthal, founder of Stop Handgun Violence. “The fact that Congress has not done anything about this public health epidemic is shameful, especially since there have been another 118 school shootings since the Sandy Hook massacre. How many more Americans have to die before Congress takes action?”

While there has been real progress in states like Massachusetts, Washington, Connecticut, California and most recently Oregon, there is still much to do.

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Stop Handgun Violence is a non-profit organization committed to the prevention of gun violence through education, public awareness, effective law enforcement and common sense gun laws. The organization does not seek to restrict Constitutional rights, but advocates only for common sense legislation that will help save lives. For more information, go to www.stophandgunviolence.org.

Nation’s Largest Billboard Company to Withdraw From Public Information Campaign Promoting Gun Rights and Effective Gun Safety Laws

Backlash From Gun Industry Lobby Groups Prompts Nation’s Largest Billboard Company to Withdraw From Public Information Campaign Promoting Gun Rights and Effective Gun Safety Laws

New Billboards Were to be Interim Replacement for Iconic Mass Pike Message

BOSTON, MA – New billboards created by Stop Handgun Violence and designed to stimulate a rational discussion about responsible gun safety laws instead prompted a national backlash from the gun industry, the National Rifle Association (NRA) and its Massachusetts affiliate, GOAL, causing the nation’s largest billboard company to withdraw from the public information campaign.

The gun lobby engaged in ruthless and relentless pressure tactics against Texas- based Clear Channel and its Boston based investor Bain Capital, flooding its corporate headquarters with phone calls and emails and threatening to launch a nationwide boycott on advertising on Clear Channel billboards and radio stations.

“The special interest gun industry believes the Second Amendment is sacrosanct, but the First Amendment is meaningless,” said John Rosenthal, co-founder of Stop Handgun Violence. “The gun industry is more interested in selling guns and protecting the rights of kids, criminals and mentally ill people to buy guns undetected than the lives of the innocent people who ultimately become their victims. Congress, which has been equally intimidated into submission, stands by while we lose 83 Americans every day to gun violence.”

Rosenthal, who has been a gun owner his whole adult life, added: “We thank Clear Channel in Boston for having the guts and the heart to participate in this public service campaign. But Clear Channel’s corporate headquarters in Texas has different priorities, and withered under pressure from the extreme gun lobby and its industry backers.”

The new billboards carried the message: “We’re Not Anti-Gun. We’re Pro-Life. Massachusetts Gun Laws Save Lives.” They featured a Bushmaster XM-15 assault rifle (used at Sandy Hook Elementary School and by the DC sniper) with a white flag hanging out of the barrel. They also carried the Twitter hashtag #GunLawsWork.

(They will continue to be displayed on several billboards provided by other locally- owned billboard companies.)

“The gun lobby doesn’t want a rational discourse on responsible and effective gun laws,” Rosenthal said. “In fact, it wants to stifle any discussion at all about gun safety laws. It wants to control how we think about guns, how we speak about guns, and how we debate the issue of guns, and it is ready to engage in terror and intimidation campaigns to destroy free speech and continue to allow unrestricted access to deadly weapons without background checks at all costs.”

Rosenthal continued: “Our message said simply: ‘We’re Not Anti-Gun. We’re Pro- Life’ and used the image of a white flag to signal that we forged a truce with the NRA’s Massachusetts chapter, GOAL, last year with the passage of a new gun law that they supported. But with Congress and many state politicians on both sides of the political aisle cowering to the special interest gun industry and the NRA’s dangerous and self serving policies, it is clear that threats and intimidation are far more effective than rational discussion.”

Stop Handgun Violence designed the new billboards to replace the iconic sign that has hung along the Massachusetts Pike near Fenway Park for the past 20 years. Under an agreement with the buyer of the Lansdowne Street Garage, the billboard must come down after April 1, 2015. Several billboard companies agreed to donate three dozen billboards, which began appearing this week on major highways around the state including Boston, Worcester, Lawrence, Peabody, Medford and Fall River.

With the support of Mayor Marty Walsh, a new permanent billboard will be prominently displayed on Rosenthal’s Fenway Center development, which is being built on air rights over the Massachusetts Turnpike near Kenmore Square. The Center is expected to be completed in 2018.

Rosenthal said Stop Handgun Violence has never advocated for banning all guns other than military style assault weapons and large capacity ammunition magazines, which are the common denominator in most mass shootings. Rather, the organization has focused on reducing gun violence by enacting responsible gun laws to make it harder for kids, criminals, the mentally ill and other prohibited people from easily accessing firearms without detection by law enforcement.

Since 1994 when Stop Handgun Violence began its work and installed the first billboard, the number of gun deaths in Massachusetts has dropped 63%. Through public awareness and education, Stop Handgun Violence has helped Massachusetts become the national leader in gun violence prevention by enacting meaningful and effective legislation, including mandatory safety training and safe gun storage/child access prevention laws, renewable licensing (like driver’s licenses), expanded background checks for private gun sales, first-in-the-nation consumer protection standards for firearms sold in the state and a permanent ban on the sale of military style assault weapons and ammunition magazines with greater than ten rounds. As a result, urban industrial Massachusetts now has the lowest number of gun deaths per capita in the nation.

In the past, Stop Handgun Violence billboards have included provocative and at times irreverent messages about responsible gun ownership, gun trafficking, the NRA’s control of Congress and the real life consequences of gun violence.

A retrospective of the MassPike billboard campaign can be found here.

Iconic Massachusetts Turnpike Gun Violence Prevention Billboard Near Fenway Park to be Taken Down

Public Awareness Campaign Will Continue With Donated Billboards in Boston Area

Boston, MA – The iconic Stop Handgun Violence billboard that has hung alongside the Massachusetts Turnpike near Fenway Park for the past 20 years will come down soon. The massive 252’ x 20’ billboard message, which has helped inform and change the debate on gun violence in America, will be removed under the terms of the sale of the Lansdowne Street Garage.

The public awareness campaign sponsored by “Stop Handgun Violence” will continue, however, on more than two dozen new digital and vinyl billboards in and around Boston, donated by Clear Channel, Logan Communications, Total Outdoor and Outfront Media. The current billboard, meanwhile, will remain up until changed over by the Boston Red Sox, who now own the garage.

The billboards are meant to be an interim solution to keep the campaign moving forward until a new permanent billboard is constructed on the Fenway Center development built on MassPike air rights in Kenmore Square. With the support of Mayor Marty Walsh, Fenway Center’s developer, John Rosenthal, plans to relocate the famous Stop Handgun Violence billboard in a new permanent location installed on the Fenway Center complex.

“It’ll be sad to see the huge billboard come down after all these years, but thanks to our new creative team and outdoor advertising company partners this campaign will continue and our message will live on and be seen by more people in many new locations,” said John Rosenthal, co-founder of Stop Handgun Violence and President of Meredith Management. “In 1995, we put the billboard up to change the dialogue on gun violence in America and ultimately change gun laws and make Massachusetts a national model for gun violence prevention. Over the last twenty years, we have worked with law enforcement, community organizations, elected officials, survivors and a variety of faith based groups to effectively change the historically polarized debate to one that now respects gun rights and gun violence prevention laws and initiatives. As a result we’ve enacted the most effective gun laws in the nation and we’ve saved countless lives and endless grief from preventable gun violence.”

Mayor Walsh said: “I thank John Rosenthal and “Stop Handgun Violence” for the continued commitment to educating our community about the importance of strong gun safety laws and the real life consequences of gun violence. I look forward to their partnership as we go forward with the work of removing illegal guns from our streets and stemming gun violence in Boston.”
The new billboards will carry the campaign’s latest message: “We’re Not Anti-Gun. We’re Pro-Life. Massachusetts Gun Laws Save Lives.” They will feature a Bushmaster XM-15 assault rifle (used at Sandy Hook Elementary School and by the DC sniper) with a white flag hanging out of the barrel. They will also carry the Twitter hashtag #GunLawsWork”. The billboards were designed pro-bono by Group88442, a group of Boston-based creative designers which includes Nick N., Lawrence W., Josh B., and Giancarlo P.

“Stop Handgun Violence has never been anti-gun, and we don’t believe the debate should be framed that way,” Rosenthal said. “I’ve been a gun owner my whole adult life, and we have always focused our efforts on reducing gun violence without banning guns. The use of the phrase: ‘We’re Not Anti-Gun. We’re Pro-Life’ is an honest and provocative way of saying that we support the second Amendment and responsible gun laws that preserve individual gun rights but also attempt to make it harder for kids, criminals, the mentally ill and other prohibited people from easily accessing firearms without detection by law enforcement. The white flag signifies a truce, a middle ground in a discussion that has been framed as ‘anti-gun’ versus ‘pro gun.’”

The billboards will appear on major highways throughout Greater Boston, down to Fall River, up to Lawrence, and out to Worcester. Locations include: the Southeast Expressway (North and South), Route 128 in Lynnfield, I-95 in Peabody and Wakefield, I-93 in Somerville and Medford, I-290 and I-146 in Worcester, I-195 in Fall River, Route 1 in Peabody and Malden, Route 1A near Logan Airport, I-495 in Lawrence and Haverhill and Route 9 in Westboro.

Since 1994 when Stop Handgun Violence began its work and installed the first billboard, the number of gun deaths in Massachusetts has dropped 63% from 309 in 1994 to 213 in 2013. Through public awareness and education, Stop Handgun Violence has helped enact meaningful and effective legislation in the Commonwealth, including mandatory safety training and safe gun storage/child access prevention laws, renewable licensing (like driver’s licenses), expanded background checks for private gun sales, first-in-the-nation consumer protection standards for firearms sold in the state and a permanent ban on the sale of military style assault weapons and ammunition magazines with greater than ten rounds. As a result, urban industrial Massachusetts now has the lowest number of gun deaths per capita in the nation.

“I’m extremely proud of what we have accomplished and I can’t even begin to process how good it feels to have helped save lives from preventable gun violence,” Rosenthal said. “Massachusetts is the model for the nation, and thanks to the generosity and involvement of our friends at Group 88442, Clear Channel, Logan Communications, Outfront Media and Total Outdoor, we will continue to spread our provocative gun violence prevention message.”

Rosenthal added he is anxious to see the new billboard hanging on the Fenway Center complex located on the Massachusetts Turnpike at the gateway to Boston.

“Mayor Walsh understands the importance of Boston and the Commonwealth’s role in sensible gun laws, and thanks to him Stop Handgun Violence will have a new permanent home to communicate its message to thousands of motorists coming into the city every day,” Rosenthal said.

A retrospective of the MassPike billboard campaign can be found here

A threat to our safety

A bill mandating states honor the concealed carry licenses of other states was proposed in both houses of the federal congress. Our founder, John Rosenthal, wrote a piece for the Huffington Post describing why that threatens states with strong laws, like Massachusetts. He writes:

“Imposing federally mandated reciprocity of state-level concealed carry permit laws essentially resets the national and, by extension, state standards for carrying inherently dangerous firearms, to the lowest and most dangerous possible. It is scary at best and outright irresponsible national public policy at worst for Congress to knowingly enact a new national gun law that has proven to decrease public safety and increase gun violence in Florida.”

To read the entire piece by John Rosenthal, click here.

A simple way to save a life today

Stop Handgun Violence was started by gun owners and business people. As such, one of the fundamental pillars of our mission is promoting responsible gun ownership. One aspect of that is encouraging safe gun storage. We encourage all gun owners to keep their guns locked and unloaded when the firearm is not under their control (which is required by law in some states, like Massachusetts).

The simplest way to lock a firearm is a trigger lock. They retail for as little as $5.00. A simple trigger lock can be the difference between life and death for a child who accesses a gun without their parent’s permission. For example, according to the Children Defense Fund, more than half of youths who committed suicide using a gun used a firearm found in the home, usually their parents. In addition, for the latest data available more children under age 5 were killed by guns than law enforcement in the line of duty.

If you are interested in receiving a free trigger lock, contact us and we will send you one as long as our supplies last.

Massachusetts’ stand on gun violence

Massachusetts is known for its strong gun laws. John Rosenthal sat down with Kristen Bosse to discuss the laws of Massachusetts and what Stop Handgun Violence has done over the last 20 years to help make the state safer.

Check out John Rosenthal’s interview, Massachusetts’ Stand Against Gun Violence on MassRealty.com.

MassRealty is a local real estate brokerage firm. It is one of the top sites for Massachusetts Mutli Family Homes, including Newton, MA Homes for Sale. Mass Realty also services Providence, Rhode Island realty.

Happy Thanksgiving From Stop Handgun Violence

Dear Readers:

As the Thanksgiving holiday approaches, we want to show our gratitude to all our allies in the fight to reduce gun fatalities. We are thankful for all our amazing donors, for the people who have taken up our cause, and for the lawmakers willing to listen. Sometimes it can feel like there is a long road ahead, but there are many, many hands that help us make lighter work of our mission. We cannot thank everyone enough for the support. We hope you stay safe and enjoy this holiday surrounded by friends and family.

The Stop Handgun Violence Team

50,000 American Gun Deaths Since Sandy Hook Elementary School Shooting

Boston, MA — The electronic counter on the 252×20-foot Stop Handgun Violence billboard on the Massachusetts Turnpike, which records and tallies daily American gun deaths since the Newtown shootings based on historical averages, will hit 50,000 tomorrow – a number that is more than 10 times the number of Americans killed in the Iraq war over 10 years and 20 times the number of Americans killed in Afghanistan over 14 years.

That is 50,000 Americans killed by guns in just 19 months.

“This horrific death toll should be enough to convince Congress to keep guns out of the hands of criminals and the dangerously mentally ill. Instead, during the same period, we have seen private sales background checks fail to pass in the US Senate and many states have actually made it easier for forbidden purchasers to get guns,” said John Rosenthal, founder of Stop Handgun Violence. “The fact that Congress has not done anything about this is shameful, especially since there have been another 74 school shootings since Sandy Hook. How many more Americans have to die before Congress takes action?”

Massachusetts currently has legislation pending that would address some of the problems in the existing Federal legislation and strengthen the Commonwealth’s laws. House Bill #4121, introduced by Speaker Robert DeLeo, includes among its provisions requirements to perform background checks for all private gun sales, eliminating an important loop-hole left by Federal law. The new law would also allow police the same licensing discretion for rifles and shotguns as they have for handguns and bring Massachusetts into compliance with mental health reporting required by Federal law.

“Stop Handgun Violence fully supports Speaker Bob DeLeo’s proposed legislation and courageous leadership. We’re hopeful that the Massachusetts House and Senate will pass this comprehensive legislation before the session ends on July 31^st and keep the Commonwealth a national leader on gun violence prevention.” said John Rosenthal. “The US Congress may be incapable of responsibly addressing the national epidemic of gun violence, but that should not stop us here. To the contrary, given the NRA’s chokehold on Congress, it is that much more important that we act at the state level and encourage other states to adopt Massachusetts effective gun laws.”