In hindsight, could we have done better?

[Winebike]

It was a great civics lesson attending the rallies and hearings in Annapolis. It was also nice seeing old friends and making new ones. I think the thousands that showed up at the rallies and hearings certainly opened a lot of eyes in Annapolis.

In hindsight, however, maybe we should have concentrated more on winning public opinion instead of trying to influence Maryland legislators directly. I will be pleasantly surprised if any legislators change their minds and support us. Despite irrefutable facts and cogent arguments presented against them, it appears that new, draconian gun control laws will be enacted that will have little effect on reducing crimes committed with guns.

Perhaps our strategy should have been to try harder to influence public opinion via newspaper ads, TV commercials, fliers, and rallies in Baltimore, Rockville, and elsewhere. And perhaps, we should have also conducted and widely advertised the results of our own public opinion polls to specifically counteract the widely-touted OpinionWorks poll that was very damaging to our cause.

The "Marylanders To Prevent Gun Violence" organization apparently contracted OpinionWorks to conduct the poll for them. It was reported that OpinionWorks polled 974 randomly-selected Marylanders. OpinionWorks asked the question, "Would you support a license to purchase a handgun in Maryland that would include fingerprint, criminal background check and safety training?"

The wording of the question is misleading because it implies (to those who don't know any better) that "no" background check or safety briefing is currently required. Small wonder, 81% of respondents replied "yes" to this question!

It is stated on OpinionWorks' website that their "specialty is understanding audience motivations, identifying their barriers to action, and testing messages and techniques to overcome those barriers and bring about engagement and change."

Apparently, OpinionWorks used their expertise working with Marylanders To Prevent Gun Violence to design a polling question specifically designed to hoodwink the public into supporting Governor O'Malley's political agenda.

This poll, plus the well-orchestrated drumbeat in public media that the Governor is putting forth "common-sense" measures to reduce gun violence have been very effective. They worked because the public didn't know the poll was misleading and the "common-sense" measures were anything but - especially since they won't make Marylanders any safer. A lot of money and political favors must have been involved to fund this massive, anti-gun owner campaign.

I like to see the response to a polling question that asks, "Would you support a license to exercise your Constitutional rights in Maryland that would include fee, fingerprint, criminal background check, and educational training? The accompanying instructions for the poll could assert that the licensing process would reduce the abuse of Constitutional rights by criminals and the mentally ill.

No doubt the response to such a question would be overwhelmingly negative. Marylanders would be outraged that their state government was even considering such a thing. Unfortunately, Marylanders were not asked this question.

Is it too late to do anything to win public support for sane, effective legislation that will protect our Second Amendment rights and actually reduce crimes committed with firearms?

 

[DaveP]

Excellent, thought provoking post!

Unfortunately, it seems to me that those who frame the issue and control the dialogue usually sway public opinion, and too often, build an insurmountable momentum right from the get go. We are typically reactive instead of proactive.

We are always playing catch up: folks have a short attention span, memorize a few buzz words or factoids, usually completely false, that they hear or see from the usual suspects/talking heads, and for most part, their minds are made up. For good! They shut everything else out.

We can, and do, argue using facts and logic, as they are both on our side, but in the end, I'm afraid facts and logic don't mean much in today's America. We want flash, not substance.

Maybe we need a catchy logo, and hell, maybe even a jingle. Maybe have an attractive, generic spokesmodel to deliver our message. Toss in some shiny stuff, a chance at free prizes, and ooh, maybe even some sparklers, and I think we'll have a fighting chance.

Oh, and don't foget the puppy: EVERYONE loves puppies!!!

 

[Kilroy]

It's not over yet. I agree with you that engaging legislators in the senate was a complete waste of time, but we don't know what's going to happen in the house. Public opinion is important, but the media is in full-on propaganda mode. None of us here own a TV station, and it's hard to control that outlet. Maybe we could have email bombed media outlets and journalists instead of senators?

IDK, I think we did well overall, but there's always room for improvement. What I really don't like is guys telling us there's some behind the scenes action happening, then watching the senate take a dump on us. Only results matter. If someone didn't vote for us, they are our enemy and must be fired.

 

[dblas]

MSI had their own poll done a month after the Opinionworks poll, here are the questions and results:

INTRODUCTION: We are conducting a survey of attitudes and opinions concerning some important issues facing the state of Maryland today. May I have 4 to 5 minutes of your time to complete the survey? Great, thank you...
Thinking for a few minutes about the issue of the 2nd Amendment right to keep and bear arms...

Q1. Do you believe that you have the right to protect yourself and your family from a criminal act?
1. Yes 672 96%
2. No 19 03%
3. Undecided 8 01%

Q2. Do you believe you have a right to use a firearm to protect yourself and your family?
1. Yes 581 83%
2. No 92 13%
3. Undecided 27 04%

Q3. Should your choice of firearms for personal self-defense be limited to only those that the government allows for hunting?
1. Yes 271 39%
2. No 353 50%
3. Undecided 65 09%
4. Refuse 10 01%

Q4. Do you support or oppose placing full-time, armed Security Resource Officers (SROs) in public schools for the purpose of protecting our school children from gun violence? (TEST INTENSITY)
1. Strongly support 251 36% Total Support: 55%
2. Somewhat support 132 19% Total Oppose: 37%
3. Strongly oppose 190 27%
4. Somewhat oppose 69 10%
5. Undecided 55 08%

Q5. Should law abiding citizens be faced with the prospect of losing their jobs, their security clearance or suffer a lifetime ban from the constitutional right to own a firearm if they are found to have made non-violent, technical violations during the licensing or registration process of the proposed new gun laws?
1. Yes 143 20%
2. No 426 61%
3. Undecided 116 17%
4. Refuse 15 02%

Q6. Which of the following reforms would do the most to prevent future mass murders? (Rotate Statements- Test Intensity...)

A) Prohibiting law-abiding persons from owning semi-automatic rifles, or...

B) Strengthening our laws regarding mental health records to keep all firearms out of the hands of the mentally ill, or...

99 (14%) 1. Definitely support/prohibiting persons from owning semi-automatic rifles
41 (06%) 2. Probably support/prohibiting persons from owning semi-automatic rifles
140 (20%) Total support/prohibiting persons from owning semi-automatic rifles

347 (50%) 3. Definitely, strengthening laws regarding mental health records
88 (13%) 4. Probably, strengthening laws regarding mental health records
435 (62%) Total support/strengthening laws regarding mental health records

113 (16%) 5. Undecided (Do Not Read)
12 (02%) 6. Refuse (Do Not Read)

Q7. Considering that over 70% of all criminals who use guns have prior criminal records, do you favor or oppose a measure that would require convicted repeat criminal offenders who use guns in the process of committing a crime to serving full prison sentences? (TEST INTENSITY)
1. Strongly favor 543 78% Total Favor: 88%
2. Somewhat favor 72 10% Total Oppose: 06%
3. Strongly oppose 18 03%
4. Somewhat oppose 26 04%
5. Undecided 35 05%
6. Refuse 7 01%

Now, I just have a few more questions for demographic purposes and we’ll be through...

Q8. What is your approximate age according to the following brackets: 18-29, 30-44, 45-59 or 60 and over?
1. 18-29 84 12%
2. 30-44 182 26%
3. 45-59 224 32%
4. 60 210 30%

Q9. Are you registered to vote as a Republican, Democrat, Independent or something else?
1. Republican From Self-ID 197 28% Record 28%
2. Democrat From Self-ID 369 53% Record 57%
3. Independent/other From Self-ID 101 14% Record 15%
4. Refuse 32 05% --

Q10. Is your main racial heritage of Caucasian, African-American, Hispanic, Asian American or another background? (CHECK ALL THAT APPLY)
1. Caucasian 514 73%
2. African American 140 20%
3. Hispanic/Latino 14 02%
4. Asian or Pacific Islander 7 01%
5. Native American 9 01%
6. Other 25 04%

Q11. Do you, or does anyone in your household currently own a firearm?
1. Yes 247 35%
2. No 415 59%
3. Undecided 1 00%
4. Refuse 37 05%

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION IN THE SURVEY. HAVE A GOOD DAY/NIGHT.

Gender (by observation):
1. Male 342 49%
2. Female 358 51%

Area (from record):
79 (11%) 1. Northwest Maryland – Garret, Allegany, Washington, Frederick and Carroll
71 (10%) 2. North and East Shore of Chesapeake Bay – Harford, Cecil, Kent, Queen Anne’s, Talbot,
Caroline, Dorchester, Wicomico, Somerset and Worcester
44 (06%) 3. Southwest Shore of Chesapeake Bay – Charles, Calvert and St. Mary’s
223 (32%) 4. Counties Surrounding D.C – Montgomery and Prince George’s
214 (31%) 5. Counties Surrounding Baltimore City – Baltimore County, Howard and Anne Arundel 68 (10%) 6. Baltimore City County

Voted – 1 of 3 or better in G10, G08 and/or G06, as well as new registrants since Nov. 2010 (from record):
1. 0X 29 04%
2. 1X 152 22%
3. 2X 145 21%
4. 3X 374 53%

Methodology: This poll was conducted by Susquehanna Polling and Research of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania on behalf of Maryland Shall Issue. Completed interviews were conducted January 30 – February 2, 2013 with 700 registered voters who have prior vote history in G10, G08 and/or G06, as well as new registered voters since November 2010. Interviews are randomly selected and conducted via live telephone agents using the professionally-trained survey research staff from our main telephone call center in Harrisburg; the universe includes a sample telephone frame of both land line and cellular telephones. Interviews are closely monitored to ensure a representative sample of Maryland’s electorate is achieved based on party, geography, gender, age and other demographics; results are sometimes statistically weighted.
The margin of error for a sample size of 700 is +/-3.7% at the 95% confidence level.

 

[dblas]

Link to the PDF of the poll from MSI:

http://marylandshallissue.org/susquehanna-poll-on-maryland-2nd-amendment-opinions/

 

[DaveP]

Link to the PDF of the poll from MSI:

http://marylandshallissue.org/susquehanna-poll-on-maryland-2nd-amendment-opinions/

And how many were exposed to it, and if so, actually read it all and then THOUGHT about it? Granted, it was a step in the right direction, but it may have been another instance of too little, too late, after the short attention span of middle America is overwhelmed and they shut down.

So often, we're preaching to the choir, and our message falls on deaf ears outside of our own ranks. We NEED to shake things up: I loved the framing of the issue as a matter of civil rights, and the ladies who posed it as women's rights. Handicapped folks and smaller statured and elderly people are a GREAT means of getting the message out about self-defense, firearms being the great equalizer. But we need to reach a wider audience than those safely seated Senators and Delegates, who at BEST, smile and humor us by pretending to listen sagely to our impassioned testimony, or at worst, openly ignore our presence or causticly deride us.

We are NEVER going to get a fair shake in the papers or on TV, so it's up to us to somehow get The Truth out.

Outside the box, outside the box....

 

[MDFF2008]

You can always do better.

What the real question is, did we do the best we could with the resources and time we had.

I believe the answer is mostly yes.

The next question is what can we learn moving forward.

 

[Patrick]

And how many were exposed to it, and if so, actually read it all and then THOUGHT about it? Granted, it was a step in the right direction, but it may have been another instance of too little, too late, after the short attention span of middle America is overwhelmed and they shut down.

...

Media had it; lawmakers had it. We posted it online.

Didn't believe in the MSM conspiracy theories until this year.

All thought-provoking ideas and posts. I think this is the framework going forward. 2014 is an election year, and we need to get into people's homes.

We had to make a choice on where to spend our limited resources last year. We saved for the GA because it looked like it was going to be ugly. Turns out it was worse than we expected.

New members and funding means we can take this fight statewide all year. We all fully intend to do that. Not just MSI, but all groups. Coordination is high and getting tighter by the day.

 

[dblas]

And how many were exposed to it, and if so, actually read it all and then THOUGHT about it? Granted, it was a step in the right direction, but it may have been another instance of too little, too late, after the short attention span of middle America is overwhelmed and they shut down.

So often, we're preaching to the choir, and our message falls on deaf ears outside of our own ranks. We NEED to shake things up: I loved the framing of the issue as a matter of civil rights, and the ladies who posed it as women's rights. Handicapped folks and smaller statured and elderly people are a GREAT means of getting the message out about self-defense, firearms being the great equalizer. But we need to reach a wider audience than those safely seated Senators and Delegates, who at BEST, smile and humor us by pretending to listen sagely to our impassioned testimony, or at worst, openly ignore our presence or causticly deride us.

We are NEVER going to get a fair shake in the papers or on TV, so it's up to us to somehow get The Truth out.

Outside the box, outside the box....

It's not over yet, I have sent the above poll to numerous people (politicians and regular people). You would be surprised at how many people had no clue that another, more recent, poll had been taken or had a clue as to the nature of the poll being cited by the governor and anyone supporting his position.

I have at least one Delegate that sits on the joint committee that still has questions, she still may vote for the bill, but at least I have kept sending more information on different point to her. I haven't stopped hitting any of my Delegates or my Senator for that matter since the bill will have to go back to the Senate.

I have provided another tool for you to use, use it to the max effect you can get out of it.

You make it sound as if we are done, if you are, then shame on you for sitting on the sideline during the final innings of the game. Get off the bench and keep pressing our point.

MSI also has a great resources page: http://marylandshallissue.org/get-informed/2aresourceroom/

How many have actually used it to form their letters to politicians?

We aren't done until the bill is voted on, and then, depending on the outcome, we may have to go into overtime.

The question should have been, how have we done so far and what can we do better in the coming days/weeks leading up to the vote on the bill? Answer this question now, and then answer the original question when it is over.

 

[dblas]

Media had it; lawmakers had it. We posted it online.

Didn't believe in the MSM conspiracy theories until this year.

All thought-provoking ideas and posts. I think this is the framework going forward. 2014 is an election year, and we need to get into people's homes.

We had to make a choice on where to spend our limited resources last year. We saved for the GA because it looked like it was going to be ugly. Turns out it was worse than we expected.

New members and funding means we can take this fight statewide all year. We all fully intend to do that. Not just MSI, but all groups. Coordination is high and getting tighter by the day.

I missed you all four days in Annapolis and never got a chance to personally say thank you for everything you and the MSI board have done this year. How many bets would have been lost on the turnout and work that has been generated this year?

 

[Winebike]

+1 dblas' praise for MSI. Thanks much for your hard work and your excellent testimony!

 

[osterizer]

Good MSI page for resources. I suggest general media including (painful as it may be) MSNBC and it's analogs, also. We can't argue with people if we can't hear them.

 

[Patrick]

... How many bets would have been lost on the turnout and work that has been generated this year?

All bets would have been lost. I've heard about private conversations between public people. This is not going according to their plan.

We got a little over three weeks before the whole General Assembly is over. Gun Control was supposed to be the easy lift. O'Malley was supposed to have his press conference already. He was supposed to have already had Obama sitting behind him as he signed the bill into law.

They can take things from us, but that does not mean we roll over and let them. Not in Maryland. Not ever again.

No matter the outcome this year, we are getting ready for 2014. There is no alternative option. We will be a force in 2014.

 

[Mooseman]

Winebike, what good would it have done to change public opinion if the legislators minds cannot be changed by facts and large turn outs? It would do nothing to change what will happen this year. We need to get the public on our side to vote these idiots out of office and vote in people that will repeal any bad laws passed this year.

 

[Patrick]

Public discourse will be necessary for next year. Last year we didn't have the option to do both. Things have changed. It's not evwn about money (though that helps) - it is about involvement and commitment. We got it now. People are willing to spend a few hours of their free time (and some people even more of their work time) changing things.

Elections are important. Our community is already educating the state about their rights. Between now and next year, that is going to have a big difference.

 

[Jim12]

Media had it; lawmakers had it. We posted it online.

Didn't believe in the MSM conspiracy theories until this year.

All thought-provoking ideas and posts. I think this is the framework going forward. 2014 is an election year, and we need to get into people's homes.

We had to make a choice on where to spend our limited resources last year. We saved for the GA because it looked like it was going to be ugly. Turns out it was worse than we expected.

New members and funding means we can take this fight statewide all year. We all fully intend to do that. Not just MSI, but all groups. Coordination is high and getting tighter by the day.

Maybe we need to: hire PR experts; hold press conferences that the media can't ignore, at which time those polls should be publicized, disseminated and discussed; be bold enough to tell media people to their faces (and their bosses' faces and to the public) when they outright lie; and purchase media time and space if and as necessary to correct the record.

Reagan went right past the media when necessary, straight to the American people. Obama does it, in addition to having the media lapdogs in his camp. O'Malley does it, too. We don't have the luxury of their podium, but we ARE the American people. When Frosh goes on tv news and tells your neighbors that you are a nut, you need to push back and explain that he's the nut, and history is on your side, not his.

This is a struggle just to get the facts out in order to counter the hysteria and irrationality that are driving politics today.

 

[ATTom]

Media had it; lawmakers had it. We posted it online.

Didn't believe in the MSM conspiracy theories until this year.

All thought-provoking ideas and posts. I think this is the framework going forward. 2014 is an election year, and we need to get into people's homes.

We had to make a choice on where to spend our limited resources last year. We saved for the GA because it looked like it was going to be ugly. Turns out it was worse than we expected.

New members and funding means we can take this fight statewide all year. We all fully intend to do that. Not just MSI, but all groups. Coordination is high and getting tighter by the day.

What does msm mean?

 

[Patrick]

What does msm mean?

Sorry. "Main Stream Media". The people you see on TV or read at the news stand.

...

Reagan went right past the media when necessary, straight to the American people.

This is what we are doing now, and getting better at it daily. The turnout in Annapolis this year did not come after a media blitz or via a call from the MSM. It was a product of direct communication. Already we see that the initial cadre of people who were involved have told friends and neighbors. They grew our community organically. It's all a hell of lot faster than even I thought it would be, but we're nowhere near done.

This is a struggle just to get the facts out in order to counter the hysteria and irrationality that are driving politics today.

Frankly it has been a huge learning curve. Traditional PR people offered up advice and help, but they are not used to working with this kind of environment. Grass roots is a whole different ball game. Even the "social media PR experts" are just used to paying for AstroTurf campaigns on Facebook. That's fine for selling detergent, but bad for our line of work. It's the kind of thing Bloomberg is forced to do and it reeks of desperation.

We are learning a lot. We are applying it as we move along. I'd suggest that this community is much better equipped today than we were even four weeks ago. I got some real lessons in the last ten days that will carry with me forever. Not all of them pleasant.

The strongest thing we got is a community with a singular sense of purpose. We grow ourselves weekly. Every neighbor, babysitter or co-worker who goes to the range with us is a new member (usually). Our "conversion rate" is exceptionally high.

 

[Gundahar]

The right to own guns is a civil right.
People use this right for hunting, recreation, or even to save their famiy's lives
We grant power to the government, not the other way around
Anyone who wants to take one of your civil rights, wants to take all of them

Bottom line is that this is a very blue state. You will not do super well by solely appealing to a conservative base. You have to get the message correctly packaged for the population as it is, rather than try to convert everyone to Republican. However spirited defense of 1st, 4th, and other rights issues IS a core blue value, so that angle really ought to be hammered home. That, and family defense and safety. Portraying responsible gun owners in a positive light would be a welcome change. Right now there really is no one out there doing that, and only those of us who follow the various podcasts or internet sites that document anecdotal cases of responsible and legal gun use are really aware of just how much it goes on.


Gundahar

 

[StickerLT]

One can always do better, and it's always valuable to look back and note lessons learned.
From my perspective, we did the best we could. I'm very impressed with the work MSI did and is doing on this, and the members of MDS. 4000 people at a weekday rally, over 1300 testifying, some until the wee hours of the morning had to have an impact. It's good to read that it has at least delayed and threw a wrench into their plans.

The other side is good at framing the narrative and demonizing guns and gun owners. We need to counter that aggressively. The main stream media (msm) is complicit and helps them. The battle for public opinion is important to them, obviously, so it should be for us as well. We need to continue to make this about them attempting to steal We The People's inalienable God given right, and civil rights, and get the general voting public on board and pissed about this, and hopefully some changes can be made come the next election.