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Bloomberg's Anti-Gun "Grassroots Movement" Explained?

Friday, February 27, 2015

Bloomberg's Anti-Gun "Grassroots Movement" Explained?

Does Michael Bloomberg's Everytown for Gun Safety really have “two million members?” Is Moms Demand Action really “a powerful grassroots network of moms?” Or are these just front groups that consist of a handful of Bloomberg hirelings, pretending to represent more people than they do, to trick Americans into submitting to their fanatically-obsessed employer’s will?

Investigative reporter Sharyl Attkisson may have the answer. In Top 10 Astroturfers, Attkisson explains the phenomenon in which small groups of individuals pretend to be popular grassroots movements, in order to convince other people to join the fake crowd supporting or opposing a particular agenda. The article follows a very informative speechon the same subject, given by Attkisson at the University of Nevada recently.

Attkisson explains, “Astroturf is when political, corporate or other special interests disguise themselves and publish blogs, start Facebook or Twitter accounts, publish ads and letters to the editor, or simply post comments online to try to fool you into thinking an independent or grassroots movement is speaking. The whole point of astroturf is to try to give the impression that there’s widespread support for or against an agenda when there’s not. Astroturf seeks to manipulate you into changing your opinion, by making you feel as if you’re an outlier when you’re not.”

That sounds like a description of President Obama’s attempt to promote gun control during his 2013 State of the Union address, and Bloomberg’s subsequent claim that 90 percent of Americans support mandatory background checks on private transfers of firearms.

Obama claimed, “Overwhelming majorities of Americans, Americans who believe in the 2nd Amendment, have come together around commonsense reform like background checks that will make it harder for criminals to get their hands on a gun. Senators of both parties are working together on tough new laws to prevent anyone from buying guns for resale to criminals. Police chiefs are asking our help to get weapons of war and massive ammunition magazines off our streets.”

In reality, however, the Senate rejected all of those schemes and the House of Representatives refused to bring them to the floor for a vote. In Washington, which is more receptive to gun control than many states, Bloomberg spent millions in support of a background check initiative and got only 59 percent of the vote.

The good news is that some people, at least, apparently can recognize astroturfing when they see it. Attkisson’s informal survey of social media users put Bloomberg’s anti-gun front groups at the top of a list of astroturfers, followed not far behind by several other anti-gun entities, namely Media Matters, Mother Jones, Salon.com, Daily Kos, and the Huffington Post.

Between them, those outfits might have enough anti-gunners to field a team for a game of sandlot baseball. But in the age of the Internet, they are able to pose as speaking to, or on behalf of, millions of Americans. Until their deceit is understood by all Americans, they pose a significant threat in the public debate over rights versus restrictions, freedom versus fear.

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Guide To The Interstate Transportation Of Firearms

Gun Laws  

Thursday, January 1, 2015

Guide To The Interstate Transportation Of Firearms

CAUTION: Federal and state firearms laws are subject to frequent change. This summary is not to be considered as legal advice or a restatement of law.

Michigan: Anti-Gun Legislation Passed in the Middle of the Night Heads To Governor’s Desk

Friday, December 20, 2024

Michigan: Anti-Gun Legislation Passed in the Middle of the Night Heads To Governor’s Desk

With the sun setting on the 2023-2024 legislative session, yesterday the Michigan Senate held a marathon session lasting over 24 hours. While citizens were sleeping, anti-gun lawmakers were able to pass two pieces of legislation, ...

Here We Go Again: Anti-gun States Simultaneously Sue Law-Abiding Gunmaker

News  

Friday, December 13, 2024

Here We Go Again: Anti-gun States Simultaneously Sue Law-Abiding Gunmaker

Last week, the anti-gun attorneys general of Minnesota and New Jersey filed nearly simultaneous lawsuits against firearm maker Glock, essentially claiming the company was violating the laws of those states by making guns that are too easy to illegally ...

Concealed Carry Permit, Gun Sale Numbers Stay Strong in 2024

News  

Monday, December 16, 2024

Concealed Carry Permit, Gun Sale Numbers Stay Strong in 2024

The Crime Prevention Research Center (CPRC) has released the latest in its series of annual reports on trends in concealed carry permits in America.

Michigan: Final Push to Limit Gun Rights as Session Clock Runs Down

Wednesday, December 18, 2024

Michigan: Final Push to Limit Gun Rights as Session Clock Runs Down

With only a few days left in the session, anti-gun legislators are doing everything they can to pass additional legislation restricting the Second Amendment rights of Michigan citizens. The legislation below could be taken up ...

Gun Control Activists Cite “Loopholes” in CEO’s Murder, Ignore Facts and Law

News  

Monday, December 16, 2024

Gun Control Activists Cite “Loopholes” in CEO’s Murder, Ignore Facts and Law

Predictably, gun control activists are citing the cold-blooded Manhattan murder of health insurance executive Brian Thompson to call for more gun control, particularly in the hot-button areas of “ghost guns” and “3D printed firearms.” 

NYC Subway More Dangerous Than the Gridiron?

News  

Monday, December 16, 2024

NYC Subway More Dangerous Than the Gridiron?

Violent crime in New York City has been a growing concern over the last few years.  

Maine: Prepare for Progressives to Attack Your Hunting Rights

Wednesday, December 18, 2024

Maine: Prepare for Progressives to Attack Your Hunting Rights

While 2024 may be winding down now, the 2025 legislative session is about to heat up, and radical anti-gun progressive politicians are already planning new ways to strip you of your fundamental rights.  

Canada Announces New Gun Bans, More Gun Control on the Horizon

News  

Monday, December 9, 2024

Canada Announces New Gun Bans, More Gun Control on the Horizon

On December 5, at a late afternoon press conference in Ottawa, Canada’s federal Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc announced that 324 additional makes and variants of rifles would be added to the 2020 list of ...

Federal District Court Strikes Down IL’s “Assault Weapon” and “Large-Capacity Magazine” Bans in NRA-Supported Case

Saturday, November 9, 2024

Federal District Court Strikes Down IL’s “Assault Weapon” and “Large-Capacity Magazine” Bans in NRA-Supported Case

Today, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois struck down provisions of the Protect Illinois Communities Act (PICA) that prohibit “assault weapons” and “large-capacity magazines” in an NRA-supported case, Barnett v. Raoul.

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Established in 1975, the Institute for Legislative Action (ILA) is the "lobbying" arm of the National Rifle Association of America. ILA is responsible for preserving the right of all law-abiding individuals in the legislative, political, and legal arenas, to purchase, possess and use firearms for legitimate purposes as guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.