KEY MESSAGES
GUN VIOLENCE IS A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS – In the U.S., gun violence claims over 35,000 lives each year. It is a public health crisis that deserves a comprehensive public health response.
WASHINGTONIANS WANT ACTION – Year after year, Washington voters have proven at the ballot that they
want action on gun violence prevention.
LEADERSHIP – Washington is a leader in the gun violence prevention movement. Our success is often replicated in other states, having a bigger impact than just Washington state.
RESPONSIBILITY – Focusing on responsible behavior and safety accurately frames the conversation around
keeping guns out of dangerous hands.
GUN VIOLENCE IS PREVENTABLE – We know there are policies we can and should be adopting to reduce the number of gun deaths in our state. We need elected officials who will make gun violence prevention a priority.
KEY PHRASING
GUN RESPONSIBILITY CHAMPIONS – The Alliance is a non-partisan organization, so rather than advocating for democratic candidates generally, our focus is on supporting gun responsibility champions, who will lead on gun violence prevention.
EXTREME RISK PROTECTION ORDERS (ERPOs) – Avoid referring to them as “red flag laws,” which
mischaracterizes the way these laws operate and can stigmatize individuals with mental health disabilities.
UNINTENTIONALLY VS. ACCIDENTALLY – “Accidental” implies that nothing could be done to prevent a tragedy. When referring to gun deaths, use “unintentional” instead.
GUN LOBBY – In general, refer to the “gun lobby” broadly rather than the NRA specifically. Much of our
opposition comes from the Washington-based Second Amendment Foundation as well as the NRA, “gun lobby” encompasses both. Refer to organizations by name if you are referencing them specifically.
SURVIVORS – In our work, we refer to any individual with a close connection to an incident of gun violence as a survivor—such as family members, friends, and community members—not just those who experienced the
incident firsthand.
DOs AND DON’Ts
| DOs | DON’Ts |
| Talk about gun violence prevention, responsible gun ownership, and keeping our communities and schools safe. | Use the phrases “gun control” or “anti-gun.” |
| Use key facts to prove the need for and effectiveness of stronger gun laws. | Overload the conversation with numbers or overstate the potential impact of policies with phrases like “this will eliminate gun violence.” |
| Share victim and survivor stories to remind people of the human impact. | Rely entirely on victim stories or use stories that do not directly relate to the issue you’re talking about. |
| Talk about closing dangerous loopholes, keeping guns out of dangerous hands, strengthening or streamlining existing laws, and passing commonsense gun laws. | Talk about creating a database or registry of gun owners. |
| Use phrases like “restricting access to” or “prohibiting.” | Use words like “banning” or “confiscating”. |
| Talk about the recent progress Washington has made on gun violence prevention. | Frame these successes in a way that suggests our work is done. |
| Blame the gun lobby—the gun lobby is responsible for the lack of strong laws to protect our communities. | Attack the Second Amendment or gun owners in general. |
For questions about how to talk about gun violence and gun violence prevention, email
[email protected]