'Grassroots' gun control org "Moms Demand..." is utterly astroturf

[friendly_iconoclast]

(More formally, "Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America&quot

http://momsdemandaction.org/about/

Much like Mothers Against Drunk Driving was created to reduce drunk driving, Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America (www.momsdemandaction.org) was created to demand action from legislators, state and federal; companies; and educational institutions to establish common-sense gun reforms. We are a non-partisan grassroots movement of American mothers demanding new and stronger solutions to lax gun laws, loopholes and policies that for too long have jeopardized the safety of our children and families.

http://www.linkedin.com/in/shannontroughton

Shannon Watts's Overview

Current
Founder at Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America
Past
Freelance Senior Consultant/Counselor at Fleishman-Hillard
Founder and President at VoxPop Public Relations
Vice President, Corporate Communications at WellPoint

And not exactly run by a progressive, either:

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/launch-of-new-public-relations-agency-voxpop-public-relations-llc-shannon-troughton-named-40-under-40-by-pr-week-65339842.html

...At WellPoint, Troughton led a team of 40 public relations professionals responsible for implementing communications programs for the 14 states in which the company operates, as well as the company's business units.

Previously, Ms. Troughton served as director of Global Communications for GE Healthcare, a $15 billion medical diagnostics and device business within General Electric.

Troughton also served as director of Public and Corporate Affairs for Monsanto Company in St. Louis where she led external initiatives designed to generate positive, proactive media coverage of the company's agriculture biotechnology products.

In addition, Troughton was vice president of Corporate and Public Affairs at Fleishman-Hillard public relations agency in Kansas City, Missouri, where she developed strategic issues and crisis management programs to help protect and enhance the reputation of public and private organizations and corporations.

A 'grassroots' organization that just happened to be founded by someone with decades of
experience in the PR industry and who ran her own firm?

Suuuure it is.

P.S.- Troughton Watts also produced this gem:

https://twitter.com/shannonrwatts/status/396363030277414912

"An assault weapon enables humans to shoot 10 rounds in one minute"

[Glaug-Eldare]

1. It's usually safe to assume that any group

that advertises itself as "grassroots" ... isn't.

[Eleanors38]

2. They do have this ability:

To attract more MSM to their rallies than rally participants, and somehow still draw a salary from somebody, somewhere.

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

3. astroturf & money

Both green.

[otohara]

4. Fear Not, The Other Grassroots Orgs. NRA Members

Last edited Sun Nov 10, 2013, 02:26 PM - Edit history (2)

are on top of this and will crush these women.

They are already on it - 4 of these fancy PR moms met yesterday at a local Black-Eyed Pea in TX and a dozen or so members of Texas Open Carry were there with assault rifles to intimidate the moms and frighten locals.

[gejohnston]

5. what assault rifles?

all of the rifles are post 1986, therefore they can not be legal assault rifles using the proper terminology.
BTW, the goal isn't to intimidate but is just easier than showing up with a sign.
My pet peeve are those who want their, and only their, voices heard by accusing others of "intimidating". Since the cops were not called, I doubt anyone was scared.

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

6. Denying that pro-controllers are scared/intimidated

I see you're doing your part to limit discussion.

[otohara]

8. Whatever!

I applaud those brave men - securing the restaurant from 4 unarmed MOMS

[gejohnston]

9. Were they unarmed?

If you look at the list of NYC concealed carry holders, not only is it a who's who of rich people, but also gun control advocates.
Then there is Carl Rowen and Barbara Graham, but they are ancient history.
Since the "moms" were inside, the armed moms and dads were outside, hardly securing the eatery.
Personally, I wouldn't have a counter protest with a weapon at least in that context for several reasons. First, being armed at a political rally is illegal in Florida (which is why the RNC was a gun free zone) and simply wouldn't happen in Wyoming. Second, I don't think it actually works. I would pass out pamphlets using logic would highlight the various studies by criminologists and the latest CDC report.

[petronius]

10. Texas Open Carry ought to learn at least one thing from MDAfGSiA, and

hire a professional PR consultant. If the intent here was to communicate to and inform people who are open-minded on the 2A/RKBA issue, I can't think of a worse strategy than lining up like a firing squad and waiting for four activists to come out of a restaurant. (Well, (aside from actually shooting them, I guess...)

[gejohnston]

12. True,

Although I'm cynical enough to wonder how much is stupidity and how much is agent provocateur.

[petronius]

14. I admit, the thought crossed my mind as well: these levels of PR ineptitude and glaring

lack of self-awareness really could come with a price tag - maybe Watts or someone like her is earning their paycheck. Except that it seems similarly anti-productive OC counter-demonstrations have happened in other places as well, so I think there genuinely are people who think these actions are a good idea...

[otohara]

11. This Happened In Texas

land of loaded guns.

This group is kinda like the Westboro church nuts - only instead of stalking dead soldiers funerals...anti-gun moms are their target and guns of all shapes and sizes are their signs.

If I pulled into this Black-Eyed Pea for lunch and saw this, I would have left in a NY second or sooner. I would walk out of any establishment if one or many angry gun toting white men entered the place.

[gejohnston]

13. You have never been to the land of guns until you have been to

Wyoming, Finland, Norway, and New Brunswick.
That said, I felt safer in El Paso than Fairfield California.
While things maybe bigger in Texas, everything is better in Wyoming.
angry gun toting white men:
how about not so angry white men? Gun toting black men? Gun toting women of any race?
What does anger have to do with it? I knew a guy in Wyoming who open carried when going to the range on his motorcycle because it was the only legal way for him to carry at the time (a saddle bag or back pack would have been the legal equivalent of under the seat/glove box, which was illegal at the time.)
You watch the behavior, not make unfounded assumptions based on attire or accessories.

[otohara]

15. Not So Angry

until not.

Like my friends ex - nice man, not angry, 60 years old - killed their 9 year old and himself.
Happens all the time in one country where the state of Wyoming is.

Something tells me the Finnish, Norwegians and NB's citizens are not angry because they aren't shooting each other or themselves to the tune of 40 per day

[gejohnston]

16. since most of our problem is organized crime and poverty

which those countries don't have.
As for your friend's ex, I lived in Japan for almost five years. Such murder suicides are quite common, just not with guns and they would have counted the nine year old as an "family suicide"
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2013/02/03/national/japans-suicide-statistics-dont-tell-the-real-story/#.UoAuflGNPuM

[friendly_iconoclast]

17. Assholes meet astroturf...

[DonP]

18. It's a bogus picture

Last edited Wed Nov 13, 2013, 11:59 AM - Edit history (1)

There's another version of the same picture, taken at the same time of the group from the front.

I saw it a day or so ago. Some gun control fans jumped on this version, taken from the back with no context and no proof there was any MDA group nearby. From what I can tell the whole thing is made up, including the "intimidated Mom's demand action group, all 4 of them", having lunch in a nearby restaurant.

(Seriously if your entire group only had 4 members, why would you publicize it?)

I'll try and track it down again again if somebody else doesn't find it first. When you see the two pix side by side it's obvious that this is a group picture in a parking lot holding a flag in front of somebody's pick em up truck.

But ... that's not an interesting story. Hard to imagine that gun control supporters would make shit up. Who'd a thought.

Here it is. Sorry it tool me a while to find it again and it's from Ammoland, but the source doesn't change the 2 pictures.

http://www.ammoland.com/2013/11/moms-demand-action-twist-the-truth-again/#axzz2kS0F5P2f

Those two toddlers and the women there must have scared the MDA group out of their wits.

[gejohnston]

19. Monsanto taught Watts well

before opening her own PR shop.

[otohara]

20. Warm and Fuzzy Fellas

They ain't - intimidation, threats towards the head of the MDA. They've threatened her and her daughters, called her names - the usual slime that gun owners do.

Holding a flag doesn't mean shit. I've seen the other photo, they are posing with a flag and their frightening weapons..

Fuck them

[gejohnston]

21. given her past with Monsanto

I frankly don't believe her.

They've threatened her and her daughters, called her names - the usual slime that gun owners do.

Example?

[otohara]

22. Bullshit

just now on Chris Hayes the crouching Cory Watkins pic was taken by a bystander at the restaurant.

[gejohnston]

23. the front or side shot?

and how did it get to the four people at the restaurant?

[otohara]

24. Do Your Own Research

lazy aren't you?

[gejohnston]

25. not at all, but simply because

someone makes a claim on some chat show, doesn't make it so. I do a lot of research. I seemed to have missed anything of substance in your post.

[Agschmid]

44. We all have our own beliefs, it hard to define what "we" think.

Welcome to DU.

[ileus]

7. Someone figured out the female marketing

scheme transfers to emotional issues....there's money to be made here.

[Electric Monk]

26. Are you trying to say you think she hired those goons to pose with their guns?

That would be astroturf, in this context. Interesting conspiracy theory

[gejohnston]

27. actually not,

and not out of the ordinary for the intellectually dishonest. In all things political, perception trumps reality. All propagandists are in the perception management business. OCT claims a lady went up to them and asked to take take their picture. A side shot was used, not the front shot which gives a completely different impression.

[Electric Monk]

29. So, she "set a trap" by having lunch with 3 friends and they innocently fell into it?

That's even funnier

[gejohnston]

30. you missed the point

as I said above, the counter protest was done stupidly. The claim of "being threatened and intimated" is hard to believe.
My first thought was it was a staged photo with actors and toy guns.
Shannon Watts claims they got the photo from "social media" was pissed off that the men and women was not arrested because open carry of long guns being illegal in Texas (which it isn't) and compared them to the Taliban, which is quite moronic on her part.

[Electric Monk]

32. Oh, I know what astroturf is, and I know what intentionally intimidating looks like.

[gejohnston]

33. holy false equivelence Batman

So you are saying that freedom of assembly should only apply to people you like? Like I said before, Watts' PR firm, she opened up her own shop after learning her craft at Monsanto, was hired by Bloomberg to create MDA. Her job is spin and dishonesty.

If you look at the front pic, they brought their SOs and kids too.

[Rex]

34. Well you know how dangerous 4 mothers are in a restaurant!

The fact that so many unstable people showed up with their killing machines, shows how completely insecure some are about the 'gun issue'. Of course they showed up to intimidate the mothers! Notice it was something like 4 against 20...that is how gun cowards role.

[BainsBane]

36. The point is anyone who is upset about their children being shot

is illegitimate to these people. The only movements they see as legitimate are backed by the multi-billion dollar gun lobby. Reality means nothing in here.

[gejohnston]

38. multi billion dollar?

http://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/summary.php?id=D000000082

None of them these people are upset about their kids. Watts is a former Monsanto PR flack who now is on Bloomberg's payroll. Reality isn't always what you want it to be.

[friendly_iconoclast]

40. There's no doubt most of them are sincere- but they're still being played

To be blunt, in no wise different from the Tea Partiers.

Evidently, Michael Bloomberg took a look at the Teahadis and their overlords and said
to himself: "Hey, I can do that too!"

As I pointed out upthread, MDA's tax filings should be most illuminating...

[BainsBane]

41. So if someone cares about human life

They are controlled by the rich, whereas those who value guns, death, and corporate profits above human life are great as far as you're concerned. I understand the fact that people grieve for their murdered children and want to do whatever the can to sav lives is something gun worshipers cannot understand, but there continue to exist on this planet some people who actually care about humanity. I have no doubt the gun cabal is woking diligently to rid the world of the scourge of human compassion and love. I mean, where's the profit in caring for other Human beings? If those mothers don't kill, what possible value can they have to the world the gun lobby made?

You all obviously feel compelled to lie to yourselves, but don't for a minute thing anyone else believes your bullshit. We know what it's like to love people in our families and not to have the killed to satisfy the unfettered profits of gun manufacturer and the twisted delusions of their lackeys.

The irony of pointing to Bloomberg, while the gun lobby has spent huge amounts of money over the past several decades to ensure this country maintains the highest murder rate in the developed world. How dare one rich man contribute to gun control efforts and counter the billions that go to promote murder. Imagine thinking human life actually has value?

[friendly_iconoclast]

42. You elide the fact that I have condemned the actions of OCT more than once...

in this thread...
Guess you missed these, hmm?:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1172133670#post17

17. Assholes meet astroturf...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1172133670#post39

More than one poster (as well as yours truly) have already decried OCT's action for being the assholish thing that it was.

HOWEVER

Since real life is not some Manichean game, OCT bringing the stupid does not in any way make MDA authentically grassroots

Instead of refuting the OP, you went off on an invented ad hominem attack.

...whereas those who value guns, death, and corporate profits above human life are great as far as you're concerned.

I'll be here when you are ready to discuss facts.

[Gothmog]

28. The Houston group is grassroots

I know the head of the Houston branch of this organization. She is very committed and is an effective advocate

[friendly_iconoclast]

31. Kindly let us know where we can find their tax exempt filings, mmkay?

http://www.irs.gov/publications/p557/

Tax-Exempt Status for Your Organization

I suspect they will be most interesting- if in fact they are filed at all...

[Cmartin002]

35. If you didn't see this you don have all the info

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=779400752087000&set=a.217259448301136.70251.216484961711918&type=1

From the outset the intent was clear and utter intimidation. It backfired mercilessly on them, and the fallout continues. These are NOT the people any gun advo in TX or elsewhere wants leading the charge.

[gejohnston]

37. I'm always skeptical of meme posters

but there is nothing in the "tweet" that indicates it was from anyone in the organization, and the "event" was at a Black Eyed Peas in Dallas, not a Blue Mesa in Arlington. That said, it is a stupid tactic as I mentioned above.

[friendly_iconoclast]

39. That tells us next to nothing about MDA, which is what the OP is about

More than one poster (as well as yours truly) have already decried OCT's action for being
the assholish thing that it was.

HOWEVER

Since real life is not some Manichean game, OCT bringing the stupid does not in any
way make MDA authentically grassroots