About Knowing the Opposition
Understanding the organizations that advocate for stricter gun laws, including their history, structure and stated goals, helps Second Amendment supporters engage accurately and respectfully. The oldest major national group traces to 1974, when Mark Borinsky, a victim of armed robbery, founded the National Council to Control Handguns. It became Handgun Control, Inc. in 1980, the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence around 2001, and in February 2019 adopted the name Brady: United Against Gun Violence. The organization is closely associated with the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act of 1993, which created the federal background check requirement for licensed dealer sales.
The largest group today, Everytown for Gun Safety, grew out of two earlier efforts: Mayors Against Illegal Guns, formed in April 2006 by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Boston Mayor Thomas Menino with 15 mayors, and Moms Demand Action, founded by Shannon Watts in Indianapolis on December 15, 2012. The two merged under the Everytown name in 2013-2014. Headquartered in New York City and largely financed by Bloomberg, Everytown operates both 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) arms along with grassroots chapters and a student wing. Knowing these facts lets gun owners respond to specific policy proposals and funding sources with documented information rather than assumptions or name-calling.
Key Facts
- 1974: National Council to Control Handguns founded by Mark Borinsky
- 1980: Renamed Handgun Control, Inc.
- 1993: Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act enacted
- April 2006: Mayors Against Illegal Guns formed at Gracie Mansion
- December 15, 2012: Moms Demand Action founded by Shannon Watts
- 2013-2014: Everytown for Gun Safety formed through a merger; February 2019: Brady adopts its current name
