#EveryTown
Origin
April 2014: Michael Bloomberg (former NYC mayor, billionaire) merged two gun control groups to form Everytown for Gun Safety:
- Mayors Against Illegal Guns (founded 2006)
- Moms Demand Action (founded December 2012, after Sandy Hook)
The hashtag #EveryTown became the organization’s social media rallying cry.
Moms Demand Action: The Grassroots Wing
December 14, 2012: After Sandy Hook shooting (20 children, 6 adults killed), Shannon Watts (Indiana mom) started Moms Demand Action as Facebook group.
Within days, 75,000+ members joined. By 2014, it was largest grassroots gun violence prevention group.
Red T-shirts became iconic uniform at rallies, state legislatures.
Strategy: State-Level Fights
Rather than wait for federal action (gridlocked), Everytown focused on state legislatures.
Victories
- Washington State (2014): Universal background checks via ballot initiative (59% yes)
- Oregon (2015): Background checks law passed
- Nevada (2016): Background check ballot measure (narrowly passed, not enforced due to legal challenges)
- Virginia (2020): Democrats won legislature, passed red flag laws, universal background checks
Losses
- National reciprocity push defeated (would force states to recognize other states’ concealed carry permits)
- bump stock bans - only some states passed after Las Vegas shooting
Bloomberg’s Money vs. NRA
Michael Bloomberg poured $50+ million/year into Everytown, attempting to out-spend NRA.
2018 midterms: Everytown spent $30 million on pro-gun control candidates.
2020: Spent $60 million (mostly on Democrats).
Impact: Some credit Everytown with flipping Virginia blue (2019 state elections).
Key Campaigns
#WearOrange (Since 2015)
National Gun Violence Awareness Day (first Friday in June, annually).
Honors Hadiya Pendleton (15-year-old shot in Chicago, 2013, days after performing at Obama’s inauguration).
Participants wear orange (color hunters wear to avoid being shot).
Celebrities, athletes, politicians post #WearOrange photos.
#NotOneMore (2014)
Launched after Isla Vista shooting (Elliot Rodger killed 6, May 2014).
Richard Martinez (father of victim Christopher Martinez) gave emotional speech: “Not one more!”
Became rallying cry for parents of gun violence victims.
Kroger, Target, Starbucks Campaigns (2014-2015)
Open-carry activists brought AR-15s into stores to “normalize” gun culture.
Moms Demand Action pressured retailers to ban guns in stores.
Results:
- Starbucks asked customers not to bring guns (2013)
- Target, Chipotle, Sonic, Panera requested no open carry (2014)
Opposition: NRA & Gun Rights Groups
NRA outspent Everytown for years but saw membership/donations decline post-2016.
#IAmTheNRA counter-hashtag emerged.
Attacks on Moms Demand Action
- Called “Bloomberg’s Astroturf” (fake grassroots, funded by billionaire)
- Accused of exploiting tragedy
- Death threats against Shannon Watts and volunteers
Parkland Effect (2018)
February 2018: Marjory Stoneman Douglas shooting (17 killed).
March For Our Lives students (see #NeverAgainMSD) partnered with Everytown/Moms Demand Action.
Youth + parent coalition = powerful political force.
2018 midterms: Gun safety candidates gained ground.
Legislative Wins (Post-Parkland)
- Red flag laws (Extreme Risk Protection Orders) passed in 19 states by 2021
- Background check expansion in multiple states
- Domestic abuser gun bans strengthened
Federal Breakthrough: Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (2022)
May 2022: Uvalde, Texas school shooting (19 children, 2 teachers killed).
June 2022: First major federal gun legislation in 28 years passed:
- Enhanced background checks for under-21 buyers
- Red flag law funding for states
- Domestic violence loophole closed (dating partners included)
- Mental health funding
Not included: Assault weapons ban, universal background checks.
Everytown claimed partial credit for political pressure.
Criticism
From Gun Rights Advocates
- Bloomberg’s money = “buying elections”
- Urban elites telling rural Americans how to live
- Policies won’t stop criminals (they don’t follow laws)
From Gun Control Left
- Too moderate (doesn’t push assault weapons ban hard enough)
- Electoral politics vs. grassroots organizing
- Centrist Democrats prioritized over transformative change
Impact Metrics
Everytown claims:
- 10 million supporters (volunteers, donors, online)
- 400+ chapters (Moms Demand Action)
- Gun violence deaths declined in states with laws they backed (disputed by opponents)
Reality check: Gun deaths increased nationally (2015-2021, mostly suicides + homicides).