Shannon Watts: Moms Demand Action For Gun Sense In America

Show #246 | Guest: Shannon Watts | Show Summary: The “NRA’s Worst Nightmare” is an army of moms led by former stay-at-home mother of five Shannon Watts from Indiana, who ignited a grassroots advocacy movement against gun violence which now touches every single one of the 50 states.     Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America began as Watt’s project after the tragic news of the Sandy Hook Elementary school shooting broke. With her youngest in elementary, Watts felt compelled to act, but quickly realized that the epidemic of gun violence which wrought tragedy on so many families was primarily being legislated by large groups of men. Looking for the voice of other women protecting their families, she found nothing—so she started something profound.     Can 80 million moms make a difference? From blocking legislative hallways with strollers and electing gun-sense candidates, to getting “open-carry” out of Starbucks and running for office themselves, the large-scale impact of Moms Demand Action suggests that they can.      In her new book Fight Like a Mother, Watts shares exactly how to have that kind of impact for our future, even if you have no previous experience advocating for a cause. Watts’ story of taking back public policy from the gun lobby is one that began with sudden initiation and continues to yield powerful change. We are all just one good reason away from fighting for what we believe in.     Watts had five.