Everytown for Gun Safety’s Bold New Chapter

Everytown for Gun Safety’s Bold New Chapter: Training, Controversy, and the Future of Gun Safety

Everytown for Gun Safety, a leading advocacy group born from the tragedy of the Sandy Hook school shooting, has historically championed stricter gun laws, including robust background checks and assault weapons bans. Their mission, galvanized by the horrors of gun violence, has always been clear: reduce gun violence in America. However, a recent strategic shift has stirred both intrigue and controversy within its long-time supporters and the broader gun safety community: Everytown’s foray into firearms training classes.

This new initiative, marketed under the name TrainSMART, aims to offer a comprehensive array of courses to help individuals safely buy, use, and store firearms. While officials at Everytown assert this move is entirely consistent with their overarching mission of safety and responsibility, some ardent supporters and victims’ families have expressed surprise and even dismay.

The Genesis of TrainSMART: Expanding Reach and Redefining Engagement

Greg Lickenbrock, a firearms expert instrumental in designing Everytown’s new gun training initiatives, emphasizes that the goal is to expand the group’s reach and engage with gun owners on their own terms. “I’m a responsible gun owner who believes in common-sense gun laws. Everything we do at Everytown is about safety and responsibility,” Lickenbrock stated. “We’re not abandoning anything.”

The TrainSMART program is designed to be accessible, offering a variety of courses online through on-demand or live Zoom-style instruction. These courses cover crucial topics such as how to buy a gun, responsible gun ownership, general gun safety, and even marksmanship. The organization also harbors plans to launch in-person classes as early as next year, with events already being hosted at gun ranges across the country to train and evaluate potential instructors.

Chris Marvin, a former Black Hawk helicopter pilot and fourth-generation Army combat veteran who helped design the program, highlights the military-derived principles underpinning TrainSMART: training, safety, and accountability. He believes that if these principles are effective for the military, they should be the best approach for civilian gun training as well, including learning about firearm components and proper storage practices.

The Heart of the Controversy: A Divide Among Supporters

Despite Everytown’s assurances, the decision has not been universally embraced. Colorado State Senator Tom Sullivan, a vocal supporter of Everytown since losing his son Alex in the 2012 Aurora mass shooting, articulated the concerns of many. He believes groups like Everytown should remain steadfastly focused on their original mission of advocating for stricter gun laws, especially given the persistent issue of gun violence in the U.S. “They need to remember who it was that was there to help them get where they are,” Sullivan remarked, referring to the families and survivors who have been the bedrock of the movement. He hopes they are “still reading from the same book,” even if Everytown seems “a couple chapters ahead.”

This sentiment underscores a fundamental tension: is engaging directly with gun owners through training a pragmatic step towards reducing gun violence, or does it dilute the core advocacy for legislative change that many survivors desperately seek?

A New Paradigm in Gun Safety?

Everytown for Gun Safety’s move into firearms training represents a significant shift in strategy. It signals a potential new paradigm in the broader gun safety movement, one that seeks to bridge the divide between gun owners and gun control advocates by emphasizing shared principles of safety and responsibility.

By offering practical education on firearm use and storage, Everytown aims to empower individuals with the knowledge and skills to prevent accidental shootings, suicides, and other forms of gun violence. This approach recognizes that millions of Americans own firearms, and that promoting safe practices among this demographic can be a powerful complement to legislative efforts.

Looking Ahead: The Impact and Implications

The success of TrainSMART and its impact on the gun safety landscape remain to be seen. Will it effectively reduce gun violence by fostering a culture of responsible gun ownership? Will it alienate long-time supporters or attract new allies who prioritize safe firearm practices?

Everytown’s decision is undoubtedly a bold one, sparking a crucial conversation about the multifaceted approaches needed to tackle gun violence. It forces us to consider whether focusing solely on legislative change is enough, or if a more holistic strategy, one that includes education and direct engagement with gun owners, is necessary to move the needle on this deeply entrenched issue.

The controversy surrounding TrainSMART highlights the complexities and emotional weight of the gun safety debate. However, it also presents an opportunity for innovation and a re-evaluation of how best to achieve the ultimate goal: a future with less gun violence.

External Links:

Original Article: Everytown for Gun Safety stirs controversy with move into firearms training classes – CBS News

Everytown for Gun Safety: https://www.everytown.org/ (You can find information about their mission and initiatives here, though specific TrainSMART details might be under a dedicated section or announced news.)

Aurora Mass Shooting (2012): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_Aurora_shooting (For background on the tragic event that impacted Senator Tom Sullivan.)

Sandy Hook Elementary School Shooting (2012): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandy_Hook_Elementary_School_shooting (For background on the event that galvanized Everytown for Gun Safety.)