Million Mom March
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The Million Mom March had its roots in August 1999, when Donna Dees-Thomases, a New Jersey mom, was horrified that a gunman shot at children in Granada Hills, California. Dees-Thomases decided a week later to apply for a permit to march on Washington and protest the lack of so-called "meaningful gun laws" in America. In September 1999, she was joined by 25 Tri-State mothers at a news conference in Manhattan, and announced that a grassroots movement of mothers called the Million Mom March would march on Washington on Mother's Day in May 2000. On Sunday, May 14, 2000, supporters claimed that 750,000 people gathered on the National Mall in Washington, DC to demand what they called "sensible gun laws", and that an additional 150,000 to 200,000 people across the country also showed their support through holding sympathy marches. CBS News and other major network TV news organizations covered the march extensively. [1]
Donna Dees-Thomases was also a professional publicist who was:
- a former Capitol Hill staff member for two Democratic Senators (Senator Bennett Johnston (D-LA) and Senator Russell Long (D-LA))
- a former Manager of Communications for CBS News in New York
- a former professional public relations specialist for Dan Rather at CBS News who oversaw his "Campaign '88" press coverage
- a sister-in-law of Susan Thomases, Hillary Clinton's political adviser and close friend
The group she founded believes that:
"All Americans have the right to be safe from gun violence in their homes, neighborhoods, schools, and places of work and worship. All children have the right to grow up in environments free from the threat of gun violence. Gun violence is a public health crisis that harms not only the physical, but also the spiritual, social, and economic health of our families and communities. The availability and lethality of guns make death or severe injury more likely in domestic violence, criminal activity, suicide attempts, and unintentional shootings. It is possible to reduce the number of deaths and injuries caused by gun violence with reasonable, common sense policy." [2]
Also among the supporters of the march were members of the nonpartisan political advocacy group, the League of Women Voters, which does take positions on many political issues such as gun control.
Relative to the number of attendees, the permit application with the Capital police obtained by the "former" professional public relations specialist contained an estimated attendance of 150,000 maximum would be in attendance, instead of one million. Photos taken at the time that ran in the Web newspaper Alamance Independent cast doubt that even 20,000 (at most) were there, and the press kit organizers themselves handed out also made their later claim of 700,000 in attendance extremely implausible. [3] Some major urban dailies at the time published estimates of attendance that were well under 100,000.[citation needed] The repeat of the Million Mom March in 2004 had an estimated 1,000 moms in attendance; at least one critic at the time questioned where the other 999,000 moms were. [4]
Activities of the organization include Apple Pie Awards that go to those individuals that the organization believe are "doing something to eliminate guns and gun violence in America", and Time Out Chair identifications for those out-of-touch people supporting gun rights. [5]
The organization is opposed to the legalization of various semi-automatic firearms and is diametrically opposed to the agenda of the National Rifle Association and other gun rights and sportsman's groups. Since 2001 they have also been affiliated with the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. The Million Mom March, which started as one of the largest protest marches on Washington, presently has a national network of 75 Chapters around the U.S. that work locally. The organization is also part of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence.
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[edit] Controversial use of 501(c)(3) tax-exempt money
A major controversy erupted in the spring of 2000 when a newspaper column by J.R. Labbe (Fort Worth Star-Telegram) revealed that the Million Mom March was apparently using 501(c)(3) tax-exempt money to support a political campaign. "Perhaps they need a background check on their tax knowledge" [6] states in part, "The Million Mom March is violating federal law. At least that's the view from here. ...Again, MMM's Web site: “We have 501-c(3) status as a nonprofit tax entity .... Contributions are tax deductible.” How can this be, you ask, when federal tax law expressly prohibits 501(c)(3) nonprofits from engaging in political activity?"
The controversy spread quickly as conservative news sources picked up on this story. "Clinton friend leads Million Mom March Is organization violating federal nonprofit regulations?" reports in part, "Critics of the Million Mom March organization say that the group is not only spending a "substantial" portion of its activities on prohibited lobbying efforts, but a statement published on its website, they say, may also be in direct violation of the rules prohibiting electioneering. On its site, the Million Mom March openly criticizes House Majority Whip Tom DeLay, R-Texas, for his pro-gun stance and makes a thinly veiled threat to unseat the congressional leader." [7]
[edit] Liquidation of the original Million Mom March
As shown by the Million Mom March's 2001 Form 990 tax return, the original Million Mom March liquidated in 2001. "Effective August 2001 the Million Mom March Foundation transfer its assets to the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence another 501 (c)(3) organization and is now united with them. This will be our final 990 tax return."
[edit] See also
- Culture wars
- Million Dads March Network, worldwide network of activists and advocates
- Million Man March, African American march of protest and unity
- Millions More Movement, launched by a broad coalition of Black leaders to mark the commemoration of the 10th Anniversary of the historic Million Man March.
- Million Worker March, response to alleged attacks upon working families in America and the millions of jobs lost during the Bush administration with the complicity of Congress
- List of protest marches on Washington, DC
[edit] References
- CyberAlert Tracking Media Bias Since 1996, Thursday May 11, 2000 (Vol. Five; No. 81)
