Robin Nowicki of Manalapan is serving as the ambassador for Monmouth County with the New Jersey chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America. The women are lobbying members of Congress to support common-sense gun reform. You probably heard the tale of the mother who lifted a 3,000-pound car off her helpless child in a moment of adrenaline-fueled might.
The story illustrates the power that moms are said to hold when they believe their children are in danger. But are maternal instincts enough to budge the U.S. Congress to enact more restrictive gun laws in the country?
Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America is a nonpartisan, grassroots organization that rallies for what its 100,000 members in 40 states call “common-sense gun reform,” said Robin Nowicki, a Manalapan mother of two and the New Jersey chapter’s ambassador for Monmouth County.
Nowicki said the group, which formed after the Dec. 14 school shooting in Newtown, Conn., hopes to use its sway to protect residents, rather than burden gun owners.
“Moms Demand Action is not — and I really want to make this clear — asking for the government to ban guns. We simply support common-sense solutions to the overwhelming and increasing epidemic of gun violence in America,” Nowicki said. “Our objective is to educate, motivate and mobilize moms to take actions that will result in strong laws that will keep our children and families safe from gun violence.”
The group would like the government to implement background checks for all firearms purchases, ban certain firearms that are termed assault weapons, ban ammunition magazines that hold more than 10 rounds and initiate a system to track the sale of large quantities of ammo, Nowicki said.
Moms Demand Action also plans to set up product safety oversight measures, require child-safe gun technology, support companies that promote gun safety, and “counter the gun industry’s efforts to weaken gun laws at the state level,” she said.
To reach these goals, the group launches campaigns to influence elected officials and members of the public, Nowicki said. On Father’s Day, for example, the Monmouth chapter delivered ties that stated “I have gun sense” to Congressmen Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Chris Smith (RNJ).
Pallone embraced the movement and posed for a photograph with the makeshift tie, Nowicki said. But he ultimately received the blessing of Moms Demand Action’s members after he co-sponsored a bill that would make it more difficult for criminals and individuals with mental illness to buy guns, Nowicki said. Smith, however, declined to co-sponsor that bill because he feared the addition of amendments that would twist the legislation into something with which he disagrees, Nowicki said. The congressman’s staff members told Moms Demand Action it is widely known that Smith supports gun sense, Nowicki said.
“We are saying (Smith) should be part of making the bill something he can believe in, that he should be a leader and an advocate for gun sense among his colleagues within the New Jersey caucus, our neighboring states and nationally,” said Nowicki, who is a newcomer to social and political activism. “Passive support is not going to cut it — not anymore.”
Jeff Sagnip, a spokesman for Smith, said the congressman will fight for effective gun legislation.
“The congressman continues to support reasonable background checks that do not infringe on our Second Amendment rights and keep guns out of the hands of felons, fugitives and the mentally unstable,” Sagnip said.
Not surprisingly, Moms Demand Action, through its push to tighten gun laws, has failed to garner the affection of the Association of New Jersey Rifle and Pistol Clubs.
“New Jersey is presently one of the most strictly regulated states when it comes to firearms ownership, and already has in place many of the laws this new group is apparently seeking,” said Scott Bach, the organization’s executive director. “School safety and mental health issues should be their concern — not further regulating responsible citizens who are not part of the problem.”
The proposed enactment of more powerful controls is the most important aspect of Moms Demand Action’s agenda, said Michele Collins, a member who lives in Middletown and works as a school psychologist in Tinton Falls. While she respects the constitutional rights of those who wish to own firearms, Collins said, that does not mean they can build a small armory.
“If people want to have the right to buy a gun, that’s fine, but at a certain point, that many rounds are not necessary to protect yourself,” Collins said. “Just because you have the right doesn’t mean it’s unlimited.”
The Monmouth County arm of Moms Demand Action will carry on with its efforts to attract more residents to the cause, Nowicki said. A silent march will occur on July 19 in Long Branch, near Pier Village, during which empty shoes will be displayed to represent more than 100 victims of gun violence in New Jersey in 2013, Nowicki said.
Raymond Zaccaro, a spokesman for Pallone’s office, said the congressman believes the work of such groups is vital to spark gun reform.
“Grassroots organizations like Moms Demand Action are absolutely critical to ensuring that the voices in our communities are heard by Congress over the strong voice of the gun lobby,” Zaccaro said. “It is imperative that these grassroots organizations stay active and hold members of Congress accountable to finding a solution to the violence in our communities.”
For Nowicki and her peers, the chance to inspire significant reforms is alive like it was for moms who poured their souls into earlier activist groups.
“Just like Mothers Against Drunk Driving was able to effect change, I absolutely think that mothers were the missing element in this campaign to make change,” Nowicki said. “Mothers are the caregivers. We protect our families. I think when women harness their power and their voice, we can make significant change.”