In this special birthday episode, Legal Counsel and Director of Programs Joshua Scharff details why he thinks so-called "gun truthers" — hoaxers —are deeply troubling, while reviewing a past episode with Fred Guttenberg and Andy Parker.

In this episode, host JJ is also joined by Fred Guttenberg and Andy Parker, two fathers who, after losing their beloved daughters Jaime and Alison to gun violence, have been repeatedly attacked by these so-called “truthers." So-called "gun truthers" — hoaxers — believe that mass killings such as the one at Sandy Hook are government-run plots designed to gin up support for restrictive gun laws, among other things. Some of these individuals even believe such massacres to be entirely fictitious productions in which no one involved is hurt, let alone killed; actors, they will tell you, masquerade as the victims, friends, and grieving kin the country sees in the news.

A version of this podcast initially ran as "The Danger of Hoaxers and "Alternate Truths": Rep. Greene, Alex Jones, and More."

Mentioned in this podcast:
Marjorie Taylor Greene Supported Conspiracy Theory That Parkland Massacre Was 'False Flag Planned Shooting' (Forbes)
'Grow a spine': Parkland father's message to Kevin McCarthy (CNN)
Tell Gray Television to grant a co-copyright to help me fight YouTube (Change.org)
US gun violence spawns a new epidemic: conspiracy theorists harassing victims (the Guardian)

For more information on Brady, follow us on social media @Bradybuzz or visit our website at bradyunited.org.

Full transcripts and bibliographies of this episode are available at bradyunited.org/podcast.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255.
Music provided by: David “Drumcrazie” Curby
Special thanks to Hogan Lovells for their long-standing legal support
℗&©2019 Red, Blue, and Brady

How can we have better conversations with those we disagree with -- or, at the very least, think we disagree with? How can gun owners and non-gun owners, all of whom support gun violence prevention, bridge the gaps in their understanding? And, at the end of the day, how do we let people know we love them?

To answer all these questions and more, hosts Kelly and JJ are joined by hosts of podcast Tactical American Conversations,  Remmington Campbell and Chase Williams. Together, we break down common missteps and misconceptions in conversation, as well as how to better communicate with one another. 

Mentioned in this podcast:
The TAC Team Story (TAC)
How To Have Civil Conversations (Forbes)
How To Talk Politics Without Letting Things Turn Ugly (NPR)
21 Americans With Opposing Views on Guns Sat Down to Talk to Each Other. Here's What They Discovered (Time)
Cultural Competence Classes (Walk the Talk America)

For more information on Brady, follow us on social media @Bradybuzz or visit our website at bradyunited.org.

Full transcripts and bibliographies of this episode are available at bradyunited.org/podcast.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255.
Music provided by: David “Drumcrazie” Curby
Special thanks to Hogan Lovells for their long-standing legal support
℗&©2019 Red, Blue, and Brady

Support the show (https://www.bradyunited.org/donate)

Private planes. Thousand dollar suits. Yachts. Russian spies. And a lie -- that the solution to gun violence was just "a good guy with a gun."

A one time nonprofit group meant to encourage marksmanship and sports shooting, by the new millennium the National Rifle Association (NRA) had become "a powerful lobbyist organization that maintained an iron hold on gun legislation in America." And at the head of that changed organization sits CEO Wayne LaPierre, a man who has remained the NRA's figurehead despite decades of mismanagement and corruption.

In this episode, hosts Kelly and JJ are joined by journalist Tim Mak, who spent over four years investigating the NRA, including but not limited to the dissolution of their relationship with marketing firm Ackerman-McQueen, the NRA's involvement with Russian spies, and gross money mismanagement by top NRA officials. All is revealed in Mak's new book, Misfire: Inside the Downfall of the NRA.

For a chance to win your own copy of Misfire, simply email us at [email protected], or text/call us on the RBB line at (480) 744-3452‬ and tell us what you could do with $274,695.03 to fight gun violence -- that's the amount of NRA money LaPierre spent on clothes from one luxury retailer alone from  2004 to 2017.
 

Mentioned in this podcast:
The NRA Files for Bankruptcy, Says It Plans to Move to Texas (the Trace)
NRA Funded LaPierre’s Search for $6 Million Mansion, Document Shows (the Trace)
Lobbyists Sold Out Your Grandfather’s NRA (Brady)
NRA Not Above the Law (Brady)

For more information on Brady, follow us on social media @Bradybuzz or visit our website at bradyunited.org.

Full transcripts and bibliographies of this episode are available at bradyunited.org/podcast.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255.
Music provided by: David “Drumcrazie” Curby
Special thanks to Hogan Lovells for their long-standing legal support
℗&©2019 Red, Blue, and Brady

Support the show (https://www.bradyunited.org/donate)

Journalist Wendi Winters was only 65 when she was killed when a gunman attacked the offices of the Capital Gazette on June 28, 2018.  It was one of the deadliest attacks on journalists in American history. In the days that followed, stories of Wendi's heroism spread -- not just her actions in charging the shooter to protect her colleagues -- but her lifetime of service to her family and community. Wendi left behind four children, the youngest of which is Summerleigh Winters Geimer. Summerleigh has taken her activism to tiktok, where she has posted videos about dealing with grief, the trial, gun violence, and  gun violence prevention efforts. In this episode, host JJ was able to sit down with Summerleigh to talk about her mom, common misconceptions about gun violence, and why gun violence is just so unfair. 

Mentioned in this podcast:
Capital Gazette journalist Wendi Winters posthumously awarded Carnegie Medal for heroism during newsroom shooting (Capital Gazette)
Survived By: One Year After the Capital Gazette Shooting (WUSA9)
The 'Capital Gazette' Gunman's Trial Began Today. Here's What You Need To Know (NPR)
Wendi Winters, a prolific feature writer for The Capital enjoyed sharing stories about local residents (Baltimore Sun)
A snow globe, a poem, a home: Capital Gazette victims revealed, recalled in the things they left behind(Capital Gazette)

For more information on Brady, follow us on social media @Bradybuzz or visit our website at bradyunited.org.

Full transcripts and bibliographies of this episode are available at bradyunited.org/podcast.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255.
Music provided by: David “Drumcrazie” Curby
Special thanks to Hogan Lovells for their long-standing legal support
℗&©2019 Red, Blue, and Brady

Support the show (https://www.bradyunited.org/donate)

In the past 50 years, the National Rifle Association (NRA) evolved from being a nonpartisan hunting and sport shooting enthusiasts’ organization to a political and lobbying powerhouse. The NRA's work has had a huge impact on not just American gun culture, but on American policy and legislation related to gun violence prevention.  To trace that evolution, and it's impact,  hosts Kelly and JJ are joined by a beloved friend of the pod, gun violence prevention advocate (and father of Jesse and Jaime) Fred Guttenberg, as well as a new friend -- award-winning director and producer Judd Ehrlich of Flatbush Pictures. Together, we discuss Judd's newest film, the Price of Freedom, which explores the role the NRA and the gun lobby has had in America’s gun violence epidemic.

Listeners can tune into the film this Sunday (9/19) at 9pm ET/6pm PDT on CNN, followed by a roundtable with Fred and other folks in the film, anchored by CNN’s Chris Cuomo. You can find more information about how, and where to watch, here. 

Mentioned in this podcast:
‘The Price of Freedom’ Review: Guns Across America (New York Times)
A Potent and Disturbing Documentary Looks at the Rise of the NRA (Variety)
Review: ‘The Price of Freedom’ takes aim at the NRA’s rise to political power (LA Times)
‘Price of Freedom’ Doc Director on Power of the NRA, Collective Action and Assault Weapons (Hollywood Reporter)

For more information on Brady, follow us on social media @Bradybuzz or visit our website at bradyunited.org.

Full transcripts and bibliographies of this episode are available at bradyunited.org/podcast.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255.
Music provided by: David “Drumcrazie” Curby
Special thanks to Hogan Lovells for their long-standing legal support
℗&©2019 Red, Blue, and Brady

Though only 35, Scott Beigel left a lasting legacy with the thousands of children he directly impacted as a beloved teacher, cross country coach, and camp counselor, one who perpetually "made school fun." Yet, in very "Scott fashion," he had made it clear before his death that he never wanted to be thought of as a hero. Nevertheless, Scott was already a humble hero to many when he was murdered in February 14, 2018 during the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida.  Scott had broken protocol and was ushering students in the hall to safety, ultimately getting over 20 students into his room.  

To celebrate Scott's life, his family and friends have since worked tirelessly to honor one of the things Scott loved most -- camp! -- and to prevent gun violence with work like the Scott J. Beigel Unfinished Receiver Act . To speak on Scott's amazing life, and all of the efforts in his memory done by the Scott Beigel Memorial Fund, hosts Kelly and JJ are joined by Scott's mom, the amazing  Linda Beigel Schulman.  

Mentioned in this podcast:
Parkland teacher Scott Beigel died saving students. He was always a hero, family said. (Miami Herald)
Scott Beigel, Florida school shooting victim: A hero teacher who saved students was among 17 deaths in Parkland  (Sun Sentinel)
Cross-Country Coach Scott Beigel Died a Hero in the Parkland Shooting (Runner's World)
Students remember Florida geography teacher Scott Beigel (CBS morning) 

For more information on Brady, follow us on social media @Bradybuzz or visit our website at bradyunited.org.

Full transcripts and bibliographies of this episode are available at bradyunited.org/podcast.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255.
Music provided by: David “Drumcrazie” Curby
Special thanks to Hogan Lovells for their long-standing legal support
℗&©2019 Red, Blue, and Brady

Early in the afternoon on April 16, 2017 -- Easter Sunday -- 74 year old Robert Godwin Sr. went out to collect cans in the Glenville neighborhood of Cleveland, Ohio. Shortly after beginning his routine walk home, Robert was confronted, shot, and murdered by a stranger. Compounding on the senseless horror, the shooter filmed and livestreamed the murder, uploading the footage to Facebook. Robert left behind 10 children, 14 grandchildren, and many great-grandchildren, who were left to deal not just with the loss of their loved one, but with the trauma of a media storm.

To discuss the process of surviving after gun violence, the reality of dealing with trauma, and how everyone can be a better support system to those in their lives experiencing grief, hosts Kelly and JJ are joined by three of Robert's children -- 911 operator Malisa Godwin, author and nurse Tonya R. Godwin-Baines, and Brady's Director of Human Resources, Brenda Haymon.

Mentioned in this podcast:
From Grief to Grace (Halo Publishing)
Family remembers Robert Godwin Sr. on 3rd anniversary of his murder (WKYC)
The Facebook victim was a granddad walking home after Easter meal (CNN)
Daughter pleads to suspect who shot and killed 74-year-old father: ‘I ask that you please surrender. I forgive you’ (Fox 8)

For more information on Brady, follow us on social media @Bradybuzz or visit our website at bradyunited.org.

Full transcripts and bibliographies of this episode are available at bradyunited.org/podcast.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255.
Music provided by: David “Drumcrazie” Curby
Special thanks to Hogan Lovells for their long-standing legal support
℗&©2019 Red, Blue, and Brady

Support the show (https://www.bradyunited.org/donate)

Kris West, a firearms instructor and gun safety advocate, returns to the podcast to join hosts Kelly and JJ for a conversation on concealed carry (the practice of carrying a firearm in public in a concealed manner): namely,  why some folks might practice concealed carry, and how people, particularly those working to prevent gun violence,  can better understand concealed carry and those who practice it. 

Mentioned in this podcast:
3 Million Americans Carry Loaded Handguns Every Day, Study Finds (the Trace)
Frequently Asked Questions on Concealed Carry (ATF)
Ghost Guns are Threats to Communities (Brady, Team Enough)

For more information on Brady, follow us on social media @Bradybuzz or visit our website at bradyunited.org.
 
Full transcripts and bibliographies of this episode are available at bradyunited.org/podcast.
 
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255. 
Music provided by: David “Drumcrazie” Curby
Special thanks to Hogan Lovells for their long-standing legal support 
℗&©2019 Red, Blue, and Brady

Black and brown communities impacted by gun violence have been fighting for their own gun violence interventions for decades, with thousands of unknown advocates dedicating themselves to community-focused solutions. These community activists often work tirelessly to end gun violence, despite outsiders often misunderstanding both gun violence at a local level and the communities efforts to end the epidemic. To find out how community activism often works, how to get better involved, and how to better frame conversations about gun violence, more broadly, hosts Kelly and JJ are joined by the great Kayla Hicks. Ms. Hicks is the founder, President, and CEO of the Sustain Equity Group, whose aim is to support the development and advancement of Black women as leaders in violence prevention. Together, they discuss how to better empower individuals and communities, how to take on systemic inequality, and how to have better conversations about firearms and gun violence.

Mentioned in this podcast:
Why Women Will End Gun Violence (Aspire for Equality)
How Gun Owners Can be Involved in the Fight Against Gun Violence (Brady)
Wear Orange (Hadiya's Promise)
Valuing Black Women Working on The Frontlines and Violence Prevention (Sustain Equity Group) 
'The Media Have Neglected Us': Black Parkland Survivors Speak Out (Vice)

For more information on Brady, follow us on social media @Bradybuzz or visit our website at bradyunited.org.
 
Full transcripts and bibliographies of this episode are available at bradyunited.org/podcast.
 
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255. 
Music provided by: David “Drumcrazie” Curby
Special thanks to Hogan Lovells for their long-standing legal support 
℗&©2019 Red, Blue, and Brady

Support the show (https://www.bradyunited.org/donate)

Gun violence in America never takes a vacation, unfortunately, but hosts Kelly and JJ sometimes do -- which is why today's episode is straight from the vault! Consistently ranked as a favorite by our listeners, Kirsten Englund's story did not end with her murder at the hands of a disturbed man wielding an illegally-purchased firearm; Brady's legal team would not allow it. In this rebroadcast, Jon Lowy, our Vice President of Legal, and Erin Davis, our senior counsel, break down the tragedy of Kirsten's death and their efforts to punish the gun dealer whose disregard for the law set her murder into motion.

Mentioned in this podcast:
Justice for Oregon Mother(Brady)
Be a Lighthouse(Brady)
Family of woman killed, burned along Oregon coast suing gun dealer (the Oregonian)
Mom who bought guns for suspected-killer son to pay $400,000(SF Gate)

For more information on Brady, follow us on social media @Bradybuzz or visit our website at bradyunited.org.
 
Full transcripts and bibliographies of this episode are available at bradyunited.org/podcast.
 
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255. 
Music provided by: David “Drumcrazie” Curby
Special thanks to Hogan Lovells for their long-standing legal support 
℗&©2019 Red, Blue, and Brady