Stop Handgun Violence is a lobbying group that that advocates for increased gun control legislation, specifically against the rights of Massachusetts handgun owners. Alongside typical lobbying activities, the organization specializes in billboard advertisements, due to its President, John Rosenthal, owning a prominent billboard next to Boston’s Fenway Park. ¹

Stop Handgun Violence was the lead supporter of the Massachusetts Gun Control Act of 1998, which has served as a model for future attempts to legislate against firearms rights. ² It is partnered with national gun control groups Coalition to Stop Gun Violence (formerly known as the National Campaign to Ban Handguns) and States United to Prevent Gun Violence.

History

Stop Handgun Violence was founded in 1994 by real estate developer John Rosenthal and Michael Kennedy, the late son of former U.S. Senator Robert F. Kennedy (D-NY). Its creation was inspired by the 1994 Federal Assault Weapons Ban. ³

It became known for its use of provocative billboard advertisements, the first of which being an advertisement that depicted the faces of fifteen children killed by firearms. Then-Massachusetts Attorney General Scott Harshbarger (D), the architect of the Massachusetts Gun Control Act of 1998, credited it with being a major educational tool that helped make the case. ⁴”

The Gun Control Act was the group’s largest, but also its only attributable success. In an interview with Commonwealth Magazine, Rosenthal lamented his lack of success with lobbying both the George W. Bush and Obama administrations; he was described as “deeply stung” when the latter refused to consider Rosenthal’s proposed ban on commonly used rifles. ⁵

Present Activities

Stop Handgun Violence frequently develops billboard and media campaigns to be displayed both in Boston and across the country. As of July 2019, its most recent subjects have been “3D-Printed Guns”  and promoting gun control in the wake of the 2018 school shooting in Broward County, Florida. ⁶

Aside from advertising, Stop Handgun Violence holds fundraising events in Boston and encourages Massachusetts residents to contact their elected officials on gun control issues. Towards that end, it provides interested individuals with an “Advocacy Tool Kit” and trigger locks, designed primarily for students. ⁷

Leadership

The current president of Stop Handgun Violence is developer John Rosenthal, who co-founded the organization alongside Michael Kennedy. His real estate career is what enabled him to acquire the garage upon which the group’s Fenway Park billboard rests. ⁸

The only paid member of Stop Handgun Violence is Executive Director Zoe Grover. The most recent publicly available filings show that she makes $84,131 a year.

Funding

The most recent publicly available filings show total revenues of $171,233 and total expenses of $232,738. ⁹

Organizations that have reported funding Stop Handgun Violence include the Craigslist Charitable Fund and the Barr Foundation. ¹⁰

1. McMorrow, Paul. “Cause Development.” CommonWealth Magazine. April 03, 2015. Accessed July 20, 2019. https://commonwealthmagazine.org/criminal-justice/005-cause-development/.
2. MacQuarrie, Brian. “Gun Crimes Increase in Massachusetts despite Tough Gun Laws.” Boston.com. February 03, 2013. Accessed July 20, 2019. https://www.boston.com/news/local-news/2013/02/03/gun-crimes-increase-in-massachusetts-despite-tough-gun-laws.
3. McMorrow, Paul. “Cause Development.” CommonWealth Magazine. April 03, 2015. Accessed July 20, 2019. https://commonwealthmagazine.org/criminal-justice/005-cause-development/.
4. McMorrow, Paul. “Cause Development.” CommonWealth Magazine. April 03, 2015. Accessed July 20, 2019. https://commonwealthmagazine.org/criminal-justice/005-cause-development/.
5. McMorrow, Paul. “Cause Development.” CommonWealth Magazine. April 03, 2015. Accessed July 20, 2019. https://commonwealthmagazine.org/criminal-justice/005-cause-development/.
6. Stein, Lindsay. “Haunting Gun Violence Prevention Spot Aims to Ban 3D Printed Firearms.” Campaign US. May 3, 2019. Accessed July 20, 2019. https://www.campaignlive.com/article/haunting-gun-violence-prevention-spot-aims-ban-3d-printed-firearms/1583656.
7. “Stop Handgun Violence Advocacy Tool Kit.” Stop Handgun Violence. Accessed July 20, 2019. https://www.stophandgunviolence.org/toolkit/.
8. McMorrow, Paul. “Cause Development.” CommonWealth Magazine. April 03, 2015. Accessed July 20, 2019. https://commonwealthmagazine.org/criminal-justice/005-cause-development/.
9. Tigas, Mike, Sisi Wei, Ken Schwencke, and Alec Glassford. “Stop Handgun Violence Inc, Form 990 – Nonprofit Explorer.” ProPublica. May 09, 2013. Accessed July 20, 2019. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/43269143/201910249349300216/IRS990
10. Data compiled by FoundationSearch.com subscription service, a project of Metasoft Systems, Inc., from forms filed with the IRS. Queries conducted July 23, 2019.