Leadership
Stories
Justin McBride
After losing his friend to a stray bullet, Justin McBride
mobilized public will around the issue of random gunfire. His
efforts culminated in a piece of legislation known as "Shannon's
Law," which makes random gunfire punishable as a felony rather
than as a misdemeanor. Since the passage of Shannon's law, McBride
has emphasized the need to heighten public consciousness in order
to reduce shooting deaths. He hopes the new law will act as a
deterrent by underscoring the seriousness of random gunfire.
In order to raise awareness for their issue, McBride and his
friends employed a variety of communication tools: the group conducted
press conferences and erected a memorial which visually emphasized
the impact of random gunfire on innocent people's lives. Additionally,
they raised money and awareness by holding local fundraising events,
and they garnered the support of local legislators who produced
public service announcements. His public-will-building work extends
beyond the problem of gun violence: he currently holds a position
on the executive council of Students Against Destructive Decisions
(formerly Students Against Drunk Driving), a group which mobilizes
young people against a variety of dangers facing them today. McBride
founded his own SADD chapter at his high school and coordinates
large seminars for the organization. In addition, he has acted
as the Youth Conference Chair for the Arizona State Leadership
Council. McBride plans to begin college next year.
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