America has a gun violence problem. The National Rifle Association seems to be oblivious to it. Before Thanksgiving, the NRA boldly tweeted a picture of Santa holding a scroll with the word “ammo” repeated over and over and the caption, “Dear Santa, You give us ammo. We give you cookies. It’s that simple.—@NRA.”
To many people outside the US, it’s an unpleasant reminder of the failing of America’s gun laws and the horror of an attitude about guns that’s far too prevalent there. A thankfully growing number of people inside the US feel the same. These people include the anti-gun violence groups, Change the Ref, founded by Manuel and Patricia Padauy-Oliver, whose son, Joaquim, was killed in the Parkland high school massacre in 2018.
Agency, Alma DDB, and Change The Ref are bringing attention to the NRA’s tone-deaf request by baking 1,700 cookies in the shape of shooting victims and delivering them directly to the gun group.
The number of cookies represents each child or teen who dies each year from gun violence.
The campaign is being promoted with the hashtag #onecookieperkid and has already gained traction on social media, with other anti-gun violence organisations and activists joining in. Guns Down America, March for Our Lives and Parkland survivor and activist David Hogg all promoted the action and Change the Ref posted them, delivering the cookies directly to the NRA headquarters in Virginia.
“This initiative with Alma to remind the NRA of all the innocent lives lost is an important way to end the year and usher in a new one,” stated Manuel Oliver. “As we enter into 2021, we’ll continue our efforts with renewed hope to end gun violence.”