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According to the New York Times, “robust background check laws or packages of gun legislation were enacted in four states with Democrat-controlled governments,” including in Colorado, the site of two mass shootings, in Aurora in 2012 and in Columbine in 1999. 

With public opinion still strongly behind stricter gun regulations, policy window opportunities for reform are still open. Gun control advocates should focus on stronger opportunities for persuasion while reframing the gun-control debate and approach based on differentiation from the past. 

The Navy Yard shooting is the fifth mass shooting of 2013 and last year’s shootings still ring a loud bell for the majority of the public. From the Connecticut elementary school to the movie theatre in Colorado, polls show that the public is not oblivious towards these events. 

Gallup polls show that 83% of Americans are in favor of tighter background checks and regulations. What is most important now is that there are many opportunities available for successful persuasion, so that the public can move from opinion to action.

Less than a week after the Navy Yard shooting, making a huge turnaround in policy, Starbucks asked customers to  "no longer bring firearms into our stores or outdoor seating areas." As the world’s most famous coffee shop, Starbucks’ shift in policy represents an important statement by a social reference group that can have a tremendous influence on other large companies as well as the public. 

Furthermore, the number of parents and relatives of victims from this year’s shootings can provide advocates with a ready mobilized group who would be more willing than others to act for the campaign, become the face of the campaigns, and more strongly influence decision makers. By engaging in an extremely targeted persuasion campaign, advocates can create more ambitious social change by using those who have been affected the most by the tragedies. 

In addition, there is an opportunity to reframe the gun-control debate and messaging, differentiating it from the past.

Gun control policy comes with a long history and some can view it as a failed one, most notably in April when the Senate defeated measures to strengthen gun restrictions. Moreover, two state senators from Colorado who had backed stronger gun laws lost recall elections. If gun control policy is to advance, advocates have to develop new messaging. People have been ingrained in the unsuccessful efforts of the past and therefore, feel unmotivated to take stronger action.

The way a problem is defined can have significant influence on the success of a campaign. Conditions are defined as problems if they violate important values or they become problems by comparison with other countries. Gun policy has much potential to be framed in a way that resonates with the values of Americans. One argument is drawing comparisons with other countries, and how it defines our gun policy as a problem. 

The recent state reforms, if continued, may put further pressure on the federal government to act. We have already seen sweeping reforms in New York, Maryland as well as Colorado. And with a strong campaign, more states can follow. 

The growing prominence of  Mayor Michael Bloomberg of New York as a gun control policy entrepreneur, can contribute to building coalitions and influencing key decision makers. Thus, with the changes in state laws and with a focus on the states’ policies, as well as influence from policy entrepreneurs such as Bloomberg, the political field will be ready for a policy change. A state-by-state tightening laws can have a huge impact. 

Given the amount of shootings in the past year, it is imperative to immediately focus on a campaign strategy that re-defines the problem of gun policy in the United States, takes advantage of persuasion opportunities and engages policy makers. With carefully planned strategies, a policy window can be opened. 

Since 1982, there have been at least 62 mass shootings across the country, which have included 30 states. Of the 143 guns possessed by the killers, more than three quarters were obtained legally, according to a Mother Jones investigation. Through strategic planning, an effective campaign can bring attention to this data and have a positive impact on those numbers. 

SEE ALSO: 7 Worst Shootings Of 2012

Reach Executive Producer Syuzanna Petrosyan here. Follow her on Twitter.