Twitter user David Hines used “spectrum of allies analysis” to explain how anti-gun activists are pressuring companies like Delta, REI, DICK’s, Kroger, Walmart, etc. to move against gun manufacturers and the NRA.
According to Hines, this is not some knee-jerk reaction to what happened in Parkland, but a result of “careful preparation” and “[g]roundwork was done months ago.”
As they say, THREAD ==>
So, let me explain what's going on with this and the NRA benefits thing: none of this came together on the fly; this is a carefully researched strategy that's being executed now bc the moment is favorablehttps://t.co/shedUseZWD
— David Hines (@hradzka) March 2, 2018
What you're seeing implemented is the result of a tool called spectrum of allies analysis pic.twitter.com/1ZcgyAwMfW
— David Hines (@hradzka) March 2, 2018
The way spectrum of allies analysis works is: you categorize people and groups by where they stand in relation to you and your target on whatever issue you're working on.
— David Hines (@hradzka) March 2, 2018
Active opponents are against you, and fighting you.
Passive opponents are against you, but they're not fighting you.
Neutrals are neither against or for you.
Passive allies are with you, but they're not fighting for you.
Active allies are with you and are fighting for you.— David Hines (@hradzka) March 2, 2018
The point of spectrum of allies analysis is figuring out who you can move one notch. Who can you move toward you? Who can you move away from your enemy? And how do you make sure you don't push people away from you?
— David Hines (@hradzka) March 2, 2018
Active allies: engage them.
Passive allies: make them active.
Neutrals: inform or educate them to make them passive allies.
Passive opponents: make them move to neutral by worrying their position may cost them — BUT CAREFULLY, so they don't become active opponents.— David Hines (@hradzka) March 2, 2018
Active opponents: make it clear that anything they do against you will cost them, so they retreat to being passive opponents. Failing that, isolate them.
You are now thinking, "Holy crap, yeah, I've seen this technique used everywhere."
— David Hines (@hradzka) March 2, 2018
So under this system, companies giving the NRA discounts are passive opponents to gun control activists. Get them to drop this discount. Make them neutral. And it's not like NRA members really *use* discounts much, so the companies will see no strong material argument against.
— David Hines (@hradzka) March 2, 2018
But if this works: look, now you've got precedent.
(Turns out it cost Delta a $40 million tax break. But most companies with NRA discounts are not vulnerable like that, in large part bc *the NRA does not have comparable research to know what their weaknesses to pressure are.*)
— David Hines (@hradzka) March 2, 2018
Activists have been researching firearms companies, finding ones vulnerable to pressure or whose parent companies are. That's where the REI thing comes in. This has not been done in a few weeks. It is careful preparation and it takes months. Groundwork was done months ago.
— David Hines (@hradzka) March 2, 2018
That's how this stuff is done: preparation, preparation, PREPARATION, then carefully staged release, usually on a calendar, but in this case probably at the most favorable moment that presented itself.
— David Hines (@hradzka) March 2, 2018
What you're seeing is activist pressure to turn NRA's passive allies neutral.
The Lyft thing? Free rides to the march? Lyft didn't just decide to do that. They were asked, and asked carefully, and the people asking knew the people they asked were passive allies needing a push.
— David Hines (@hradzka) March 2, 2018
It pays to be familiar with activists' analytical tools (this isn't the only one, of course). Turn them against yourself or your organization; that way, if you're subject of an activist attack, you'll get an idea of where the attack is likely to come from. Don't get caught blind.
— David Hines (@hradzka) March 2, 2018
/fin
— David Hines (@hradzka) March 2, 2018
oh, and a PS. If all this stuff sounds military to you? *That's because it is.* Don't think of activism as bullshit the other guys do. Think of it as a non-violent army. That's what it is. And it's hard work. Respect it.
— David Hines (@hradzka) March 2, 2018
What do you think?
***