In 2016, over 16,000 murders were committed in the United States of which about 73% of these were committed with firearms (Facts, 2016). Such numbers are not just statistics and people will always address this issue on all platforms mostly in the public. Public narrative is a leadership practice of translating values into action (Ganz, 2011) based on the fact that values are experienced emotionally. Ganz also describes a narrative as “the discursive means we use to access values that equip us with the courage to make choices under conditions of uncertainty, to exercise agency”.
A story will consist of a plot, character and moral where the plot is commenced by a challenge (gun control in this case), which then confronts a character with a choice which in turn produces an outcome. A public narrative links the three elements of self, us and now: “why I am called, why we are called and why we are called to act now” (Ganz, 2011). Gun control will arise from the underlying crimes involving firearms that will then require the leaders and citizens to come up with ways and policies to reduce the crimes and present them with choices; to reduce or end completely.
Drawing insights from the storytelling project, you will find that it is; “a framework to guide the design of curricular and professional development activities that can effectively engage people in a critical examination of race and racism through storytelling with the arts”. Put aside race and racism and focus on gun control and its relatable that firearms use will always engage people in critical examinations of the end results. From the storytelling project (Roberts, 2010), stories told through visual arts, theatre, spoken word and poetry helps in thinking more creatively, intimately and deeply about anything. Terms of engagement have to be clearly laid out for storytelling to make sense for diverse groups which will them yield the careful creation of a storytelling community who can then push the desirable changes in the end.
Gun control can be warped around the four types of stories; stock, concealed, resistance and emerging stories and still achieve the intended results and goals. Stock stories are more public in the mainstream institutions of our society and hence would be great for setting the base for solving for the gun control issues. It will build ground for the other types of stories that are less public in the mainstream institutions such as schools, businesses, government and media among others. If a story on gun control would fall under the emerging type, it would challenge the stock stories, add strength to the concealed and resistance stories and even offer ways to work for change.
Conclusion
With an issue like gun control, action is needed for this affects people of all kinds on the social ladder. Public narratives as seen will confront character and seek for action from the people (I and we) as well as storytelling using arts which will bring diverse groups of people from all institutions in the society. Storytelling combined with the right masses will drive the desired change in the society and as the enactment of the emerging stories becomes examples of resistance stories for future generations the results of the solutions thereafter will be grounds of reference for these future generations. Storytelling and narratives is a sure way to go.
Works Cited
Facts, J. (2016). Gun Control. Retrieved from justfacts.com: https://www.justfacts.com/guncontrol.asp
Ganz, M. (2011). Public Narrative, Collective Action and Power. 273-289.
Roberts, L. A. (2010). The Storytelling Project Model.
