Editor’s note: The following is a statement from Wayne LaPierre, the EVP and CEO of the National Rifle Association (NRA):
Recently we watched in horror as two unspeakable tragedies unfolded in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio. Like all Americans, we at the NRA extend our deepest sympathies to the victims and their families, and we salute the courage of our law enforcement officials and first responders.
But there’s nothing about an insane criminal committing a horrible act that should lead to the government taking guns away from law-abiding citizens. That will only make us less safe.
Yet, that’s exactly what we’re seeing right now. A highly-orchestrated effort to disarm American citizens unlike anything we’ve ever seen in this country.
It’s an effort to destroy the NRA. To defame our millions of members and tens of millions of supporters. An effort that’s fueled by billionaires and a multi-billion dollar media machine that couldn’t care less about fighting crime. Their fight is against you, your guns, and your freedom.
And that’s exactly why the NRA will always stand and fight and never give in. Because we can’t make this country safe – we can’t make our country a better place by slamming the door on the Constitution and the Second Amendment.
The way to make this country safe is to slam the door on violent criminals. Like NRA members have been demanding for the past forty years. And make no mistake. No organization in America has done more to fight violent crime than the NRA.
We’ve demanded hard time for hard crime.
We’ve fought for full prosecution of gun criminals. No plea bargaining. And no parole.
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We’ve demanded full enforcement of federal gun laws, already on the books, to take armed drug dealers and criminal gang members off our city streets.
And we’ve repeatedly called for our background check system to be fixed – to stop criminals and those who’ve been adjudicated mentally ill from buying guns.
But we will not allow anti-gun politicians and elitist billionaires to jump on the back of a horrible tragedy and blame good people for an act of pure evil. We will always defend our right to defend ourselves. And no one is going to take that away on my watch.
No one is going to take that away as long as NRA stands and fights for freedom. Freedom-loving Americans are still the majority in this country. And if we stand up, if we fight – we win.
Let’s stand together now. Let’s make this country a better, safer place.
And let’s fight to make sure no madman or billionaire or elitist politician ever takes away our God-given right to protect our lives, our homes, and the people we love.
Speaking as a Benefactor member, I am still waiting for disclosure and accountability on executive salaries and benefits from our supposedly “non-profit” organization before they have another dime from me.
Amen, brother. And with that, I want Wayne out, and a reasonable cap on salaries/bennies.
Life member.
DID Demonrats stage these shootings?????? They were the first to know about them, they were the first Ones to try to CASH in on them. Maybe they want to take our guns because of what they are going to do to us once we are disarmed.
Liberals will keep shooting people until they take our guns or somebody gets off their collective ass and starts charging the Liberals that are conceiving and promoting theses shootings!
I too believe it is all orchestrated too many consistencies all have prior mental or law enforcement issues ?
Government covers up the ones that don’t meet the narrative like real terrorist shootings ( Las Vegas, San Bernardino ) notice how they cover those up. it’s always been about disarmament we may soon have to use our guns for what they were meant for under the second amendment to to put down a dictatorial Government and the the leftist who have hijacked our Republic.
You don’t speak for this life member, Wayne. Never give in? Just on bump stocks, ERPOs, machineguns, and whatever else makes your politician friends happy. Stop compromising.
Do us a favor and resign so we can stop selling away our RKBA.
Establishment toad Oliver North was brought to break up the NRA just as REx Tillerson was brought in to fully integrate homosexuals and females into the now-defunct Boy Scouts. I told several NRA members at the range what was going to happen after North was brought in. Mission Accomplished, evidently.
LaPierre’s not the right person for his position and I’ve said it for years. Well, now the chickens have come home to roost. I just hope the ship can be righted quickly.
These government officials don’t care if people get killed, they put on a good act when people are murdered, they say how tragic and sad it is, but they don’t really care at all who gets killed. They want to disarm the population, that is their end game and they will attempt to get their way piece by piece.
Once they get us disarmed they can do anything they want to “We the people”.
Death happens! It wouldn’t matter if we had Semi-auto rifle, handguns, or clubs, if someone goes off the deep end and intends to kill, they will get it done by any means.
Death Happens!
Here’s my thoughts. Recently the Woodstock event celebrated their 50 year anniversary . Imagine 400,000 kids assembled for a weekend of fun, music, and good times. 400,000 kids with zero reported rapes, murders, assaults . Sure there was drug use, but no violence. In fact, Shortline Bus Co. took out a full page ad in the N.Y. Times praising how well behaved these kids / passengers were. Please and thank you, patience a common display. I would dare wager 400 at such an event today wouldn’t go as smoothly.
So before the anti-2A members start talking that the mislabeled “assault weapons” weren’t available, they were since 1964. Handguns much less regulated also.
So something happened or changed since then……..the guns still can’t act on their own….Someone tell me please….
What happened in El Paso and Dayton are part of the effort. They will murder for money, don’t think the left won’t murder to enslave. Can you even name the Vegas shooter now?
Which Vegas shooter? The video evidence shows there were more than one shooter.
Does anyone still think Oswald was the only JFK shooter?
Too bad Illinois, specifically Chicago, does not believe in prosecuting criminals for crimes. Chicago would be different if they actually did something about prosecuting criminals and not downgrading charges to home monitoring with a ankle bracelet.
Lets go way back and see what the Federal Government’s position was when massacre’s or smaller mass killing took place during the westward expansion period. I’m not siding with the Native Americans nor the U.S.Gov and Territorial Authorities. When settlers (all types) were attacked, murdered and wagon trains were massacred, the Authorities didn’t rush to disarm the settlers. No, every man, woman and child had the Right to protect themselves. The Gov increase the U.S. Calvary presence and established more Forts from which to project the Gov Authority and Territorial Militias were formed or enlarged to deal with the Acts of Native violence and settler, bandit crime . Laws were created that banned the trade of guns, ammo and spirits to the Natives but they still got them from smugglers and the dead settlers, Calvary and Militia.
Today, when we have mass murders and massacres the reaction is to take the firearms from the innocent even thought each event further supports the need for citizens to be lawfully armed. There are existing Laws and Penalties for criminal behavior. We still have firearm restrictions and some restrictions on intoxicants/drugs. What we don’t have is a adequate LE offensive capability needed to investigate ALL crimes and persue the criminals without pause and judiciary system that can process cases effectively with prison capacity to meet demand.
Well that’s all fine. The problem is people getting out and vote. We lost the house because people didn’t vote. We a have party that has gone so far left and while they bemoan the President day in day out, they drive a wedge in America with a message of hate, racism, and a litany of other pejoratives, while blaming the President for the same thing. If people don’t vote, then they deserve what gets served up. The liberals are liars and use made-up facts and misinformation to obfuscate their true agenda. They could care less how many people are gunned down by psychopaths’ and sociopaths. All they care about is a strong central government, consolidate power, strip all Americans of their rights and freedoms, and subjugate the people to socialism. It is sad times for country.
The Communists are the Liberals. And as long as the country is filled with stupid !ow IQ morons who be!ive Communist propaganda we are in a fight for our freedom unseen in this land since the revolutionary war.
People say if you don’t vote you can’t complain. Well, you could argue that if you do vote (either party, by the way) you endorse the corrupt election monopoly and therefore you’re complicit in the politicians’ crimes.
I totally agree with you. Everyone and anyone has the right to complain. I’m not voting for any criminal politicians, and I have every right to complain about that.
Doesn’t matter if we vote or not. We had the Senate, the House,and the White House and still couldn’t get anything done right. They’re all on the same side now. The Screw the American people side. To hell with them all, including the NRA.
All the purple Republicans are leaving. Maybe they can be replaced with people who want to get things done and take back the House.
These people always take and give nothing. They should be arrested for treason. Be strong Wayne, they will take nothing from me.
Wayne’s a “Taker” too. NO Different than 90% of our Congressmen and Women. Wayne got corrupted by the $$$$$$$$$$$.
I for one am Chomping at the bit, for the second Civil War, AND THEN the second American Revolution. Purge the Leftist’s, and then the Government, and start over. The Tree of Liberty has been Dying of thirst for Far Too long…….
I agree weather we want it or not it’s coming.
Ya Damn Skippy!