In case you somehow haven’t heard, the National Rifle Association is holding its Annual Meeting at the convention center, through Sunday. The NRA is officially a non-profit, non-partisan group, and you can tell how non-partisan it is by taking a look at the convention’s lineup of speakers: Newt Gingrich; Macho man and conservative hero Chuck Norris; Fox News head case Glenn Beck, who, just a forewarning, is now claiming to receive instructions from God; and former half-term Gov. Sarah Palin, aka Lady BlahBlah. Yeah, that’s really non-partisan.
The NRA wasn’t always this way. Started in the late 19th century as a marksmanship and gun safety group, over the past 35 years the organization has evolved into much more than a gun hobbyists’ club and Second Amendment rights watchdog. Today’s NRA is a right-wing juggernaut, probably the second most effective right-wing organization in the world, slightly behind Myanmar’s secret police. Congress members are scared to offend the NRA, which continually ups the ante on how much “protection” gun owners are entitled to. Currently, the group is busy defending the rights of terrorists and the criminally insane to buy guns — I wish I were kidding — and trying to convince Virginia’s legislature to allow people with loaded guns to drink in bars. What’s next — a revival of dueling? By the way, don’t bet against the NRA getting its way in Virginia. The NRA’s increased involvement in politics is a big part of how we’ve become a nation that’s armed to the teeth, and where people kill each other at a mind-boggling rate that makes the rest of the world think we’re, well, kinda nuts. The only thing more astonishing about the NRA than its no-limits advocacy for gun ownership is its group members’ absolute refusal to evince common sense and at least admit that there is a correlation between America’s gun possession and murder rates.
The last time the NRA held its convention here, in 2000, NRA President Charlton “Guns ‘n Moses” Heston lifted a reproduction of a Colonial Era musket over his head and declared, “From my cold dead hands!” A couple of weeks later, he put down the gun and headed to alcohol rehab. In 2008, someone apparently took up Heston on his famous Charlotte quote.
This article appears in May 11-17, 2010.
I can’t wait to see Glenn Beck! I’m going to have him autograph my shirt!
If you would bother to go to Convention Center and walk around and maybe meet or talk to some of the “gun nuts” you could form a more objective opinion instead of proving you bigotry by publishing you opinion on opening day.
Lighten up there, Bob. We don’t have to wait a few days to confirm that the gun nuts are, well, the gun nuts. They do have a track record after all.
I can’t believe that they agreed to disarm to attend their own convention. They must feel absolutely naked out there. Maybe all the pictures of guns keep their spirits up.
I used to belong to the NRA. But that was before their cheese slipped off their cracker.
Just because you oppose the views of the NRA I would object your blatant disregard for your readers’ opinions. Granted freedom of speech is protected… so is the right to bear arms. If the NRA did not work diligently to protect that right we would be closer to outright gun bans. Anyone who believes that moving in that direction is intelligent is ignorant; as the only people willing to follow laws are law abiding citizens. My position is as stands; being we are currently still a free country that believes in capitalism I will enforce my right to personally boycott any company I disagree with and will no longer view any Creative Loafing magazines. I will also choose to voice that choice to friends and family to do the same. I applaude the American way of life where in which each person can decide what companies to support or oppose. God Bless and Guide you in your endeavors.
I am all for the rights to bear arms. We as human beings have a god given right to protect ourselves but as with all things there’s a line. I don’t need to to join the nra to express this feeling, I don’t see the point of joining a group bc of owning a gun. It’s like joing a club bc I own a house. It’s ridiculous ( to me). However I would like to know what you are supposed to do with a person when they are drunk and posses a gun. It’s illegal to drive a car when intoxicated bc your ability to reason and react is impaired, making your a car a weapon. Now I wonder why would you allow a gun in a bar? Who exactly does that help, bc I know who it has the potential of hurting. Also as with free speech there is a line we can say what we may within context. For instance we can not walk into a court an speak out of turn in disrespect to a judge, freedom of speech doesn’t apply there. Lets not run the right to bear arms into the ground, bc that’s where it would go..in the grave with heston lol
and I don’t understand why more democrats aren’t nra members…being an indy I could care less either way though
Cheap shot at the dead guy.
Liberalism at it’s finest!
You are the nut my friend.. you dont understand the reason for freedom to bear arms. Maybe if you read why our forefathers thought it was important you’d stop writting such drivel. Grow up.
Mr. Grooms is right once again. This was as partisan as it gets. Even though I belive in the right for citizens to legally bear arms, I am sickened by what the NRA chose to do with these radicals who showed up to speak. I will never support them and no wonder Charlton had to go to rehab after the last convention here.
One things for sure, Moses would never have condoned such an un-Godly gathering like we just had this past weekend here. A full out embarrassment to us all!
Yes, a mob of people who were tired of your warmonger and killer George Bush and the like. We won’t let that trash happen again.
Will be hilarious to see all the Balantine-soccer mom paranoids try to stand around the polls in November like they are waiting in line at Nordstroms.
What a joke and what a silly waste of time. All just because you are racist and mad as hell that Bush isn’t here to guard the rich.
Johnny! I am aghast! I just read your advocacy of free speech for Ashley the waitress. No free speech for the NRA?
Don’t misunderstand me. I believe that the NRA is as much a gunowners worst enemy as they are their best friend. Their inflammed rhetoric, a la Heston’s cold dead hand quote only serves to scare the crap out of those on the other side. It is also true that Glen Beck is a messenger from God—regarding the benefits of spaying and neutering of stupid people. Sarah Palin, aka Governor Moose Stew can only be regarded as the tipping point, assuring Barry Obama’s election. C’mon though! Aren’t these characters accorded the same rights you value for a disgruntled pizza-passer?
I like my guns! Come shoot with me. You might learn to like them too!
Once the guns are gone from the general population, the (already underway) conversion to slavery will be complete.