They’re just kids. They’ve been through a horror. They deserve our compassion, sympathy, and support.
But the NRA is viciously attacking them because they dare to question the laws that allow crazed killers easy access to guns. The gun used to kill their classmates and endanger their lives was purchased legally. They have every right to speak out against that.
But doing so provoked a visceral response from the NRA — a vile propaganda video that calls the kids dupes and implies they’re merely publicity seekers. Read that story here.
Whether mass killings have deeper causes and stricter gun laws would help prevent them are legitimate topics for debate. But the NRA isn’t willing to debate these issues. Its position is no gun control, no way, no how, not now, not ever; and even moderate proposals like requiring background checks for gun show purchases and banning bump stocks provoke the NRA’s ire. Instead of responding with reasoned arguments, the NRA snaps into attack-dog mode.
It’s surprising they don’t see how counterproductive this is: They’re not making us feel confident they can be trusted with guns.
The NRA aims to block any discussion of what’s best for all Americans, not just the 3% who own half of America’s guns. No negotiation or compromise is possible with a group that won’t even tolerate children protesting being murdered in their schools, so if we’re to achieve any progress in reducing America’s out-of-control gun violence, we’ll have to do it by running over the NRA, as working with them isn’t possible.
The NRA is a hateful, venal group. It’s time to ignore them and just do what everyone knows needs to be done. Any politician who knuckles under to NRA bullying is part of the problem and doesn’t deserve your vote.
It’s time for decent people and parents who love their children to declare war on the NRA.