I come to offer the love and prayers of a nation...mere words cannot match the depths of your sorrow nor can they heal your wounded hearts...you're not alone in your grief. Our world too has been torn apart. All across this land of ours we have wept with you.
NRA Issues a Statement on the Sandy Hook Shooting
The largest gun lobby in America has issued a statement in the wake of the Sandy Hook massacre that claimed 27 lives, among which were 20 children, prompting a national debate about the freedom to have guns in America.
The NRA has been quiet from this discussion, closing down their Facebook account immediately after the Sandy Hook event.
The Associated Press reported: "Where is the NRA? The nation's largest gun-rights organization - typically outspoken about its positions even after shooting deaths - has gone all but silent since last week's rampage at a Newtown, Conn. … Its Facebook page has disappeared. It has posted no tweets. It makes no mention of the shooting on its website. None of its leaders hit the media circuit Sunday to promote its support of the Second Amendment right to bear arms as the nation mourns the latest shooting victims and opens a new debate over gun restrictions. On Monday, the NRA offered no rebuttal as 300 anti-gun protesters marched to its Capitol Hill office.
"After previous mass shootings - such as in Oregon and Wisconsin - the group was quick to both send its condolences and defend gun owners' constitutional rights, popular among millions of Americans. … Seldom has the NRA gone so long after a fatal shooting without a public presence. It resumed tweeting just one day after a gunman killed two people and then himself at an Oregon shopping mall last Tuesday, and one day after six people were fatally shot at a Sikh temple in Wisconsin in August.”
The NRA advocates for the protection of the Second Amendment of the United States Bill of Rights, and the promotion of firearm ownership rights as well as marksmanship, firearm safety, and the protection of hunting and self-defense in the United States.
The NRA sponsors firearm safety training courses, as well as marksmanship events featuring shooting skill and sports. According to a 1999 Fortune survey, lawmakers and congressional staffers considered NRA the most influential lobbying group.
According to its website, the NRA has 4.3 million members.
Full text of a statement released from the National Rifle Association on Tuesday.
N.R.A. STATEMENT:
The National Rifle Association of America is made up of four million moms and dads, sons and daughters – and we were shocked, saddened and heartbroken by the news of the horrific and senseless murders in Newtown.
Out of respect for the families, and as a matter of common decency, we have given time for mourning, prayer and a full investigation of the facts before commenting.
The N.R.A. is prepared to offer meaningful contributions to help make sure this never happens again.
The N.R.A. is planning to hold a major news conference in the Washington, D.C., area on Friday, December 21.
Details will be released to the media at the appropriate time.
www.nra.org
