The NRA Always Means Business

Today the National Rifle Association will make a statement.   Forgive me, but I don't have much faith in what they will say—unless they say they'll continue to do whatever it takes to bolster gun sales.  Check out an excellent article at Truth-out.org, "Shooting is Business, and Business is Good."

http://truth-out.org/opinion/item/13441-shooting-is-business-and-business-is-good#.UNPk2Kk7DSQ.facebook 

 

NRA members and supporters tend to forget that this Association's business is to support gun manufacturers and gun sellers, not gun owners.  Not individuals who are killed or maimed by citizen weaponry.  Certainly not the surviving loved ones of humans who found themselves at the "wrong end of a gun"—whether by accident or a shooter's intention.  Still, we will listen to what they have to say—"they" most likely being NRA president, Wayne LaPierre.  I'm with Salon.com:  "Don't trust the NRA's Wayne LaPierre."  This piece is a gotta read: http://www.salon.com/2012/12/20/dont_trust_the_nras_wayne_lapierre/

 

Those two articles were helpful in my struggle to understand the complexities of  something that seems simple (but not easy) to me:  Finding common-sense solutions to making our Country safer.  In the face of fear and way too much violence involving firearms.  

 

President Obama has put VP Biden in charge of a commission to look at the gun violence permeating our culture.  This is no ordinary commission in that the President expects results and recommendations, "concrete policy proposals," next month.   Often when a commission is formed to study a problem, it's a way to procrastinate dealing with that problem.   Commissions historically take a long time to come up with recommendations that often aren't taken.  The fact that the President chose VP Biden shows a commitment to finding solutions here.

 

Aside from the two articles linked above, you might want to know, if you don't already, that Wayne La Pierre will appear on NBC's "Meet the Press" this Sunday morning (December 23).  We'll see if David Gregory can get him to speak honestly.   Meanwhile, I'll be checking out whatever statement is made today.

We shall see.