Guns, lies, and corruption: the crazy story of the National Rifle Association

Only six years after establishment American Civil WarThe reporter explained that the main goal of the NRA is “to better train soldiers to deal with future conflicts through rifle operation skills competition.”Soon it became a club for gun lovers, and later in A giant who opposes regulation, And today this organization, and Republican Party And is known for making this iconic actor president Charlton Heston, Facing the most decisive moment of her career, was accused of embezzling $64 million in three years.

Last January, the National Rifle Association Trying to file for bankruptcy Rediscovering himself in Texas, one of its fortresses, justice has rejected him, but he can still appeal. In any case, “this will be a much weaker organization,” Smith thought.

In the country where they are produced On average, 106 people die from guns every dayLast year alone, there were 43,500 deaths (including suicides) and 611 mass shootings. The shooting at Parkland School in 2018 did not just pass as another incident. “The survivors and their families organized this campaign March for our lives, Began in Washington and spread to other states.

“The National Rifle Association has never faced so much gun control support, so they decided that they must fight back and increase their visibility,” said Symeth.That’s why they asked Oliver North, the former colonel was indicted in the 1980s for selling weapons to Iran It is an honorary position to provide funding for the Nicaraguan opposition party that holds the presidency. “North is a controversial person. He has been fighting. His voice is very loud, but it turns out that he is a heterosexual. In September 2018, he started to check the ledger and saw things he didn’t like. Ask what is going on in six months. In April 2019, Wall Street Journal Explain that North has condemned Wayne Lapierre (Executive Vice President) Embezzlement at a concert in Indianapolis, this was the starting point of their great annual meeting. This is the power to unleash hell,” the author said.

When, The Attorney General of New York, Leticia James, Has begun to seek documents from the NRA, which found unprovoked travel to the Bahamas on a private jet valued at US$250,000, US$200,000 in litigation bills, and other questionable uses of funds. “With these documents, a reason for personal wealth is established. The complaint also shows that the NRA has the opposite view,” Smith added.

James filed the lawsuit he claimed in August 2020 Dissolution of the organization due to continued violations and fraudIt is estimated that 64 million US dollars (53 million euros) were transferred in three years. Faced with this accusation, Lapierre tried to declare the National Rifle Association bankrupt without the approval of the board of directors in order to regain his position in Texas. However, Federal Judge Harlin Hale rejected his request, assessing that he is financially capable, and LaPierre “didn’t file for bankruptcy in good faith”, the organization can still appeal the ruling. EL ESPAÑOL contacted National Rifle Association But no response was received.

Against regulation

After experiencing the high violent incidents in 2020, when the necessity of implementing certain regulations was also raised politically, the NRA was in crisis. President Joe Biden Promoted six unambitious decrees, including reforms to restrict the circulation of self-made weapons, And announced its intention to approve the assault rifle ban in the Senate. Although no progress has been made, it has been regarded as a real insult.

However, despite widespread belief in their campaign, no one opposed gun control in the first fifty years of the National Rifle Association.In the 1920s, “Prohibition, gangs, and bank robbers appeared. In 1934, the NRA supported the first law to promote control; in 1968 it passed a Balance test This aims to balance the rights of those who possess weapons and public safety.But after the Cincinnati riots in 1977, he bet on what he called Indomitable absolutistBasically, it ceases to promise any control and claims that it is seeking disarmament, and disarmament leads to genocide, which is a fabrication,” Smith argued.

The pressure group is immersed in attempts to rewrite the past to strengthen its narrative.In Smyth’s words, “In the past eight years, they have also invented that they are the oldest civil rights organization in the United States. They claim that they support the use of Second revision So that slaves can use weapons to fight against KKK. No word is true. They are busy with rifle games in Queens. No whites armed blacks against KKK. What did happen was that General Grant sent troops to the south. The National Rifle Association supports this measure, and its most famous members write editorials in military magazines, but they have no other role in this matter. “

Five million members

The NRA currently claims to have more than 5 million members and has strengthened its relationship with the Republican Party in recent years. Smith explained, “Until 2016, when he appeared in Cleveland, no one from the NRA spoke at any meeting. Chris Cox, supervisor Lobby. It’s not that it’s not part of all of this, but that it didn’t become something closely related to the Republican Party until Trump’s arrival, and It’s not so much that the Republican Party has gone to the NRA, it is more that the NRA has gone to the partyThis is why they were unable to act when proving that other parts of the Republicans were more radical, for example, they were followers of Canon. “

Reputation crisis

But today the right doesn’t seem to need this organization. “In fact, you didn’t hear much about them in the last election,” Smith pointed out.In this financial chaos and Reputation crisis, NRA may not continue to exist as we know it, but for the author, “it has achieved important things: it has changed the way American society views guns.”

In addition, “opposing gun control, through its propaganda, is a glue Republican Party: Everyone agrees to completely deregulate, or Trump, Mitch McConnell, or Ted CruzThe worst is the cowardice of the Democratic Party.No plan, nothing”, despite the timid reforms announced in recent months, the writer was fired. It is only left with the next movement waiting for the great survival Lobby After 150 years of armament defense.

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