Wayne LaPierre's scare tactics are based on blatant lies, and he doesn't give a damn about your 'right to bear arms.'
Every day I read or hear on the news of an innocent person or persons being attacked by individuals using firearms. These individuals are not hardened criminals or terrorists, they are your neighbors or strangers who for an unknown reason have decided to kill you and yours.
LaPierre is nothing but an extremely well paid lobbyist. He does not represent gun rights advocates, he represents gun manufacturers and gun sellers. His motive is their profit and therefore his financial betterment. He consistently tells those who are ignorant enough to listen to him that your right to own guns is being threatened. Nothing could be farther from the truth. What he never mentions is the right of 90 percent of Americans to feel safe in their own communities.
I live in Sun Valley, Nevada, which is a suburb of Reno. In the last three days two casino employees and two person outside their own homes were robbed at gunpoint.
Anyone can own a gun, and I mean anyone. It is possible to go into any pawn shop or gun store in the Reno area and walk out with a semi-automatic pistol or even an assault rifle. It's all about the money.
It was reported that while LaPierre was inside a convention hall in Indianapolis last week at the NRA's convention telling his flock that they were in danger of having their guns taken away, organizations such as Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, Everytown for Gun Safety and Mayors Against Illegal Guns were outside representing the 90 percent of citizens who want background checks for all individuals attempting to purchase lethal weapons. They espoused the fact that 82 people die every day in the United States from the use of a gun. They range in categories from non-law-abiding citizens, curious children, the mentally ill and the suicidal.
If you are too old to remember, years ago there was actually a movement in this country to eliminate ownership of handguns. It was logical to me, no one but law enforcement needs one, and I believe that even they should have restrictions. In another step to move America backwards, the NRA spends 20 million dollars annually to influence Congressmen and Senators to increase the number of guns owned by the citizens of our nation. Background checks seem somewhat reasonable to me. They would surely save some of the nearly 30,000 lives lost every year.
James Turnage
Op-ed
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