There may
be a line even the National Rifle Assn. won’t cross. The lobbying group that
has defended the availability of weapons in the face of mass murders such as
the one that shattered an elementary school in Newtown, Conn., apparently has
decided that some things go just a touch too far. The NRA wants irate
gun-loving Texans to rethink demonstrations in restaurants like Chili’s and
Chipotle, in which protesters bring tactical long guns to make a point that
guns should be allowed everywhere -- even in popular fast-food emporiums that
have banned them.
After the
2012 massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School left 20 children and six
educators dead, NRA leaders reminded the world of the group’s long-standing
creed: “The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a
gun.” The NRA has fought all forms of gun control, from background checks to
limiting the availability of weapons.
It turns out there are some things that don’t go better with Coke. In a post on
its Institute for Legislative Action website, the NRA notes that some types of
constitutionally protected protest can appear to be “weird” to some.
“Now we
love AR-15s and AKs as much as anybody, and we know that these sorts of
semiautomatic carbines are among the most popular, fastest selling firearms in
America today,” the gun-rights group says, praising Texas as an
“independent-minded and liberty-loving place.”
“Recently,
demonstrators have been showing up in various public places, including coffee
shops and fast food restaurants, openly toting a variety of tactical long
guns,” the group says, adding that such tactics can put off some people, even
in Texas, “which is second to none for its robust gun culture. We applaud
Texans for that, but a small number have recently crossed the line from
enthusiasm to downright foolishness.”
The NRA's
post continues: “Let's not mince words, not only is it rare, it's downright
weird and certainly not a practical way to go normally about your business
while being prepared to defend yourself. To those who are not acquainted with
the dubious practice of using public displays of firearms as a means to draw
attention to oneself or one's cause, it can be downright scary. It makes folks
who might normally be perfectly open-minded about firearms feel uncomfortable
and question the motives of pro-gun advocates.”
“Using
guns merely to draw attention to yourself in public not only defies common
sense, it shows a lack of consideration and manners,” the group notes. “That's
not the Texas way. And that's certainly not the NRA way.”
In a Twitter post… Open Carry Texas; a group fighting for gun
rights, slammed the NRA: “The NRA has lost its relevance and sided with
#guncontrolextremists and their lapdog media.” The dispute between the groups
was reported by the Dallas Morning News and Mother Jones magazine.
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