Despite calls to cancel the event, the National Rifle Association (NRA) remained determined to hold its annual meeting in Texas this weekend, just days after the shooting that claimed the lives of 21 people, including 19 children, at an elementary school in that state. .
55,000 members are called to gather in Houston from Friday to Sunday celebrate freedom, guns and the second amendment!according to the description presented on the site of NRA.
The powerful arms lobby said the event would allow for a peek at the hunt, but denied any steps to better regulate the use of guns.
Although the investigation is ongoing and the facts are still emerging, we acknowledge that it was the work of a lone and insane criminal.said the organization in a statement.
” As we gather in Houston, let us reflect on these events, pray for the victims, honor our patriotic members, and pledge to redouble our commitment to securing our schools. “
Several elected Republicans, who are staunch opponents of gun control and major recipients NRAwill participate in the activities, including the senator of this state, Ted Cruz.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott is also expected to attend, but his office announced a schedule change Thursday night, saying he will return to Uvalde and pre-record his speech.
The other star of the conference, former President Donald Trump, who is due to speak on Friday, confirmed his presence the day after the shooting.
America needs real solutions and real leadership right now, not politicians and partisanshiphe wrote on his social network on Wednesday, Truth Social.
That is why I will keep my promise […] to speak in Texas at the conference of NRA and deliver an important speech in America.
Other elected Republicans, such as Senator John Cornyn and Representative Dan Crenshaw, withdrew, however, citing reasons unrelated to the shooting.
There is no weapon in Trump’s speech
It should be noted that meeting participants may carry firearms to the event venue, except during leadership forum attended by Donald Trump.
The U.S. Secret Service will control the general assembly hall and set up magnetometers before the entranceindicates NRA on its website, stating that participants and their property will be subject to search. Backpacks, ammunition, knives, drones, umbrellas and other items will also be prohibited.
Weapon maker Daniel Defense, which makes the assault rifle used by the author of the hunt on Tuesday, also announced that it will no longer be there this weekend.
Daniel Defense will not be attending the gathering National Rifle Association (NRA) due to the gruesome tragedy in Uvalde, Texas where one of our products was diverted by criminalsaid a company spokesman in a statement issued atAFP.
” We feel it is inappropriate to promote our products in Texas this week NRA. “
Some artists also decided to cancel their music performances that were on the conference menu. Singer Don McLean, particularly known for his song American Piefor example, explained that his presence was in the circumstances disrespectful and painful for [lui].
Advocacy against the event and menu demonstrations
In the aftermath of the massacre on Tuesday, many elected officials and activists unsuccessfully called on the authorities to cancel the conference or directly challenged the NRA.
A Texas Democratic representative in Washington, Marc Veasey, who claims to be armed, wrote to organizers to stop holding their meeting in this state. out of respect for families the victims.
” Many people, myself included, rightly believe that your organization has great responsibility for the massacre and tragedy that continues to plague America’s mass murder. […] So please stay away from Texas this weekend. “
Governor Abbott, if you have any decency, you will immediately withdraw from the assembly NRA this weekend and urge him to hold it somewhere other than Texas, for his part, tweeted former representative Beto O’Rourke, the Democratic candidate who will face him in the November polls. On Wednesday, the politician advocating gun control interrupted his opponent’s press conference to criticize him for his inaction.
Other people lobbied the City of Houston instead. Mayor Sylvester Turner, a Democrat, however insisted that the municipality could not prevent the holding of the event because of lawsuits likely to be launched.
The group ParentsTogetherclaiming it collected more than 200,000 signatures within 24 hours in favor of its request, in part it asked the local administration that owns the Houston convention center to cancel the event.
Faced with the failure of these initiatives, several groups, including Black Lives Matter Houstonexpressed their intention to protest against the holding of the event.
This is also the case with the Democratic Party of Harris County, the most populous county in Texas, with a Democratic majority, the leaders of the nation’s two major education unions and the survivors of the hunt.
The gun debate intensified again
Tuesday’s killings re -ignited the futile gun control debate, once again highlighting the ideological divide between the Democratic and Republican camps.
Over the past few days, President Joe Biden has called on elected officials to “get in the gun lobby,” later saying the Second Amendment is “incomplete.”
Republicans, who have repeatedly blocked bills restricting gun control, however, have re-advocated the Second Amendment.
Ayon The keeperthe lobbying activities of NRA to elected officials, mostly Republicans, to oppose measures regulating the use of firearms, such as more thorough background checks on potential buyers and the ban on powerful assault weapons, have reached at nearly 5 million US dollars last year.
During the presidential campaigns in 2016 and 2020, the NRA It also bought nearly US $ 48 million in ads to support the Republican nominee against his Democratic rivals, according to the research group OpenSecretsQuoted by The hill.
Most Americans support more gun control, particularly background checks, with the strongest support.
A survey Morning Consultation conducted on Wednesday for the Politico site indicates that 73% of Americans support strong this measure and 15% more show at least one support Moderate.
Source: Radio-Canada
