Jimmy Higgins
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Humor nearly stolen in whole from the actual news, can you tell which is which?
HOUSTON — Two NRA board members shrugged off calls to cancel today’s convention in Houston in response to the Uvalde, Tex., school shooting in which 19 students and two teachers were killed.
“These events are scheduled years in advance, tens of thousands of people made travel plans and reservations,” said David A. Keene, a board member and former president of the National Rifle Association.
Keene dismissed a call from Houston’s mayor to delay the conference until after the victims’ funerals, describing it as an unrealistic plan for an event expected to draw 70,000 to 80,000 people, especially in light that the funerals hadn't even been scheduled yet and some cremations might not even be completed due to the long weekend.
Fellow board member and former GOP Georgia representative Bob Barr said the criticism made it more important for the NRA to go ahead with the program.
“If we backed away every time there was a mass shooting we'd never have any conventions,” he said.
Keene blamed politics and empathy for a rash of cancellations among scheduled speakers, including Gov. Greg Abbott (R) — who will provide a prerecorded video instead while visiting Uvalde.
“Politicians and celebrities are acting on the day’s news,” Keene said. “Abbott is doing exactly what he should be doing.”
Keene said the NRA will maintain the position developed in response to the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting to encourage putting more arms into the hands of anyone with money. The failure of armed officers in Uvalde to stop the shooter does not change the NRA’s view, Keene said.
“Is it possible for us or the government or school administrators to create a perfect world? No, it’s not possible,” Keene said. “But in the real world, there are real positive things we can do. What the government should be doing is look at the mental health system.”
When asked whether that meant psychological background checks on prospective firearm purchasers Keene noted, "Oh gosh no, nothing like that. It'd be bad for the shareholders."
As attendees filed into the convention center past shouting protesters filling up the park across the street, Keene and Barr said the NRA was used to protests and respected the protesters’ right to express their opposition.
“Most of the people over there are well-meaning people who believe if we didn’t have guns we’d live in a utopia,” Keene said. “That’s wrong. We'd just have fewer dead children.”
HOUSTON — Two NRA board members shrugged off calls to cancel today’s convention in Houston in response to the Uvalde, Tex., school shooting in which 19 students and two teachers were killed.
“These events are scheduled years in advance, tens of thousands of people made travel plans and reservations,” said David A. Keene, a board member and former president of the National Rifle Association.
Keene dismissed a call from Houston’s mayor to delay the conference until after the victims’ funerals, describing it as an unrealistic plan for an event expected to draw 70,000 to 80,000 people, especially in light that the funerals hadn't even been scheduled yet and some cremations might not even be completed due to the long weekend.
Fellow board member and former GOP Georgia representative Bob Barr said the criticism made it more important for the NRA to go ahead with the program.
“If we backed away every time there was a mass shooting we'd never have any conventions,” he said.
Keene blamed politics and empathy for a rash of cancellations among scheduled speakers, including Gov. Greg Abbott (R) — who will provide a prerecorded video instead while visiting Uvalde.
“Politicians and celebrities are acting on the day’s news,” Keene said. “Abbott is doing exactly what he should be doing.”
Keene said the NRA will maintain the position developed in response to the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting to encourage putting more arms into the hands of anyone with money. The failure of armed officers in Uvalde to stop the shooter does not change the NRA’s view, Keene said.
“Is it possible for us or the government or school administrators to create a perfect world? No, it’s not possible,” Keene said. “But in the real world, there are real positive things we can do. What the government should be doing is look at the mental health system.”
When asked whether that meant psychological background checks on prospective firearm purchasers Keene noted, "Oh gosh no, nothing like that. It'd be bad for the shareholders."
As attendees filed into the convention center past shouting protesters filling up the park across the street, Keene and Barr said the NRA was used to protests and respected the protesters’ right to express their opposition.
“Most of the people over there are well-meaning people who believe if we didn’t have guns we’d live in a utopia,” Keene said. “That’s wrong. We'd just have fewer dead children.”