Memo to the NRA: Shameful this Nasty, Horrible, and Threatening Magazine Coverage

Screen Shot NRA's March Edition of “American Rifleman”

(Speaker Pelosi & former Rep. Giffords nearby) 

Former Rep. Gabby Giffords (R-AZ) Shot in the Head

(Speaking to Crowd in 2011)

This post centers on the NRA and their magazine spread of their March issue of American Rifleman. 

The screen shot above was published by Huff Post and shows Chris W. Cox NRA ILA: Chief Lobbyist (pictured upper right hand corner).

The NRA is being pelted with criticism after posting the astounding headline “Target Practice” in its magazine next to a photo of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and former Arizona Rep. Gabby (Gabrielle) Giffords (D-AZ), a shooting victim herself in 2011.

The furor erupted after Huff Post senior politics reporter Jennifer Bendery tweeted a screenshot of the magazine spread that appeared in American Rifleman, which is published by the gun lobbyist organization.

The article examines Democrats’ efforts to strengthen gun control, claiming that “legislators are attempting to target gun owners for persecution.”

The large headline for the article “Target Practice” is next to a photo prominently featuring Pelosi with Giffords stands next to her. 

Giffords as you may recall suffered catastrophic gunshot wound to her head in 2011 when she, as a member of Congress, was shot at a Tucson mall where she was speaking. Six people were killed in the gunman’s attack (shooter was Jared Lee Loughner).

Pelosi is identified in the piece, written by chief NRA lobbyist Chris Cox, as the “arch anti-gunner.” 

The NRA is apparently incensed that Congress will vote next week on the bipartisan bill H.R. 8 to require universal background checks for gun buyers. 

The photo of Pelosi and Giffords used in the magazine was taken as the women announced the measure last month — on the eighth anniversary of the day Giffords was shot.

My 2 cents: Anyone, including myself, support the 2^nd Amendment for gun rights. But, the NRA and rabid run rights people have crossed the rational and logical thinking line so much that I’ve lost track and respect for them and their wild-ass agenda and marketing guns and gun rights the way they do.

This latest is just plain sick and ugly and quite frankly scary. They are advocating guns as the solution to political issues and votes, etc. That is flat out wrong anyway anyone tries to rationalize it otherwise.

Legal gun ownership and rational people with guns is not the issue that the NRA spins … valid ownership and safety are paramount.

Right now all that is twisted to mean:

(1) Mass arsenals like the recent Coast Guard officer (LT. Christopher Hasson and his planned public officials hit list).

(2) Or, the Las Vegas mass shooter (Stephen Paddock). 

(3) Or, any number of other mass shooting, and especially in our schools 

(4) Or, in our workplaces all the while advocating some sort of “Wild, Wild West” mentality about “Open Carry” recent rulings. 

If anything, all that is insanity best defined. Stay tuned, more is apt to follow after this NRA stunt catches. Bet on it, sadly.

Thanks for stopping by.