More than a week after the Florida school shooting that killed 17 people, the head of the National Rifle Association lashed out at people who are calling for stricter gun control laws.
Speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on Thursday, Wayne LaPierre criticized the failure of the FBI for not following up on a tip about the gunman and accused gun control advocates and the media of exploiting the mass shooting to promote an anti-gun agenda.
“Opportunists wasted not one second to exploit tragedy for political gain,” LaPierre said. “For them, it’s not a safety issue. It is a political issue.”
He said critics of the NRA are only interested in eliminating liberty for Americans. “They hate the NRA. They hate the Second Amendment. They hate individual freedom,” he said.
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Despite the fact Republicans control both chambers in U.S. Congress and the White House, LaPierre gave warning of expanding socialist political ideas and he called out Democratic lawmakers.
“Socialism is a movement that loves a smear,” he said. “Socialism feeds off of manipulated victims.”
“If they seize power … our American freedoms could be lost and our country will be changed forever,” he said. “The first to go will be the Second Amendment.”
The Feb. 14 massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., was the second-deadliest shooting at a U.S. public school and has spurred unprecedented youth-led protests in cities across the country. Many of the teens and their parents taking part have called for more curbs on guns.
Nikolas Cruz, the accused gunman, was in an air-rifle marksmanship program supported by a grant from the National Rifle Association Foundation, part of a multimillion-dollar effort by the gun group to support youth shooting clubs.
But LaPierre portrayed the NRA as the true protector of American children, adding the organization will provide support and guidance on how schools can protect themselves.
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“We must immediately harden our schools,” he said. “Every day, young children are being dropped off at schools that are virtually wide open, soft targets for anyone bent on mass murder.”
LaPierre’s speech comes a day after U.S. President Donald Trump, who has been supported by the NRA, said he would consider pushing comprehensive background checks and limiting the age of those who buy assault-style weapons.
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Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio, who is also supported by the NRA, said he was also in favour of raising the age limit from 18 to 21 on individuals purchasing semi-automatic weapons like the AR-15.
Just minutes before LaPierre was scheduled to speak Thursday, Trump tweeted that he defended the NRA.
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“What many people don’t understand, or don’t want to understand, is that Wayne, Chris and the folks who work so hard at the @NRA are Great People and Great American Patriots. They love our Country and will do the right thing. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” Trump tweeted.
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