National Rifle Association Silent After Elementary School Shooting

As the nation fiercely debates gun control, where is the NRA?

Last week's mass-shooting at an elementary school in Newtown, Conn. has put a silencer on the National Rifle Association.

The nation's largest, most powerful gun-rights organization has not issued a statement since a young man shot his mother dead in her bed, then charged into Sandy Hook Elementary School and killed 26 people, including 20 children before turning the gun on himself. The group has been turning down media requests for comment in news articles. Its Facebook page, which has 1.7 million "likes," was pulled down. Since the incident, the group's Twitter account has been silent.

As a debate over the nation's gun laws dominates the news, the NRA has declined offers to feature a representative on talk shows. Even as pro-NRA lawmakers, like Sens. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va, and Mark Warner, D-Va., came forward to say more gun control could be needed, the group maintained its public silence.

Since the incident, the NRA has been a predictable lightening rod for public outrage. Hundreds of protesters gathered Monday outside the NRA office on Capitol Hill demanding the group not prevent gun reform. The deep-pocketed NRA spent $2.2 million lobbying Congress through the end of September, and nearly $18 million in the 2012 elections to oppose President Barack Obama, the Huffington Post reports.

The NRA has kept a low profile following previous mass shootings, but never to this extent, news reports say. The NRA issued a statement of condolences after this summer's shooting that killed 12 people in an Aurora, Colo., movie theater.

Via Politico, ABC News, and Huffington Post

Should the NRA comment on the tragedy, or is its silence the right thing to do?

[MongoAPillager]

don,t worry lefties,they will cave,thats what they are designed to do,,the NRA has given away more Gun rights than Stalin could have hoped for,Go with Gun Owners of America or some other

[Sonny]

What gun rights have been "given away"? The American public can go into any gun store (or gun show) and buy all the guns they want to...So what gun rights have we lost, thus far?

[bobrob]

They should speak up in support of gun legislation. Certainly, legislation(the right kind)
might have some kind of effect, so let's do it. There are a lot of yahoos out there who feel
macho with their AK-47 hanging on the wall as art work.

[Republican5001]

What do you want the NRA to say? All the response of more gun control is knee jerk reactions to a horrific incident. Instead of focusing on the criminal and his intent, lefties and democrats focus on the tool of choice. I did not see anyone banning airplanes after 9/11 and people still fly to down. I did not anyone banning skyscrapers and we are replacing the two the dinks knocked down.

NRA is right where they need to be, supporting the right to bear arms.

[hometownmover]

Dear Republican5001: We need airplanes. We need skyscrapers. We do not need guns. The NRA uses the second amendment as a smokescreen that helps it sell more guns. It's not about rights, it's about profits. If there were no profits in selling guns or ammunition there would be no guns or ammunition. Just follow the money...Shame on you NRA.

[Republican5001]

@hometownmover hello hometownmover. WE do not need airplanes. Airplanes are a matter of convience for traveling long distances. We do not need skyscrapers, they are merely buildings for business transactions to shelter in. You have the inalienable right to own a firearm through legal means and even in some places or states, required to be licensed.

I agree it is always about the money. But the NRA did not perpetrate the crime. The 20 y/o man did. Gun was just the tool of choice. What if the 20y/o had used a bulldozer instead? Do we outlaw bulldozers then?

[Thunderchicken]

@hometownmover

Maybe you don't see a need but I've needed and have used my gun to protect myself and my family.

[mtkopf]

@Republican5001 when there are 300,000,000+ bulldozers in the country and they are in the hands of unlicensed operators then we don't ban bulldozers, we keep unlicensed bulldozer operators from illegally obtaining bulldozers from bulldozer shows, and we regulate the resale of bulldozers, and we ban the most dangerous bulldozers. But we don't ban all bulldozers.

[Ashstop]

Yes you are so right!! Think of all the money stolen by hackers a year! Lets get computer control going!! " Computers steal Money" lets get rid of them!!

[KyleMFb]

Wow this is a huge shocker usually the NRA gets a statement out soon as fiscally possible usually some bs about not blaming guns then they hold a huge gun rallie soon as possible in or near or around the so called area of the "tragedy"

[Trentonhumbert]

people don't understand that if assalt rifles were illegal people would still be killed by them. the NRA should point out that like drugs, if someone wants to kill people and get a gun, they will!!

[Calfkiller]

or a stick or stone or piece of rope. In England they outlawed guns. The result was that the deathrate by blunt force trauma increased four times. I'm unsure what the rate of stabbings is, but wasn't it an actor from one of the harry potter movies that was stabbed to death outside of a bar?

[Clarke12]

the NRA did not create this madman, nor lead him to Sandy Hook elementary. maybe the NRA should wait for a comment from the National Institute of Mental Health before they issue their own statement.

[stepped_in_it]

Maybe, unlike the media and politicians, the NRA is reflecting on the situation and formulating a comment that will not make them look like fools (again) unlike the media and politicians!

[Calfkiller]

At the moment I would consider these protestors emotionally compromised. No amount of sensibility is going to placate their burning desire to scream from the rooftops. I say let them march in D.C. all they want. The NRA actually does not have any facilities in Whashington. They are all in Fairfax VA.

[justapirate]

There isn't any way they can make a statement that someone won't make a big to-do over. Too many folks want to blame ANYBODY they can over last Friday. If the NRA tried to make any statement it would be twisted, bent, mutilated and misrepresented in every manner possible. Just the way it is.

[jessejaymes]

There are no easy solutions here. One poster asked the question "suppose you do limit the guns and clips. At what point does the body count become acceptable to you? Five? One?" And that's the issue here. There will always be guns and there will always be killer crazies. The question is how do we protect the children? ONE killed while in school is not acceptable. We are a violent society unlike any so called "Christian nation" in the world. Time to face the reality. Schools must be locked down from the outside with release bars from the inside in case of fire, etc.. The only accessible entrance must be manned by two well armed, urban combat trained security specialists who can engage people prior to their entering the school. We don't need teachers playing Rambo. Those who like guns (and I do) are almost always less competent than they think they are with their guns. We don't need teachers and shooters having firefights in the classrooms and halls of our schools. In my opinion you're asking for the body count to go up through "friendly fire" attrition.

This not the last time this will happen. But we can minimize the danger to the kids by confronting these people before they enter the schools. Even if the killer takes out two security people those security people are trained and will give the school enough time to call for reinforcements and for those reinforcements to arrive. It's time we accepted that we are a violent society and meet force with force. OUTSIDE.

[Republican5001]

They already tried that once...Germany 1939. Society's fault in my opinion. Glorifying the criminal element and lifestyle. Everyone unwilling to take a punch to the face and always wanting to escalate the situation at first chance. I agree we need and should protect out children. I thoroughly disagree with some sort of Gestapo police force in the school being that tool. I think protection starts at home with the parents and then onto the school board as a tiered system.

This incident was not a spur of the moment incident. The gunman attempted to purchase weapons earlier last week but refused to wait the required waiting period to obtain the weapons legally. The gunman obtained LEGALLY purchased weapons and killed the owner of those legally purchased weapons and committed his subsequent horrific crime. IT is not the guns fault. The gunman perpetrated the crime. Gun was just his tool to facilitate the crime happening.

[jessejaymes]

@Republican5001 I never said a word about armed guards in the school. OUTSIDE the school. These kids don't need the trauma of armed teachers with guns on their hips nor stormtroopers patrolling the halls. That's an accident waiting to happen. Crazies seek soft targets and always will. We can't stop them all but urban combat trained guards outside the school will stop most of them at schools. they will find other targets. Targets that just might slow down the shooter as opposed to six year old kids. Do you even bother to actually read what I say?

[Patriot-Pirate]

I was close to the same opinion. I misjudged you on our last discussion.

[Jeff_Woehrle]

The only 'fierce debate' is coming from the reactionary, emotional liberals who hated guns before the murderous rampage and will hate guns long after its memory fades These modern-day book burners are ignorant and afraid, and are lashing out in a predictable manner simply to capitalize on a national tragedy. Shameful.

[mtkopf]

That's funny. Looking at every thread mentioning this tragedy or gun lawd , there are way more posters supporting guns and the 2nd amendment than "emotional liberals". So its not a " fierce debate" but more a fierce defense.

[Jeff_Woehrle]

@mtkopf Funny, but looking at the photo of the wild-eyed nuts, I don't see any carrying signs supporting the NRA.

Zing!

[mtkopf]

@Jeff_Woehrle zing what?
See Jeff there are three sides to this debate. You've got some " wild-eyed nuts" saying ban ALL guns.
You've got some "wild-eyed nuts" saying refusing to even ADMIT guns are a problem, only we need more guns.
And then you have the majority of people that are tired of hearing of these tragedies and want some sensible restrictions.

You see Jeff, I like many other Americans, have a heart, we actually CARE that 26 people were massacred.

[Joe0113]

The NRA is remaining silent out of respect for the families. They understand that during this time, when memorials are still ongoing, it is not appropriate to speak out. When the time is right, the NRA will be prepared to speak, ad people will listen!!

[Malitia_Man]

Couldn't have said it better myself!!! Unlike the controlled media, they are not looking to exploit their agenda over a tragedy!!!

[Food4thoughts]

From a strategic standpoint... Stay on the sideline quiet...this will be brushed under the rug like all past mass shootings...reemerge months down the road when legislation is seriously considered involving the word gun and control.

NRA the magnificently selfless organization looking out for the people!

[Sharpshooter]

@PolitixLisa... POOR POLL.... Why should the NRA be expected to speak up about a non gun issue? I don't recall hearing anything from NOW or the EPA or NAACP or the ASPCA. Why are they silent.

You left off the important option... This is not an issue the NRA needs to speak on.

[PNWest]

Sometimes the smartest thing you can do is lay low. For the NRA this is one of those times. Unfortunately the outrage will die down in a few weeks and nothing will be done about our gun problems for a few more election cycles.

[russ]

It is presumptious for any of us to explain Mr Keene's reasoning. However, I can discuss my personal viewpoint. The timing of President Obama's political exploitation is devoid of sensitivity and empathy. If the NRA were to use this tragedy now to advance their cause, they would be equally self serving. I respect their silence and congratulate them for upholding conduct based on professionalism and integrity.

[Sharpshooter]

Actually.... I think the NRA is spot on.... they have nothing to say because this isn't an issue they have a voice in.

It's only because the hoplophobes can't resist the chance to further their agenda and figure the blood of murdered children will grease the skids.... Disgraceful!

[MarkJM]

The NRA is right to be silent here. Two things. First, it's out of respect for Newton, CT. All the pro-gun control nuts were very quick to jump to political aspirations less than an hour after this tragedy happened, beyond disrespectful if you ask me. Second, the NRA shouldn't be addressing mental health issues from the get-go. This is more about a mental health issue than it is a gun issue. I think they'll have to issue a comment eventually, but for now they're making the right call to remain silent (until more facts surface).

[Jeff_Woehrle]

Worth noting that the Connecticut attack was carried out by a single man at one school on one day. What would happen if an organized terrorist group decided to enter a hundred schools on a single day? Or a thousand?

Think these quaint little 'gun bans' would prevent that?

[EMS_Servant]

I would be silent to because I would want to focus on helping the victims families or at least give them time out of the spot light to grieve rather than exploit a tragedy and use it as the platform to push a political agenda.

[Dan_Tien]

The NRA is staying quiet so that they don't give away their position.

[Dan_Tien]

They will make a statement, just Not Right Away.

[Wisdom73]

I saw that Dan Rather was on social media ranting about why haven't firearm manufacturers or ammunition companies stepped forward to take accountability for this tragedy. I truly don't understand the mindset. Where in the hell are the gun manufacturers and ammunition companies at fault in this?? Why isn't there more outrage over the healthcare system and lack of treatment for mental illness? I can think of a multitude of other things to point your finger at first instead of gun makers. That is like going after automakers because their cars are too unsafe and cause deaths.

[Calfkiller]

Personal responsibility is not a quality that the left is to keen on developing.

[Joe0113]

Exactly, that's like saying spoon manufacturers are responsible for obesity!