Note: for the purpose of this essay, I am not going to get into the AR-15, AK-47 semi-automatic weapon technicalities. We can all agree on one thing – that these weapons were originally designed for fighting wars, to rapidly inflict grievous injuries and death on the enemy. So call them what they are: weapons of war.
Weapons of War
It was Saturday, August 3rd, 2019, less than three weeks ago. That morning a shooter walked into a Wal-Mart in El Paso armed with a “weapon of war” and hundreds of rounds of ammunition. He killed 22 people, and wounded 24 more. In the evening, another, unconnected shooter went into the “Oregon District” of Dayton, Ohio, the local party area. He too was armed with a “weapon of war” with a 100 round capacity magazine attached. Police shot him dead 32 seconds after he fired the first shot, but he managed to kill nine people, including his own sister, and wound 27 others.
On Sunday morning the nation was in shock: dozens dead, and even more wounded, and everyone looking over their shoulder. If Wal-Mart and public streets, well patrolled by the police weren’t safe, then what places were? America needed to address the problem, a problem that is unique to us in the “developed” world: mass shootings.
A Moment for Change
On that Sunday, the President of the United States, Donald Trump, seemed to be looking for ways to solve the problem. The obvious answer, used by “developed” countries throughout the world, is to ban “weapons of war” from public ownership. But the President’s Party, Base, and finances are tied to support of “guns:” even discussing control of those weapons wasn’t politically feasible.
But the House of Representatives had already passed a bill that would require universal background checks on anyone purchasing a gun. While checks are “around” today, there are multiple ways to avoid the requirements. The House bill would close many of those loopholes.
The National Rifle Association is the premier gun “rights” organization in the United States. Before 1991, the NRA was a gun safety organization. As a Boy Scout back in the 1960’s, I learned to shoot rifles in the NRA safety program. I imagine I had an NRA card at the time.
But the NRA ain’t what it used to be. Today, it is the premier lobbying group in the United States, using their money, and more importantly the influence they have among the millions of members, to control politicians. It is now associated with more than just gun rights, supporting a host of other right-wing causes. And they support the current President, Donald Trump.
Talking Points
The NRA has lots of slogans supporting their views.
- 1. “The only way to stop a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun.”
- 2. “Any gun legislation is a slippery slope to repeal of the 2ndAmendment.”
- 3. “Guns don’t kill people, people kill people.”
- 4. “Mass shootings aren’t a gun problem, they are a mental health problem.”
- 5. “You can have my gun when you take it from my cold, dead hands.”
- 6. “Violent films, television programs and video games create mass killers.”
- 7. “Taking any right is wrong.”
On that Sunday morning we heard most of those points from Republican leadership. In particular the “violent films” and “mental health” slogans were trotted out (The good guys with guns slogan didn’t seem to work well in Dayton.) But, there seemed to be a national consensus for mandatory background checks. Word came out that the “weapons of war” used by the shooters were purchased online (NYT,NPR) where no checks are required. Changing the law was not only appropriate, but also reasonable.
The President seemed to be onboard. He talked with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, and came back saying that there would be an agreement on background checks. He also called for passage of “Red Flag” laws, laws that would allow for rapid legal removal of guns from individuals who were thought to be at risk of violence. For a brief few days, it seemed like the United States might actually take some steps towards ending the violence.
The NRA Plan
Then the President went on vacation. He spent two weeks at his Bedminster, New Jersey golf resort. In the past, Mr. Trump has made some radical moves while at Bedminster, including the decision to fire FBI Director James Comey, the pivotal event that led to the Mueller Investigation.
This time he spent a lot of time with the NRA, including lunch with NRA Executive Director Wayne LaPierre. After meeting with him, the President began speaking in NRA slogans, including numbers 1,2,4, and 6 above. Yesterday in a press “scrum” in the Oval Office, he said that the current background checks were “very strong,” and that universal checks were “off the table.”
The NRA has a well-worn strategy for mass shootings. The first step is to keep quiet, letting the emotions and horror go by without comment. Then they allow politicians to parrot the talking points, but let the hue and cry for change run its course. The news cycle in America is fast; murders on Saturday are old news by Thursday. Then the NRA applies the pressure: to Trump, to McConnell, and to the membership.
Daddy’s Calling
Wayne LaPierre has Donald Trump convinced that the 2020 election depends on gun rights. Some voters choose candidates based on gun rights, and they are a key block in the Trump “base.” La Pierre obviously made the “call” to pull Trump back in. The fact that there is nowhere else for those voters to go (there is certainly no Democrat who fits their position) doesn’t seem to matter.
“Mr. Trump, Wayne LaPierre is on the phone.”
“Daddy’s calling.”
