The Violence Policy Center (VPC) is not allowing the latest tragic event go to waste, while simultaneously taking pot shots at the National Rifle Association (NRA). VPC is the braintrust of anti-gun zealot, perhaps the Grand Wizard of hate towards firearms, Josh Sugarmann. Sugarmann, the current Executive Director, or one of his cronies, shot out an e-blast trying to paint the NRA in a poor light because of one of their giveaways.

Annually, the NRA has hosted several giveaways and yeah, the raffles include firearms. If Sugarmann were to be hosting a raffle maybe the prizes would be pillows from David Hogg’s now defunct company? I don’t know what Sugarmann would give away, but the point being, big trucks and firearms fit the bill on what some NRA members would be interested in. Sugarmann tries to link the NRA to the recent Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas shooting.

Dear Friend,

Who would be so grotesquely insensitive and morally numb as to offer – the day after the mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas that claimed the lives of 19 schoolchildren and two adults – the same model of Daniel Defense assault rifle used in this horrific attack as one of the prizes in a “Banned Guns Giveaway” raffle?

You already know the answer: the National Rifle Association, which is holding its annual meeting this weekend in Houston and promises that entering the contest is “Fast, Easy and Fun.”

This is just one of the facts revealed in our new research on Daniel Defense, and other issues related to the Robb Elementary School shooting. All this week, we’ve been working to make sure that the press, public, and policymakers understand the direct links between the increasing militarization of the gun industry, its enablers in the NRA, and the horrific attacks that result from the easy availability of military-bred weaponry.

As we continue our research, public education, and advocacy activities, we will be sure to keep you updated. And, as always, thank you for being part of our work and helping make it possible.

Sincerely,

Josh Sugarmann, Executive Director

There are several flaws with Sugarmann’s message, which many in the pro-freedom arena would already know. The “Banned Guns Giveaway” that Sugarmann is referencing did not just start yesterday. A clearer picture on the rules page will give you the timeframe which the contest was poised to run.

THE NRA BANNED GUNS GIVEAWAY (“GIVEAWAY”) BEGINS AT 12:01 AM EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME (“EDT”) ON 5/9/22 AND ENDS AT 11:59 PM EDT ON 9/9/22 (“GIVEAWAY ENTRY PERIOD”).

Sugarmann makes it sound like the NRA had some sort of crystal ball or mainline connected to the department of pre-crime, so that they could purposefully be “grotesquely insensitive and morally numb.” Sugarmann is trying to paint this picture of the NRA, as if they’re to blame for and or complicit with the murder of innocent human beings.

Going to the site for the raffle, a notice does pop-up stating entries are temporarily closed for the time being.

In reality, the grossly distasteful VPC decided to use this tragic event to attack a civil rights oriented organization. Love them. Hate them. Or otherwise…The National Rifle Association fights to remove restrictions from civil liberties, and the Violence Policy Center seeks to strip people of civil liberties. Whether or not an individual agrees with said liberties could be a different debate, but make no mistake, Sugarmann is all about infringing on peoples’ rights.

In the same email, Sugarmann could have just as easily talked about the NRA School Shield program. Conveniently he decided to fire off at the organization rather than highlight the fact that the NRA has been advocating for the hardening of our schools and protection of our children for years. Besides trying to strip people from liberties, what programs does the VPC have that aims to directly protect what’s most valuable to us in our society, our children? Nothing that I’m aware of. The NRA School Shield program, on the other hand, does dedicate themselves to protecting our youth.

We Have A Singular Mission: To Protect Our Children

School security is a complex issue with no simple, single solution. The NRA School Shield program is committed to addressing the many facets of school security, including best practices in security infrastructure, technology, personnel, training, and policy. Through this multidimensional effort, NRA School Shield seeks to engage communities and empower leaders to help make our schools more secure.

Children are priceless. That’s why we don’t charge schools for NRA School Shield training.

The security experts we bring all donate their expertise and time to make your schools more secure. All you need to supply is people willing to learn and a room.

Whatever solution an educational institute may find to work best for them through the NRA School Shield program, if it involves trained armed staff, just know that Sugarmann does not think our children deserve armed protection, as he has sought to disarm the country for decades.

The dust has not settled and memorial events haven’t even commenced yet, and we have people looking to politicize this tragic event. Ridicule the NRA…but anyone that tuned into the Leadership Forum the other day, would get a clear picture of the concerns of the speakers. Protecting our youth was at the top of that list, while people protested that prospect just outside the event center.

“Assault weapons … are a new topic. The weapons’ menacing looks, coupled with the public’s confusion over fully automatic machine guns versus semi-automatic assault weapons—anything that looks like a machine gun is assumed to be a machine gun—can only increase the chance of public support for restrictions on these weapons…. Efforts to restrict assault weapons are more likely to succeed than those to restrict handguns.” – Josh Sugarmann