National Rifle Association Executive Director and CEO Wayne LaPierre launched into criticisms of socialists, the FBI and the media Thursday, as he defended gun rights from the stage of the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC). His remarks came more than a week after the deadly school shooting in Florida that has sparked renewed calls for more stringent federal gun laws, and increased scrutiny on the NRA.
"We share a goal of safe schools, safe neighborhoods and a safe country. As usual the opportunist wasted not one second to exploit tragedy for political gain. Saul Alinsky would have been proud. The break back speed of calls for more gun control laws and the breathless national media eager to smear the NRA."
"The elites don’t care not one whit about America’s school system and schoolchildren. If they truly cared, what they would do is they would protect them. For them, it’s not a safety issue, it’s a political issue."
"They care more about control, and more of it. Their goal is to eliminate the second amendment and our firearms freedoms so they can eradicate all individual freedoms... They hate the NRA, they hate the second amendment, they hate individual freedom."
"They fantasise about more laws stopping what other laws have failed to stop. So many existing laws were ignored. They don't care if their laws work or not. They just want to get more laws to get more control over people. But the NRA, the NRA does care."
"You should be anxious and you should be frightened. If these so-called European socialists take over the House and the Senate and, GHod forbid, they win the White House again our American freedoms could be lost and our country will be changed forever, and the first to go will be the second amendment to the US constitution"
"We must immediately harden our schools. Every day young children are being dropped off at schools that are virtually wide open, soft targets for anyone bent on mass murder. It should not be easier for a madman to shoot up a school than a bank or jewellery store or some Hollywood gala."
"Schools should be the hardest target in this country. Evil must be confronted with all necessary force to protect our kids."
"Any American school that needs immediate professional consultation and help... should call the NRA's School Shield Program. And we will provide immediate assistance and we will also provide it absolutely free."
"Evil walks among us, and GHod help us if we don't harden our schools and protect our kids."
"To stop a bad guy with a gun, it takes a good guy with a gun."
Before LaPierre took the stage, NRA spokeswoman Dana Loesch said some in the media "love mass shootings."
"Many in legacy media love mass shootings. Now I'm not saying that you love the tragedy. But I am saying that you love the ratings. Crying white mothers are ratings gold..."
Loesch, who launched into an angry tirade against the media, also said Democratic lawmakers, in addition to the media, are taking advantage of the shooting.
"They're exploiting a tragedy for an agenda. Shame on you. We call B.S."
