Categories
Uncategorized

NRA almost developed a soul after Columbine, tapes show

During the days and weeks after the Columbine High School shooting in 1999, the leaders at the National Rifle Association nearly set a precedent that would’ve confounded the people in charge of the NRA today:  they were going to express sympathy to the victims.

According to secret recordings of discussions among NRA leaders that NPR obtained, the association leaders considered providing a $1 million fund to help the victims of the school shooting, which started a new era when school shootings are someone commonplace.  The conversations were secretly recorded by one of the parties involved, and NPR verified their authenticity with multiple others.

The tapes also demonstrate the contempt NRA leaders had for their members, with staff calling the more radical members “hillbillies”, “wackos”, “nuts”, “crazy” and “fruitcakes” who might go off script after Columbine and embarrass them in the media.  At the time of the school murders, the NRA was planning its annual convention in Denver, 15 minutes north of Columbine, and some leaders proposed delaying or canceling the convention, but it wasn’t feasible, they decided.  They could also use the convention as a platform to promote their agenda without it being dominated by the extremists.

The leadership was on another call when the topic of the juxtaposed optics of people partying and laughing at the NRA convention over the video of the children’s funerals arose.  Leaders started discussing what they could do to show their support for the victims.

NRA OFFICIAL KAYNE ROBINSON: Is there something concrete that we can offer? Not because guns are responsible, but because we care about these people? Is there anything? … Does that look crass or …

NRA LOBBYIST JIM BAKER: You mean the legislative?

ROBINSON: No, I’m talking about something concrete …

PR CONSULTANT TONY MAKRIS: Like a victims fund …

ROBINSON: Yeah, we create a victims fund, and we, uh, we give the victims a million dollars or something like that, uh. … Does that look bad, or does it look uh …

MAKRIS: Well, I mean, that can be twisted too. I mean, why … why are you giving money? You feel responsible?

BAKER: No. … Well, you’re — true. It can be twisted, but we feel sympathetic and …

NRA SPOKESPERSON BILL POWERS: Respectful.

Ultimately, the NRA created no victims’ fund.

Created by potrace 1.16, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2019

Venezuelan forces lay siege to Argentinian embassy in Caracas

24 mins ago

Fox News reports wokeness ruining country music industry

10 hours ago

Philippines Vice President Sara Duterte says she’s ordered assassin to kill President Ferdinand Marcos immediately if/when she is killed

13 hours ago

Random thoughts Friday, Volume CCI

24 hours ago

Hungarian Nazi enthusiast named to National Security post

1 day ago

We’re gonna miss him when he’s gone

1 day ago

Hedge fund manager going to play with a lot more people’s money

1 day ago

Maine Republican declared winner of election for state seat by one vote after being arrested for choking wife in October

1 day ago

Canadian Clustertruck captain convicted

1 day ago

Top German conservative activist dies at 96

1 day ago

Guy who can’t get webcasts to work interested in buying MSNBC

1 day ago

Texas Supreme Court gets Ken Paxton out of a jam

1 day ago

Matt Gaetz says he won’t be back in Congress on January 3rd

1 day ago

Judge Merchan indefinitely postpones Trump sentencing

1 day ago

Mike Rogers not under consideration for FBI chief: Trump minion

1 day ago

MAGA Land urges children to sacrifice new toys for America First

1 day ago

Tucker says he told Johnson to “check with Putin” on Ukraine aid

2 days ago

Team Orange “blindsided” by Hegseth rape accusation

2 days ago

Convicted California pedophile faces 740 years to life in prison

2 days ago

New York man actually laser eye-memes fucking Kevin McCarthy

2 days ago

“He was doing very well but, at the same time, did not want to be a distraction for the Administration”: Trump on Gaetz withdrawal

2 days ago

Matt Gaetz pulls out before things got even more messy

2 days ago

Republicans don’t actually know how mass deportation will work

2 days ago

MAGA propagandists put on nominee defense duty

2 days ago

Barrasso comes out in support of Pete Hegseth

3 days ago

Allegation: Hegseth drugged, sexually assaulted woman

3 days ago

ICC issues arrest warrant for Netanyahu

3 days ago

Bobby Jr agreed that Trump fans are “Nazis” back in 2016

3 days ago

Florida man arrested for planning to bomb Wall Street

3 days ago

Out of control inflation: banana sells for $5 million

3 days ago

House Republicans lining up to sink Gaetz nomination

3 days ago

Not The Onion: Alex Jones sues Sandy Hook families, The Onion

3 days ago

Capitol rioter convicted of plotting to murder FBI agents

3 days ago

House Ethics fails to agree to release Gaetz investigation report

3 days ago

Elon Musk got a lot done today

3 days ago

Orange Pharaoh rages over pushback to his shitty picks

3 days ago

Laken Riley’s killer convicted

3 days ago

Bald asshole former acting AG gets NATO ambassador nod

3 days ago

Grindr user “SenatorPartySlut1776” complies with blackmail terms

3 days ago

Freeman and Moss ask judge to hold Rudy in contempt

4 days ago

Jaydee stuck trying to sell Senate GOP on Gaetz

4 days ago

Surprise! Bobby Jr bought into “plandemic” shit in 2020

4 days ago

Walmart CFO says they’re getting ready to jack up prices

4 days ago

US Embassy in Kyiv shuts down over anticipated Russian attack

4 days ago

AG-designate Gaetz helped pay $10K in tuition for two underprivileged sex workers, Committee investigation found

4 days ago

Wrestling executive to head US Education Department

4 days ago

Guy accused of battery who cheated on wife once wrote of one’s “moral responsibility” while at Ivy League. (No, the other guy)

4 days ago

SpaceX landing aborted with Donald watching

4 days ago

Senate approves RFK takeover

4 days ago

Mehmet Oz to run Medicare and Medicaid for Trump Reich

4 days ago

x
x
x
x
x
x